Murder suspect who allegedly shot Weymouth High student in 2022 arrested after more than a year on the run

Crime

The Boston Globe reported that Keniel Diaz-Romero allegedly shot 17-year-old Nathan Paul, while another teen, who was previously arrested for Paul’s murder, allegedly told Diaz-Romero to shoot Paul.

After over a year of searching, authorities have arrested an at-large murder suspect who was indicted for shooting a Weymouth High School student in 2022.

Nathan Paul, 17, was shot in Quincy on Feb. 15, 2022, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Later that month, authorities charged then-18-year-old Jaivon Harris with murder in connection with the teen’s death. 

In May 2022, a grand jury indicted Harris and then-18-year-old Keniel Diaz-Romero with murder and other charges in connection with Paul’s death, according to the DA’s office. At the time, authorities believed Diaz-Romero was outside of Massachusetts. 

On Sunday, the DA’s office announced that authorities had taken custody of Diaz-Romero in Puerto Rico. He is being held until his arraignment in Norfolk Superior Court, which is scheduled for Tuesday. 

What happened the night Nathan Paul was shot

On the night Paul was shot, Quincy police responded and found the teen with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was taken to Boston Medical Center where he died of his injuries.

The Boston Globe reported in June 2022 that, according to an affidavit, the night Paul was killed, Harris, Diaz-Romero, and four juveniles, were involved in a drug deal during which they tried to rob Paul. The four juveniles have never been identified, and gave differing accounts of what happened that night. 

Paul’s brother told police that he and his brother sold marijuana, including single-use THC bars, the Globe reported. The night Paul was killed, one of the younger juveniles allegedly messaged Paul on Snapchat asking to set up a drug deal.

The six teens met Paul in the Germantown neighborhood of Quincy, where they allegedly exchanged several fake $100 bills for five flavored THC bars, the Globe reported. Paul soon realized the money was fake and tried to chase them down, but was unsuccessful. 

Later that evening, Diaz-Romero, Harris, and at least two of the other teens met up again close to where they had met Paul, the Globe reported. Paul had stayed in the area and soon spotted them.

Paul then “almost hit them with his car,” the Globe reported, and Harris responded by allegedly yelling “shoot him.” Diaz-Romero then allegedly shot twice at Paul’s SUV, and hit him in the leg. 

Paul said “I’ll be back,” before driving away, but crashed his SUV less than a mile down the road, the Globe reported. He died from internal bleeding within hours. 

What happened in the wake of the shooting

Two days after the shooting, a grandmother of one of the younger teens reported to police that she’d found drugs at her house, the Globe reported. Police determined the drugs were “consistent with those found in the victim’s vehicle.”

Harris turned himself in, the DA’s office said at the time. He was charged with murder, armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy, and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

By the time authorities figured out how Paul was killed, Diaz-Romero had quit his job at a local grocery store and fled to Puerto Rico, the Globe reported. He left a note for his mother telling her not to look for him. 

In May 2022, Harris and Diaz-Romero were indicted on charges of murder, larceny from a person, possession of a counterfeit bill, uttering a counterfeit bill, and conspiracy to commit larceny in connection with Paul’s murder. Harris was also indicted for misleading police, and Diaz-Romero was indicted for illegally carrying a firearm. 

In July 2022, the four juveniles were arrested on charges related to the botched drug deal. One of the juveniles was charged with accessory after the fact of murder “for alleged behavior following the shooting.”