Advertisement
John Romberg was fatally shot in the head while performing his job as a taxi driver in the city of Baraboo, WI
Baraboo Man Murdered
By Molly Borgstrom
Police found Baraboo taxi driver John T. Romberg, 50, in his cab with a fatal gunshot wound to the head Tuesday night. The shooting, which police are calling a homicide, happened on Fourth Avenue in Baraboo.
Shortly after 10 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked and left running in a driveway at 706 Fourth Avenue. They found Romberg's body inside the cab with a gunshot wound to the head. Police said residents should not worry about a gunman on the loose because the department has no evidence indicating anyone else is in danger.
Resident Deb Skaife said the car was parked in her driveway and her boyfriend called the police. He noticed something wrong while he was watching the 10 p.m. news and Skaife washed dishes in the kitchen.
"He heard what he thought was a shot," Skaife said.
He called her out of the kitchen and they both heard an engine revving, so they went outside and found the cab smoking in the driveway with the driver slumped over. Skaife said her boyfriend opened the passenger side door, saw the driver had been shot and that his foot was still on the gas pedal. He then called police.
Other neighbors heard the noise and came outside before police arrived and told them to go back indoors.
"(The car) was rocking and smoking," neighbor Jamie Catterson said.
Romberg's fiancée, Jane Williams, said she was listening to her scanner Tuesday night and heard Romberg accept his last call of the night. He had worked for the city cab service since March and he loved the job, she said.
Williams turned the scanner off and two hours later Baraboo police came to her door with the news.
She said she had no reason to think the shooter had specifically targeted Romberg. He had no enemies, she said.
"Jim was a fun-loving and easy-going guy," she said.
Lt. Rob Sinden said police will not give out a suspect description or number of people involved until they have more evidence. He said he wanted to quell rumors that multiple suspects are Hispanic.
"We don't want to qualify that rumor at all at this point until we have something solid," Sinden said.
Sinden confirmed he gave a suspect description to Mike Fuhrman, an employee at the 24-hour Kwik Trip on the corner of Linn Street and Highway 12 in West Baraboo. Fuhrman noticed suspicious-looking customers, who "roughly" matched the police description, and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.
Sinden said those customers, whom Fuhrman described as two Hispanic males and a female, had been contacted but not arrested or charged. Police took a surveillance video tape from the gas station.
"We're going to work vehemently on this case to bring it hopefully to as much of a (closure) as we can," Sinden said. "Our condolences go out to the family."
Sauk County Coroner Betty Hinze said Wednesday evening she had not finished Romberg's death certificate.
Officers canvassed the area surrounding the crime scene Tuesday night and Wednesday morning looking for evidence, Sinden said.
The last homicide in Baraboo was in May 2003 and another in 2001, Sinden said.
"I think everyone is a little shocked by this," he said. "This happens in New York; this happens in Chicago, not nice Baraboo."
Skaife said she couldn't believe such a thing had happened in her neighborhood, which is usually dark and quiet, she said.
"I hope to God they find whoever did this. This is sad," she said. "No family deserves this."
Baraboo Police, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and the Sauk County Sheriff's Department and coroner are investigating the case.
Source-Baraboo News Republic November 4, 2004
Baraboo Man Murdered
By Molly Borgstrom
Police found Baraboo taxi driver John T. Romberg, 50, in his cab with a fatal gunshot wound to the head Tuesday night. The shooting, which police are calling a homicide, happened on Fourth Avenue in Baraboo.
Shortly after 10 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked and left running in a driveway at 706 Fourth Avenue. They found Romberg's body inside the cab with a gunshot wound to the head. Police said residents should not worry about a gunman on the loose because the department has no evidence indicating anyone else is in danger.
Resident Deb Skaife said the car was parked in her driveway and her boyfriend called the police. He noticed something wrong while he was watching the 10 p.m. news and Skaife washed dishes in the kitchen.
"He heard what he thought was a shot," Skaife said.
He called her out of the kitchen and they both heard an engine revving, so they went outside and found the cab smoking in the driveway with the driver slumped over. Skaife said her boyfriend opened the passenger side door, saw the driver had been shot and that his foot was still on the gas pedal. He then called police.
