Affidavit: Mother told investigators her daughter shot, killed missing Waco woman
Victim’s body dumped off bridge, not yet located
CORYELL COUNTY, Texas (KWTX) - Betsy Robinson, the mother of murder suspect Jessica Colleen Robinson, told investigators her daughter shot and killed missing Waco woman Elizabeth Ann Romero at a residence in the 800 block of Moccasin Bend Road in Gatesville, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KWTX.
Romero had previously been identified as Elizabeth Rios by Waco Police in a missing person post on Facebook.
The affidavit states Romero’s body was dumped off a bridge and a search of the area where it happened by the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies using specially trained dogs, has failed to produce the slain woman’s body.
After she was reported missing, Romero’s family told authorities they had received information Elizabeth Romero may be at the residence in the 800 block of Moccasin Bend Road and authorities conducted a welfare check at the residence. Days later, on May 10, investigators received a tip that Romero had been murdered by Jessica Colleen Robinson and Erin Finchum at that same location.
On May 19, investigators arrested Jessica Colleen Robinson on a theft charge. An arrest affidavit states she and Romero allegedly stole nearly $300 in plywood from the site of a home under construction. A construction worker at the site recorded video of the women arriving in a 2000s model Chevrolet pickup. The video allegedly shows Romero exit the truck, picking up ten sheets of the plywood, and then loading the sheets into the pickup.
The owner of the stolen property shared the video on Facebook and, shortly thereafter, started receiving messages from Romero admitting her involvement in the theft with Jessica Colleen Robinson.
The truck used in the theft was traced back to the 800 block of Moccasin Bend Road. Investigators learned the vehicle belonged to Betsy Robinson, but normally used by Jessica Colleen Robinson.
A Texas Ranger and a Coryell County sheriff’s investigator interviewed Betsy Robinson, also on May 19, and the woman allegedly admitted her daughter, Jessica, had murdered Romero at the home on Moccasin Bend Road but did not know where the body had been dumped.
Betsy Robinson gave investigators consent to search the Chevrolet pickup and investigators found human blood, hair, and a cell phone. The affidavit does not reveal if the DNA and hair samples matched Romero.
Erin Finchum, already in custody for an alleged assault, also spoke with detectives on May 19. Finchum allegedly admitted that she was present when Jessica Colleen Robinson fatally shot Romero in the upper chest twice with a small caliber revolver in the living room of the residence on Moccasin Bend Road.
Jessica Colleen Robinson remains jailed in Coryell County on charges of theft and murder with her bonds totaling more than $1-million.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Coryell County Sheriff’s Department at 254-865-7201.
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