Friends say Hayward man was shot & killed out of jealousy
HAYWARD, Calif. (KTVU) - The family of a 19-year-old Hayward man shot and killed wants his killer to be brought to justice.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in solving this case.
Investigators are looking into whether his work in the legally regulated medical marijuana business had anything to do with his death.
Family and friends of Manuel Romero are grieving their loss.
"I didn't get to tell him how much I love him, how proud I was," says Robert Romero, his father.
"Living my worst nightmare; that's what I'm living right now. Trying to stay strong and hope that doesn't happen to anybody else."
Romero says his son was at the threshold of adulthood.
On one hand, he was the fun loving skateboarder who called Tennyson Park his happy place.
Romero shared cell phone video of his son playing drums at the Oakland Coliseum when they attending A's games.
At 19, he had just moved into his own apartment and recently started to run a legal medical marijuana business.
His dad says he and Manuel had their differences.
"I didn't like him smoking weed,” he said adding that they bumped heads over the issue. “I didn't want him selling it.”
On Saturday night, Manuel was shot and killed just outside his new apartment.
"I actually saw him a half hour before all this stuff happened," says Brandon Hashimoto, a friend who says Manuel had come by his home before returning to his apartment.
Friends say they suspect whoever killed Manuel had targeted him; perhaps out of jealousy because he was a go-getter.
They say Manuel was the person they turned to when they needed help.
"He's just someone who's easy to talk to. It's easy to open up and talk to him," says Hashimoto.
The spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office says investigators are reviewing surveillance video from neighbors.
They say they are looking at a range of possible motives.
"The marijuana angle being just one of them. We're also looking into his life to see if anyone was really angry with him," said Sgt. Ray Kelly with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.
Friends say they're filling the void Manuel has left by memorializing him at the skate park.
They've written his nickname "Gerbs" and other fond messages.
Romero has words for whoever's responsible for his son's death.
"You took my son. There's an empty hole in my heart that I have to live with forever," says Romero.
Romero says the person who killed his son also robbed his family and friends.
They say they want the person caught because whoever did this is capable of killing again.
His family has set up a GoFundMe page for him.