Arrests made after 2024 fatal shooting in Fort Pierce
FORT PIERCE – Police on June 5 announced two arrests in a 2024 shooting case that left an 18-year-old man dead, records state.
Slain in the March 16, 2024, incident just east of North 23rd Street and Avenue C was Jackson Romanello, Fort Pierce Police stated.
Over the past year, investigators determined David Harris III, 19, of Fort Pierce, shot Romanello during a drug transaction initiated by Romanello and Jerimah Nelson, 21, who was arrested June 3 in Flagler County on a variety of mainly drug charges.
Police found Romanello in the driver's seat of a Honda Pilot with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. The Honda was just south of an apartment building where investigators said Harris lives.
Police Maj. Eric Chan on June 5 said two individuals contacted police shortly after the shooting and said they were in the vehicle with Romanello at the time.
'Detectives interviewed them and from them they developed leads which they had to follow through on, which led to the identification of these two individuals (Nelson and Harris).'
According to records, investigators determined Romanello and Nelson exchanged text messages for several weeks before the shooting regarding Nelson buying marijuana and Adderall pills from Romanello, who was living in Fort Myers.
Chan said the two people in the Honda with Romanello didn't know Harris and Nelson.
'They painted a picture of what was going on so that we could follow up,' he said.
Chan said the investigation took more than a year.
'We wanted to make sure that we corroborated any statements and/or other leads that we got,' Chan said. 'We did search warrants and subpoenas to gather information that required analyzing.'
He said Nelson moved to Palm Coast.
Chan said it was 'a robbery gone bad by David Harris.'
According to statements in records, Harris put a gun to the left side of Romanello's head and told him not to move or he would be shot. Romanello put the Honda in gear and Harris fired a single shot.
Police found a 9mm cartridge casing at the scene.
Where was the father?: Preliminary autopsy of boy who officials said died by mom's hand doesn't contradict mom's account
'Vigorous neighborhood canvass': Police said man entered home, photographed woman after she exited shower
Chan said after police identified Harris as a possible shooter, he was arrested in June 2024 on unrelated charges, including possession of a firearm by a felon. He's been in the St. Lucie County Jail since then, Chan said.
'We got him off the streets as fast as we could identify him,' Chan said.
Chan said Harris was arrested on a murder charge June 4 regarding the Romanello death.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Two arrests after fatal shooting in Fort Pierce

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Defense rests case in second trial of Karen Read for Boston police officer boyfriend's death
The defense in Karen Read's second murder trial rested its case on Wednesday, arguing she was framed for the killing of her Boston police officer boyfriend. Read, 45, faces murder and other charges for the death of John O'Keefe, who was found dead in the snow in January 2022 after a night of drinking. Prosecutors have said Read intentionally struck O'Keefe with her sport utility vehicle and left him to die. Read's defense has suggested she was the victim of a wide-ranging conspiracy that included planting evidence and using her as a convenient scapegoat for her boyfriend's death. They also unsuccessfully sought a mistrial earlier in the trial. Read's first trial ended in a hung jury.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Police investigate Hialeah crash involving police cruiser
Police are investigating a crash involving a Hialeah police cruiser on Wednesday afternoon. Images from Chopper 4 showed the police vehicle overturned outside the Villa Aida Adult Center, located at 20 W 6th Street. Hialeah Fire-Rescue officials said the officer in the overturned vehicle was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The intersection was cordoned off with police tape as authorities responded to the scene. A white Mercedes-Benz sedan with front-end damage was also visible at the scene. No word if the driver of the white Mercedes had been injured. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Baldwin Park shooting suspect makes first court appearance, ordered jailed without bail
The 22-year-old man accused of shooting and killing a Baldwin Park police officer, and another man, made his first court appearance on Wednesday and was ordered to remain jailed without bail until his July 31 arraignment. Eduardo Roberto Medina-Berumen, who was injured in a gun battle with police during the May 31 incident, appeared at the Pomona Courthouse for his hearing in a wheelchair. He faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of 35-year-old Officer Samuel Riveros and 43-year-old Darius Wong, a Hacienda Heights man and father of two. He also is charged with two counts of attempted murder for allegedly firing at two other Baldwin Park police officers, one who was wounded by gunfire. Wong was shot and killed as he was attempting to park his car on the street after dropping off his daughters, wife, and sister-in-law at a Baldwin Park family party Saturday evening. Minutes later, just after 7:12 p.m., police responded to reports of a man armed with a rifle, shooting on the 4200 block of Filhurst Avenue. Sheriff Robert Luna said earlier that as two police officers arrived, they found a man lying on the sidewalk "unresponsive, that ultimately, unfortunately, was Mr. Wong." The two officers who arrived in separate cars, were "immediately fired upon by this suspect, who had a rifle" Luna said. "An officer-involved shooting occurred at that time and Officer (Anthony) Pimentel was injured as a result of the suspect's gunfire." Riveros, a nine-year department veteran, arrived shortly after and was struck by gunfire, Luna said. More officers responded to the scene and a second officer-involved shooting occurred with the suspect. Medina-Berumen suffered gunshot wounds and was treated in the hospital. An AR-15-style weapon with two high-capacity magazines was recovered at the scene, Luna said earlier. Medina-Berumen also faces a possession of an assault rifle charge. During Wednesday's brief court hearing, Deputy District Attorney Michael Michelena told Superior Court Judge Ramiro P. Cisneros that prosecutors can prove the defendant was standing outside his home with a short-barrel rifle and "started firing indiscriminately." Michelena said Wong was shot before officers arrived. Officers "took him (Medina-Berumen) into custody after he ran out of ammunition," the prosecutor said.