Other neighbors heard the noise and came outside before police arrived and told them to go back indoors.
"(The car) was rocking and smoking," neighbor Jamie Catterson said.
Romberg's fiancée, Jane Williams, said she was listening to her scanner Tuesday night and heard Romberg accept his last call of the night. He had worked for the city cab service since March and he loved the job, she said.
Williams turned the scanner off and two hours later Baraboo police came to her door with the news.
She said she had no reason to think the shooter had specifically targeted Romberg. He had no enemies, she said.
"Jim was a fun-loving and easy-going guy," she said.
Lt. Rob Sinden said police will not give out a suspect description or number of people involved until they have more evidence. He said he wanted to quell rumors that multiple suspects are Hispanic.
"We don't want to qualify that rumor at all at this point until we have something solid," Sinden said.
Sinden confirmed he gave a suspect description to Mike Fuhrman, an employee at the 24-hour Kwik Trip on the corner of Linn Street and Highway 12 in West Baraboo. Fuhrman noticed suspicious-looking customers, who "roughly" matched the police description, and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.
Sinden said those customers, whom Fuhrman described as two Hispanic males and a female, had been contacted but not arrested or charged. Police took a surveillance video tape from the gas station.
"We're going to work vehemently on this case to bring it hopefully to as much of a (closure) as we can," Sinden said. "Our condolences go out to the family."
Sauk County Coroner Betty Hinze said Wednesday evening she had not finished Romberg's death certificate.
Officers canvassed the area surrounding the crime scene Tuesday night and Wednesday morning looking for evidence, Sinden said.
The last homicide in Baraboo was in May 2003 and another in 2001, Sinden said.
"I think everyone is a little shocked by this," he said. "This happens in New York; this happens in Chicago, not nice Baraboo."
Skaife said she couldn't believe such a thing had happened in her neighborhood, which is usually dark and quiet, she said.
"I hope to God they find whoever did this. This is sad," she said. "No family deserves this."
Baraboo Police, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and the Sauk County Sheriff's Department and coroner are investigating the case.
Source-Baraboo News Republic November 4, 2004
John Romberg was fatally shot in the head while performing his job as a taxi driver in the city of Baraboo, WI
Baraboo Man Murdered
By Molly Borgstrom
Police found Baraboo taxi driver John T. Romberg, 50, in his cab with a fatal gunshot wound to the head Tuesday night. The shooting, which police are calling a homicide, happened on Fourth Avenue in Baraboo.
Shortly after 10 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked and left running in a driveway at 706 Fourth Avenue. They found Romberg's body inside the cab with a gunshot wound to the head. Police said residents should not worry about a gunman on the loose because the department has no evidence indicating anyone else is in danger.
Resident Deb Skaife said the car was parked in her driveway and her boyfriend called the police. He noticed something wrong while he was watching the 10 p.m. news and Skaife washed dishes in the kitchen.
"He heard what he thought was a shot," Skaife said.
He called her out of the kitchen and they both heard an engine revving, so they went outside and found the cab smoking in the driveway with the driver slumped over. Skaife said her boyfriend opened the passenger side door, saw the driver had been shot and that his foot was still on the gas pedal. He then called police.
Other neighbors heard the noise and came outside before police arrived and told them to go back indoors.
"(The car) was rocking and smoking," neighbor Jamie Catterson said.
Romberg's fiancée, Jane Williams, said she was listening to her scanner Tuesday night and heard Romberg accept his last call of the night. He had worked for the city cab service since March and he loved the job, she said.
Williams turned the scanner off and two hours later Baraboo police came to her door with the news.
She said she had no reason to think the shooter had specifically targeted Romberg. He had no enemies, she said.
"Jim was a fun-loving and easy-going guy," she said.
Lt. Rob Sinden said police will not give out a suspect description or number of people involved until they have more evidence. He said he wanted to quell rumors that multiple suspects are Hispanic.
"We don't want to qualify that rumor at all at this point until we have something solid," Sinden said.
Sinden confirmed he gave a suspect description to Mike Fuhrman, an employee at the 24-hour Kwik Trip on the corner of Linn Street and Highway 12 in West Baraboo. Fuhrman noticed suspicious-looking customers, who "roughly" matched the police description, and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.
