Keniel Diaz-Romero, formerly of Quincy, was taken into custody in Puerto Rico and brought back to Massachusetts, where he’ll be arraigned Tuesday on a murder charge for allegedly shooting Nathan Paul in Quincy on Feb. 15, 2022.
A man indicted for murdering a Weymouth, Massachusetts, high school senior last year has been arrested in Puerto Rico and extradited to the Bay State.
Keniel Diaz-Romero, formerly of Quincy, is facing a murder charge in the February 2022 shooting death of Weymouth High School student Nathan Paul.
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The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office announced Sunday that Mass. State Police and Quincy police traveled to Puerto Rico last week to take Diaz-Romero into custody. He has since been returned to Massachusetts where he's being held in Norfolk County Jail in Dedham.
“State Police assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s office and Quincy Police have been working with the US Marshals Service and the the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section of the Massachusetts State Police to first locate, then return this defendant to Massachusetts since this indictment issued sixteen months ago,” District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a statement. “I thank Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy, the US Marshals Boston Office and VFAS for their coordination and cooperation here.”
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Diaz-Romero was one of two 18-year-old's indicted last May but he was the sole person who had remained at large. Authorities said at the time they believed he was outside of Massachusetts and noted they were working with local, regional and federal law enforcement to find him and take him into custody.
Prosecutors allege Diaz-Romero shot 17-year-old Paul on Feb. 15, 2022, on Taffrail Road, near the Germantown Housing Development in Quincy.
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Paul was behind the wheel of an SUV when officers found him a short distance away on Palmer Street. He was taken to Boston Medical Center where he died from his injuries.
Diaz-Romero and Jaivon Harris, who was arrested in February 2022, were both indicted at the time for murder, larceny from a person, possession of a counterfeit bill, uttering a counterfeit bill, and conspiracy to commit larceny. Diaz-Romero was also indicted for unlawfully carrying a firearm.
Four children were also arrested last July to face charges in the case that included stealing from Paul.
Shortly after Paul was gunned down, NBC10 Boston spoke with his grieving father who pleaded for justice, asking whoever was responsible to turn themselves in. Now, 16 months after the indictment was issued, Paul's family can continue to see justice play out.
Paul played football, basketball and wrestled at Weymouth High School. He had plans to go to Quincy College, according to his family.
Diaz-Romero will be arraigned Tuesday in Norfolk County Superior Court. He's being represented by Boston Attorney Liam Scully.
