Man Convicted in 1995 Killing at Caltech

By City News Service

A man who was extradited from Mexico in connection with the 1995 shooting death of a custodian on the Caltech campus was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder.

The Pasadena Superior Court jury deliberated about a day before finding Raul Alcazar Romero, 57, guilty of the April 21, 1995, killing of Francisco Mora as the 36-year-old man ate lunch on the Caltech campus in Pasadena with Romero's ex-wife, said Deputy District Attorney Dmitry Brodsky.

Jurors also found true a gun use allegation against Romero.

Romero initially confronted his ex-wife and Mora -- who were involved in a relationship -- as the two left to get lunch, then returned and fired three shots at Mora as he and Romero's ex-wife ate by a loading dock, Brodsky said.

The woman ran from the scene and Romero fired three more shots at Mora, according to the prosecutor.

Romero fled almost immediately after the killing. He was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico, about two years before he was turned over to Pasadena police in March 2012.

He is facing a maximum of 25 years to life in state prison, with sentencing set Dec. 17, Brodsky said.