Friday, May 10, 2024
Two Gatesville residents – Betsy Ayers Robinson and Cody Gene Ayers – have been arrested by Coryell County Sheriff’s Deputies on charges related to the murder of Elizabeth Ann Romero.
Ayers Robinson, 57, of Gatesville, has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence. She remains in custody at the Coryell County Jail on over $1 million in bond.
Cody Gene Ayers, 42, of Gatesville, has been charged with tampering with evidence. He was released on Aug. 24 after posting a $20,000 bond.
Robinson is the mother of Jessica Colleen Robinson, who was arrested May 19 on a theft of property charge. The younger Robinson was charged with the murder of Romero on May 20.
On Aug. 22, that murder charge was upgraded to capital murder and a charge of tampering or fabricating physical evidence was added. She remains in custody at the Coryell County Jail.
The arrests follow months of investigation by multiple agencies into the disappearance of Romero.
Gatesville Police had entered Romero’s name into a missing persons’ database in April after her family lost contact with her. Initially reported missing to Waco Police, she was a Waco resident who was known by her family to frequent Gatesville.
Romero’s family members later received information that she might be at an address near Gatesville.
Coryell County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a welfare check at that residence following a request from the Waco Police Department, which was investigating Romero’s disappearance as a missing person.
The sheriff’s office also began an investigation into the woman’s disappearance.
In May, the sheriff’s office received information that Romero had been murdered at the address deputies had checked and her body had been disposed of nearby.
Following a series of interviews and searches, the younger Robinson was arrested for the murder.
The sheriff’s office has stated that more arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
