As the search for 91-year-old Apolonio Romero in Tempe continues to grip the community, a development emerged this week that has drawn considerable attention. Romero, who was last seen on January 2 and suffers from dementia and Type 2 diabetes, has been the subject of an extensive search effort. Tempe police confirmed the discovery of a body at a construction site, a find that could potentially bring closure to the case. The body, discovered near McClintock and Weber drives was found after a 911 call prompted a response from local authorities.
The ongoing investigation has seen the efforts of "fire and police departments, volunteers, family members and community members," according to a statement released by officials and obtained by AZ Family. Despite the find, the police have reported no obvious signs of trauma on the body. Still, the identity of the deceased remains unconfirmed as of now, with the Maricopa County Medical Examiner tasked with the identification process.
Romero was reported missing since January 3, with family and friends having distributed flyers throughout the area in a bid to locate him. He was described as a Hispanic man, 5′7, weighing about 140 pounds, who has brown eyes, gray hair, a mustache and was last seen wearing a denim jacket. His last known whereabouts were in the area of Miller Road and Weber Drive.
Responding to the situation, Tempe Police highlighted the community’s engagement in the search for Romero, "We understand how deeply this ongoing search has affected the community, and we ask for continued patience and compassion as the identification process and investigation move forward," they said, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Furthermore, tracking efforts by Police K-9s had led to Vista Del Camino Park but yielded no further evidence of Romero's location. Anyone with relevant information is still encouraged to contact the Tempe Police Department at 480-350-8311, a plea echoed by local news and community members alike.
As the identification process continues, the community waits in a collective hope for answers. The case, notably active according to AZFamily, with detectives still pursuing all available leads, serves as a poignant reminder of the vulnerabilities confronted by our senior citizens.
