Marking 10 year anniversary of Gilbert unsolved murder

OPINION — I wanted to inform you that June 9, 2026, is the 10-year anniversary of the murder of Alyssa Romine.

The 30-year-old was found murdered at the Riparian Preserve after being reported missing the day before. Her naked body was pulled from Pond 7, near the restrooms. Her clothes were missing. Reports show that there wasn't any water in her lungs and toxicology reports were negative for any drugs. There were signs of assault and possible sexual assault.

Reports also show that no action (not even a simple call to the family) has occurred for the past several years. The family was repeatedly denied the opportunity to see Alyssa's body for positive identification and to say goodbye prior to laying her to rest. The family was denied an open casket memorial. To this day, they have yet to see any photographs of their beloved daughter and sister. It took three years for the family to receive a police report. The medical examiner's report still remains significantly redacted.

It should be noted that just four months after Alyssa's murder, Gilbert was designated the safest city in America. I would suspect that the sexual assault and murder of a young woman, possibly by homeless men living in the Riparian would tarnish the reputation of the family-friendly Preserve. At least one of these homeless men had a record as a sex offender, a designation that would not have been good for Gilbert's reputation as a safe city. This murder would most definitely put a black eye on the Riparian Preserve.

Councilmember Kenny Buckland openly admitted that the police department was significantly understaffed during this time, so much that it was scary. I can only imagine how scared Alyssa was.

Ironically, Pond 7 is the site of a Hope Walk that was established by Gilbert Leadership Class 31. This class included Assistant Police Chief Michael Angsted, and Commander Joe Rodriguez (who is the commander in charge of investigations for the Gilbert Police Department). The horrific insensitivity of this project demonstrates a lack of empathy and acknowledgment of Alyssa's murder.

Not a single arrest has been made despite police reportedly having sufficient evidence linking potential suspects to the crime.

The Romine family has cooperated with police, yet the police response has been virtually non-existent.

At one point early in the investigation, one of the officers was playing cards with a small group of people. When asked about Alyssa, the officer reportedly replied, "We don't know what happened. The Bible-thumping freak must have done it to herself." The officer did not realize that Alyssa's cousin was also sitting at the card table. This was reported, documented and resulted in the officer being removed from the case.

The town of Gilbert and the Gilbert Police Department have a duty and obligation to remember Alyssa and continue seeking justice for her family. The sheer lack of acknowledgment of Alyssa's murder has been noticed by the family and the public. The town has an opportunity to bring renewed attention to this case and show empathy.

Alyssa Romine was murdered in the Riparian Preserve, and it's time Gilbert start treating this case with the attention it deserves. Gilbert has not made a single post acknowledging the anniversary of Alyssa's murder. Not a single post asking for information. I ask that you do what is right and give Alyssa's family the same consideration that has been given to the families of other murder victims.

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