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Robbie's parents file a lawsuit against the city of Santa Fe and its police department, alleging the initial handling of the case might have cost the boy his life.
June 3, 2002: Robbie's parents file a lawsuit against the city of Santa Fe and its police department, alleging the initial handling of the case might have cost the boy his life. -
7-year-old Robbie Romero is last seen near his home in the Bellamah neighborhood in south Santa Fe.
7-year-old Robbie Romero is last seen near his home in the Bellamah neighborhood in south Santa Fe. -
Police and FBI agents dig in the backyard of the Romero house and set up roadblocks nearby.
Police and FBI agents dig in the backyard of the Romero house and set up roadblocks nearby. -
June 15, 2000: Ronnie Romero, Robbie's oldest brother, is arrested on an outstanding warrant on misdemeanor charges of assault and battery against family members.
June 15, 2000: Ronnie Romero, Robbie's oldest brother, is arrested on an outstanding warrant on misdemeanor charges of assault and battery against family members. -
June 17, 2000: A woman calls 911 claiming Ronnie Romero confessed to responsibility for his brother's death.
June 17, 2000: A woman calls 911 claiming Ronnie Romero confessed to responsibility for his brother's death. -
July 13, 2000: Police begin three-day search of he Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body.
July 13, 2000: Police begin three-day search of he Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body. -
July 16, 2000: Ronnie calls police, implicates his "girlfriend" in Robbie's disappearance.
July 16, 2000: Ronnie calls police, implicates his "girlfriend" in Robbie's disappearance. -
Aug. 24, 2000: Police search Fenton Lake for Robbie's body.
Aug. 24, 2000: Police search Fenton Lake for Robbie's body. -
Sept. 6, 2000: Robbie's mother, Evelyn Romero, reports her son, Ronnie, failed a lie-detector test regarding Robbie's disappearance.
Sept. 6, 2000: Robbie's mother, Evelyn Romero, reports her son, Ronnie, failed a lie-detector test regarding Robbie's disappearance. -
Sept. 26-Oct. 10, 2000: Police again search the Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body.
Sept. 26-Oct. 10, 2000: Police again search the Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body. -
Nov. 4, 2000: Evelyn searches the Cerrillos community — with friends — after receiving information from a psychic in Florida.
Nov. 4, 2000: Evelyn searches the Cerrillos community — with friends — after receiving information from a psychic in Florida. -
Nov. 20, 2000: Ronnie is sentenced to a treatment facility.
Nov. 20, 2000: Ronnie is sentenced to a treatment facility. -
Nov. 25, 2000: Police supervisor Jerry Archuleta is demoted from lieutenant to sergeant for his handling of the case.
Nov. 25, 2000: Police supervisor Jerry Archuleta is demoted from lieutenant to sergeant for his handling of the case. -
Dec. 29, 2000: Police release a 30-second commercial with footage of the missing 7-year-old.
Dec. 29, 2000: Police release a 30-second commercial with footage of the missing 7-year-old. -
The police department fires Archuleta.
The police department fires Archuleta. -
The FBI announces that tests on remains found in the northwestern part of New Mexico on the Navajo Reservation are inconclusive.
Sept. 13, 2002: The FBI announces that tests on remains found in the northwestern part of New Mexico on the Navajo Reservation are inconclusive. -
Robbie's father, Rudy Sr., dies.
Oct. 7, 2002: Robbie's father, Rudy Sr., dies. -
A judge refuses to order investigators to hand over their file on Robbie's disappearance to the boy's mother.
Nov. 7, 2003: A judge refuses to order investigators to hand over their file on Robbie's disappearance to the boy's mother. -
Archuleta sues the department for alleged civil-rights violations.
Feb. 19, 2004: Archuleta sues the department for alleged civil-rights violations. -
The Court of Appeals says police must hand over their case file to the Romero family.
The Court of Appeals says police must hand over their case file to the Romero family. -
Evelyn releases an age-progressed photo of Robbie and says she believes he's still alive.
Evelyn releases an age-progressed photo of Robbie and says she believes he's still alive. -
The New Mexico Supreme Court says the Santa Fe Police Department acted appropriately in demoting Archuleta.
The New Mexico Supreme Court says the Santa Fe Police Department acted appropriately in demoting Archuleta. -
Ronnie takes and fails his third polygraph test.
Ronnie takes and fails his third polygraph test. -
January 2006: Ronnie tells police Robbie's body is "60 feet deep."
Ronnie tells police Robbie's body is "60 feet deep." -
Police begin a three-day search of the Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body.
Police begin a three-day search of the Caja del Rio landfill for Robbie's body. -
A grand jury begins hearing testimony from Romero family members and others connected to the case.
Jan. 19, 2006: A grand jury begins hearing testimony from Romero family members and others connected to the case. -
Ronnie pleads guilty to charges related to an incident the previous summer in which he was "acting crazy" at his mother's house and later stabbed a nurse with a needle.
Jan. 25, 2006: Ronnie pleads guilty to charges related to an incident the previous summer in which he was "acting crazy" at his mother's house and later stabbed a nurse with a needle. -
Evelyn and other family members testify before the grand jury.
Evelyn and other family members testify before the grand jury. -
The New Mexico Supreme Court rules the city of Santa Fe must open its police files to a state District Court judge to determine what information should be released to the family.
The New Mexico Supreme Court rules the city of Santa Fe must open its police files to a state District Court judge to determine what information should be released to the family. -
Ronnie is acquitted on a charge of battering a police officer, and a judge declares a mistrial on a charge of violating parole.
Ronnie is acquitted on a charge of battering a police officer, and a judge declares a mistrial on a charge of violating parole. -
A state District Court judge sentences Ronnie to spend about the next six months in prison for violating conditions of his house arrest agreement.
A state District Court judge sentences Ronnie to spend about the next six months in prison for violating conditions of his house arrest agreement. -
Robbie's mother and brother say in a lawsuit that the Santa Fe police are harassing them.
Robbie's mother and brother say in a lawsuit that the Santa Fe police are harassing them. -
Ronnie is sentenced to jail for a year for violating his probation for the sixth time.
Ronnie is sentenced to jail for a year for violating his probation for the sixth time. -
Police recover a bag of bones from the backyard of the Romero family; the bones were later found to be remains of a dog.
Police recover a bag of bones from the backyard of the Romero family; the bones were later found to be remains of a dog. -
Ronnie dies in jail.
Ronnie dies in jail. During an autopsy, a balloon of suspected to contain black tar heroin is found in his rectum.