Sinden said those customers, whom Fuhrman described as two Hispanic males and a female, had been contacted but not arrested or charged. Police took a surveillance video tape from the gas station.
"We're going to work vehemently on this case to bring it hopefully to as much of a (closure) as we can," Sinden said. "Our condolences go out to the family."
Sauk County Coroner Betty Hinze said Wednesday evening she had not finished Romberg's death certificate.
Officers canvassed the area surrounding the crime scene Tuesday night and Wednesday morning looking for evidence, Sinden said.
The last homicide in Baraboo was in May 2003 and another in 2001, Sinden said.
"I think everyone is a little shocked by this," he said. "This happens in New York; this happens in Chicago, not nice Baraboo."
Skaife said she couldn't believe such a thing had happened in her neighborhood, which is usually dark and quiet, she said.
"I hope to God they find whoever did this. This is sad," she said. "No family deserves this."
Baraboo Police, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and the Sauk County Sheriff's Department and coroner are investigating the case.
Source-Baraboo News Republic November 4, 2004
Baraboo Man Murdered
By Molly Borgstrom
Police found Baraboo taxi driver John T. Romberg, 50, in his cab with a fatal gunshot wound to the head Tuesday night. The shooting, which police are calling a homicide, happened on Fourth Avenue in Baraboo.
Shortly after 10 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked and left running in a driveway at 706 Fourth Avenue. They found Romberg's body inside the cab with a gunshot wound to the head. Police said residents should not worry about a gunman on the loose because the department has no evidence indicating anyone else is in danger.
Resident Deb Skaife said the car was parked in her driveway and her boyfriend called the police. He noticed something wrong while he was watching the 10 p.m. news and Skaife washed dishes in the kitchen.
"He heard what he thought was a shot," Skaife said.
He called her out of the kitchen and they both heard an engine revving, so they went outside and found the cab smoking in the driveway with the driver slumped over. Skaife said her boyfriend opened the passenger side door, saw the driver had been shot and that his foot was still on the gas pedal. He then called police.
Other neighbors heard the noise and came outside before police arrived and told them to go back indoors.
"(The car) was rocking and smoking," neighbor Jamie Catterson said.
Romberg's fiancée, Jane Williams, said she was listening to her scanner Tuesday night and heard Romberg accept his last call of the night. He had worked for the city cab service since March and he loved the job, she said.
Williams turned the scanner off and two hours later Baraboo police came to her door with the news.
She said she had no reason to think the shooter had specifically targeted Romberg. He had no enemies, she said.
"Jim was a fun-loving and easy-going guy," she said.
Lt. Rob Sinden said police will not give out a suspect description or number of people involved until they have more evidence. He said he wanted to quell rumors that multiple suspects are Hispanic.
"We don't want to qualify that rumor at all at this point until we have something solid," Sinden said.
Sinden confirmed he gave a suspect description to Mike Fuhrman, an employee at the 24-hour Kwik Trip on the corner of Linn Street and Highway 12 in West Baraboo. Fuhrman noticed suspicious-looking customers, who "roughly" matched the police description, and called the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.
Sinden said those customers, whom Fuhrman described as two Hispanic males and a female, had been contacted but not arrested or charged. Police took a surveillance video tape from the gas station.
"We're going to work vehemently on this case to bring it hopefully to as much of a (closure) as we can," Sinden said. "Our condolences go out to the family."
Sauk County Coroner Betty Hinze said Wednesday evening she had not finished Romberg's death certificate.
Officers canvassed the area surrounding the crime scene Tuesday night and Wednesday morning looking for evidence, Sinden said.
The last homicide in Baraboo was in May 2003 and another in 2001, Sinden said.
"I think everyone is a little shocked by this," he said. "This happens in New York; this happens in Chicago, not nice Baraboo."
Skaife said she couldn't believe such a thing had happened in her neighborhood, which is usually dark and quiet, she said.
"I hope to God they find whoever did this. This is sad," she said. "No family deserves this."
Baraboo Police, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and the Sauk County Sheriff's Department and coroner are investigating the case.
Source-Baraboo News Republic November 4, 2004
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Romberg memorials in:
Advertisement
