EXCLUSIVE: A self-proclaimed “monster” who is behind bars for shooting his wife following rape allegations, a workplace love triangle and an ongoing custody battle has written an emotional prison confession, telling Fox News Digital that he “will never forgive”. (himself) for letting the evil that (him) win.
Omar Pena-Romero, 23, awaits arraignment at the Pulaski County Jail in Arkansas on capital murder charges in the shootings of his wife, Cassandra Pena-Romero, 27; he cannot appear in court for two or three months, according to the Pulaski County Public Defender’s Office, and no public defender has been assigned.
But rather than focusing on his legal defense, Pena-Romero told Fox News Digital that he was “more focused on the safety of (his) child and his custody battle,” releasing his conscience and “making it known to people why I did it.” what I have done.”
“At that moment, I thought I had lost everything,” Pena-Romero wrote. “All I ever wanted was to save my family, but now I know I did more than just destroy them…I was simply too weak to move on.”
MURDER CHARGES DROP AGAINST Jailed Colorado MAN AFTER AUTOPSY DETERMINES REAL CAUSE OF GIRLFRIEND’S DEATH
Omar Pena-Romero, 23, is accused of murdering his wife of four years, Cassandra Pena-Romero, 27, on August 19. (Pulaski County Jail/Cassandra Pena-Romero/Facebook)
Pena-Romero shot Cassandra as she left work at the Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services dispatch center in Little Rock around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 19, according to an arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital.
Five hours after shooting his wife, according to a police report, Pena-Romero was found by Arkansas State Police with his gun in plain sight. He was arrested without incident.
Previously, Pena-Romero was also employed at the Arkansas Dispatch Center, but was suspended after his arrest on August 7 for allegedly raping and assaulting Cassandra. The MEMS employees had been debriefed and instructed not to allow their former colleague access to MEMS property.
Ohio murder suspect breaks into Georgia home, encounters male relative with gun
Rebecca Tennille, communications manager at MEMS, told Fox News Digital that she couldn’t “accept the fact that he, a murderer, is going to be able to tell his side of the story again.”
“He killed her – she can’t tell her story,” Tennille said.
Before she was shot, police said, Cassandra sent an “SOS text” to her co-workers, who rushed into the parking lot to find that she was bleeding. Alan Yeargan, Cassandra’s lover, according to police documents and social media posts, was among the first to help her.
“When I turned her around in the parking lot, I knew I would never forget her eyes in that moment,” Yeargan wrote in a Facebook post.
In a previous article, Yeargan said that “people are not possessions – you can only experience them for as long as they let you.”
Yeargan declined to comment for this story.
Four days after being shot, Cassandra succumbed to her injuries, her employer told Fox.
Greg Thompson, executive director of MEMS, told Fox News Digital that Cassandra was a “wonderful person and a dedicated employee.”
“She saved lives every day in her role as a MEMS dispatcher and continued to do so as an organ donor,” he said in a statement.
Young pastor allegedly tried to kill his wife and five children before burning down his house: POLICE
“I know apologizing doesn’t change anything, but I am,” Pena-Romero wrote in his confession. “I always protected her and took care of her – we never fought before. I never laid hands on her… I thought our life was perfect with good jobs, great love towards each other. and have a beautiful son.”
But Pena-Romero’s claims are contradicted by divorce papers served by his wife on Aug. 11, in which she asked a Pulaski Circuit Court judge to change her last name to Frederickson-Pena and assume full custody of the couple’s 18-month-old son.
She argued that Pena-Romero was “not a fit or proper person to have custody of the child” and had repeatedly threatened her.
“(Pena-Romero) threatened to take the minor child, steal an ambulance, and run away. The defendant is a DACA recipient from Mexico,” the filing states.
The document cites his voluntary stay in an area psychiatric facility in early August where he “exhibited suicidal and homicidal thoughts”, a suicide note he allegedly presented to his wife, and his subsequent arrest for rape, assault and battery. serious injuries and interference with emergency communications at the hospital. his Maumelle apartment that day.
PRIVILEGES AHEAD OF BRYAN KOHBERGER’S “UNPRECEDENTED” TRIAL INCLUDE VEGAN FOOD, NEW SUITS, COMPUTER: VICTIM’S FATHER
Cassandra first called police to her apartment when she received the suicide note and her husband told her he “didn’t want to live if they couldn’t be together,” according to police documents. Apparently he was furious when Cassandra called the police because their supervisor and colleagues at the dispatch center would know about the situation.
Yeargan was the one to contact the police after not hearing from Cassandra for a long time. When they arrived, according to their report, Pena-Romero opened the door and claimed that he and Cassandra had just had “make-up sex.” Meanwhile, Cassandra was naked and crying on a couch inside and claimed she had been raped.
Although he was considered a flight risk because of his Mexican citizenship and his past comments, a state district court judge set Pena-Romero’s bail at $75,000, which was paid by his family a week later.
Pena-Romero confessed to killing his wife, but told Fox News Digital that Cassandra’s rape accusation was false, filed because she “thought it would get him deported instantly.”
“I actually believed him,” his sister, Mitzi Pena, told Fox News Digital. “I couldn’t believe it and the only way I could talk to him was to save him…like his sister, I did.”
Pena claimed the couple’s Ring doorbell footage showed Yeargan entering the apartment after her brother’s arrest for Cassandra’s alleged rape – to her, the footage supported her claims that “he didn’t have her do”.
“He never had any trouble with the law, it was just heartbreaking. But at the same time…he put me in a really bad situation. He put my family in danger,” Pena said. “I told him I can’t help him until he tells me the truth.”
At this point, Pena claims, the Arkansas Department of Human Services has not allowed his family to see Pena-Romero’s son and has been evasive in the face of the family’s attempts to inquire about his well-being. be.
“We don’t even think about Omar anymore. We think about (the child). If he’s safe and with a good family taking care of him, we’ll be fine with that.”
The Arkansas Department of Human Services said it could not comment on the situation.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Wallace Allen, Cassandra’s uncle and one of her last living relatives, filed for custody of the child, according to publicly available court records. Fox News Digital was unable to reach him for comment as of press time.
Fox