Ex-Algonquin man murdered Cary-area parents for inheritance, prosecutors argue

WOODSTOCK – Prosecutors in the case against a former Algonquin man accused in the 2006 shooting deaths of his father and stepmother said Tuesday the man was motivated by the prospect of a financial inheritance.

Assistant State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally presented the case for the state, which argued Michael W. Romano was motivated by the inheritance because he was about $135,000 in debt at the time of the deaths.

Romano, 56, was indicted on four counts of first-degree murder last year. He denies the charges.

Both sides gave opening statements Tuesday, and attorneys for the state began witness testimony and evidence presentation.

Nick Sr. and Gloria Romano were found dead Nov. 19, 2006, in their home between Crystal Lake and Cary. Each had gunshot wounds to the back of the head.

There were no signs of forced entry at the couple's home, and neither victim showed signs of defensive wounds or other injuries, the then-coroner said at the time.

Romano emerged as a suspect when he told police he found his parents dead at 3 a.m. at their Lake Killarney home. According to reports from the time, he said he was there because they weren't answering their phones.

Assistant Public Defender Angelo Mourelatos said Tuesday surveillance footage from an Algonquin White Hen and McDonald's would exonerate Michael Romano and cited the absence of gunshot residue on the defendant's hands and in his car when officers searched them after the bodies were found.

In the state's case, Kenneally said Romano had made comments about inheriting his parents' multimillion-dollar estate in the months leading up to the deaths, but unbeknownst to him, Nick Romano Sr. had removed him from his will and trust five years earlier.

He did so, Kenneally said, because Michael Romano had been caught stealing $100,000 from his employer, Pepper Construction, in 1999. Nick Romano Sr., who also worked for the company, was forced into early retirement because of it, Kenneally said.

Kenneally also cited Michael Romano's nonchalant behavior and demeanor during police interviews, including the fact he began calling his father "coldhearted" shortly into his first interview.

The state said Romano borrowed .22-caliber ammunition from a neighbor that matched the bullets found in his parents' bodies.

Kenneally also said Romano had mentioned to a woman he was having an affair with that he saw a Camel cigarette near his stepmother's body, a cigarette he alleged Romano planted there because neither he nor his parents smoked that brand.

The defense's opening statement discussed Romano's whereabouts Nov. 19, 2006, the date his parents are believed to have been killed.

The defense attorney also said Nick Sr. and Gloria Romano had a collection of firearms located throughout the home, some of which were loaded.

The state called seven witnesses to the stand, including Shirley Stojak, Gloria Romano's sister; Sharon Romano, the wife of Nick Romano Jr.; and five first responders.

Both women said Nick Romano Sr. and Michael Romano were estranged. Stojak also said her sister kept the doors of her home locked at all times, a relevant fact because police found the home's doors and windows locked.

During jury selection Tuesday morning, Assistant Public Defenders Mourelatos and Rick Behof asked potential jurors how they felt about guns and gambling. They also asked whether they've ever been to Las Vegas, where authorities picked up Romano in January 2014 while he was working as a cab driver.

Mourelatos cautioned jurors about some of the things they might see or hear over the course of the trial, which could last two weeks and include a potential witness list of more than 80 people.

Nick Romano Jr. offered a $100,000 reward for information about his parents' killer and expressed frustration with his brother. He questioned why his brother was at the home so late.

"I will not give up searching for answers," Nick Romano Jr. said in 2007. "Somebody's got to know something. We all want answers."

McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather is presiding over the trial. ​Michael Romano has been in custody of the McHenry County Jail on a $3 million bond.

The trial is expected to resume Wednesday.