Sheriff announces arrest in decades-old homicide case

    FORT PIERCE, Florida (WPBF) -- After nearly 25 years, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in a double homicide case.

On Thursday, the sheriff’s office provided details about the recent arrest of a suspect in connection with the deaths of Vernice Reese and Robert Hardwick.

Detectives have arrested Julian Romero for the 2000 double homicide of Reese and Hardwick in their burning home on North Kings Highway.

"There was nothing that she wouldn't do ... to help everybody. She would take the clothes off her back and give them to you if she could. That was the kind of person she was," said Reese's siblings.

Reese and Hardwick were found stabbed to death inside their burning home on Oct. 21, 2000.

Thursday morning, cold case detective Paul Taylor announced that Romero is facing charges for the double homicide.

"It's a great feeling. This is a double homicide, and it's 23 years old," Taylor said.

Taylor believes after the suspect's stolen truck broke down on King's Highway, he broke into the nearby home, stabbed the couple, set the home on fire to cover the evidence, took Hardwick's 1999 Oldsmobile, and fled south.

Taylor credits the advancement in DNA technology and testimony from witnesses with helping to make the arrest.

"I think the big break was that key chain. Even the state attorney, when I told him about this key chain, he said, 'You got to be kidding me. Come to my office right now,'" Taylor said.

He says the key chain has a photo of the suspect's daughter on it.

The keys belonged to the 1999 Oldsmobile. Romero was found sleeping in the vehicle in Broward County a month after the murders. He has been behind bars since then on unrelated charges.