Murder suspect released on house arrest

A Clovis woman locked up since January in connection with an August 2023 shooting death was ordered to be released Monday on monitored house arrest.

And the case against Alexandra Romero, 30, took a bizarre turn as court proceedings revealed she had a connection with former Clovis Police Officer Frank Careri who was charged Friday with drug trafficking.

Romero last year was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the slaying of Javier Jimenez. That charge was upgraded to murder in January and her trial was scheduled to begin Monday but was delayed at the state's request.

Romero's attorney, Matt Chandler, and prosecutors said Monday they both believe text messages on Romero's phone could be key in deciding her murder case.

District Attorney Quentin Ray said authorities only recently learned of Romero's connection to Careri; they learned of that connection when Chandler "asked for the file on Careri," Ray said.

"We believe there is evidence from the Careri file that will aid in the prosecution of Romero," Ray told The News in a text message Monday.

Chandler said he's been asking for Romero's cell phone information for eight months. He told the court he believes the phone has text messages that will exonerate Romero in the homicide.

Romero told police she shot Jimenez on Aug. 4 after she found him on her property. She has claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

Careri entered the picture when he was called in to investigate Jimenez' alleged trespassing on Romero's property months prior to the shooting, Chandler said.

That's when Careri began contacting Romero via text regarding narcotics and making requests for her to send him "provocative" photos of herself, Chandler and court documents allege.

Romero, who said her relationship with Jimenez revolved around their narcotics use together, planned to go to a rehabilitation clinic in California in February 2023. That's when she decided to tell Clovis police about Careri's behavior, Chandler said.

In making her accusations against Careri, she left her cell phone with police since it had text exchanges on it between her and Careri as well as the exchanges between herself and Jimenez.

Chandler told the court Romero became acquainted with Jimenez in 2022 because "they got high together."

He said over time Jimenez became more of a stalker than a friend. That's when she told police that Jimenez was trespassing on her property, alleging he left text messages ranging from declarations of love to death threats.

Judge Fred Van Soelen granted the continuance of the case Monday. He also ruled Romero could be released to house arrest in the supervisory custody of her grandmother in San Miguel County.

Careri was charged Friday with accessory to residential burglary in addition to drug trafficking in connection with the alleged inappropriate relationship with Romero. He was given two weeks to surrender to authorities since he was known to be in Hawaii, officials have said.

"This is clearly a self-defense matter. We are pleased with today's outcome," Chandler said after the hearing.