Boyfriend still insists fatal 2002 shooting was an accident
Veale, now 58, had been living with Loretta Romero for 13 years. He had lost his job six months before her death, had no other work prospects and had been drinking heavily. He said at his trial that he was considering suicide. He had consumed 42 beers starting the previous day and into the early hours of Dec. 28, 2002. He said he was attempting to adjust the .12-gauge pump-action shotgun when it went off, hitting Romero in the face.
Prosecutors told a different story: that a fed-up Romero had been working two jobs to support them, bills were piling up, Veale was making no effort to get work or stop drinking and she had told others she was making plans to get out of the relationship.
Romero's family does not buy Veale's account of what happened and said they grieve for her every day.
"Craig was someone our family took in as one of our own," said Gilbert Romero, brother of the dead woman. "He took advantage of my sister's good heart. Loretta was about to leave Craig and he could not allow this."
"Since Loretta's death, nothing has been the same," Romero said. "This man is a killer. His early release would send a message to society that murder is not a serious crime."
Veale responded that he had loved Loretta Romero and would never have intentionally hurt her.
"The reason I was contemplating suicide that day was so I could give her the release (from him and the relationship)," he said.
Veale said at first he didn't know that he had shot her as she fell head first into a bathroom, with her feet sticking out into the hallway area where he could see them.
"It's a nightmare for all of us, especially for me to see that. It haunts me. It's the first thing I think of every day when I wake up in the morning," he said.
The five-member board will consider Veale's parole request and respond within a month.
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com
Recent comments
FYI "Are you kidding me", that comment [GOODBYE DEAR SWEET LORETTA…
A word from the other side | Sept. 23, 2008 at 9:32 p.m.
You obviously don't know. This will never ease up and be bearable…
Are you kidding me? | Sept. 11, 2008 at 11:52 p.m.
GOODBY DEAR SWEET LORETTA
MAY ALL THIS SOON BE OVER AND DONE…LORETTA | Sept. 10, 2008 at 9:42 p.m.
