David Lamar Anthony

Background

David Lamar Anthony (born 1948), better known as David Anthony, was convicted of murder. He was married to Donna Romero (later Donna Anthony). Donna Romero had been married once before, to Samuel Romero. Donna Romero had two children from her first marriage: Danielle Romero and Richard Romero.

David Anthony lived in Donna Romero’s home prior to their marriage, and the household included Danielle and Richard Romero.

The offence

On July 7, 2001, Donna Anthony and her children were declared as missing by the Phoenix, Arizona police department. Donna and her two children had been scheduled to travel by plane to Ohio to visit relatives, but they never checked in for the flight.

The last person to see Donna and her children alive was Anthony, who claimed that they left the house early that morning.

Investigators found blood traceable to Donna, Danielle, and Richard in and around the home, including the master bedroom wall; a concrete slab under the carpet of the office; the doorframe of Danielle’s bedroom; Danielle’s bed; Richard’s bed; and the bed-liner of Donna’s pickup truck.

As time went by, the mystery of Donna Anthony’s disappearance, as well as those of her children, grew. Phoenix police frustration also increased due to the lack of physical evidence connecting Anthony to the disappearances, except for a sample of Danielle Romero’s blood and David Anthony’s semen that were apparently found close to each other at a mattress in the Anthonys’ house.

Investigation

Construction workers contracted to work on the building of a Walmart store found two trash drums hidden under a tree in Buckeye, forty miles from downtown Phoenix. The date of the find was October 18, 2005. Skeletal remains were found inside the drums, and police were called to investigate the area. DNA testing was performed after collecting the skeletons, confirming that the skeletons belonged to Donna Anthony and her daughter, who was fourteen at the time of her death.

On October 31, police investigating the area found a third trash bin with more remains inside. The third trash can was found with help of a metal detection machine loaned by the Phoenix Police Department from the United States Air Force.

Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio told the Arizona Republic that he was "99 percent sure" that the remains inside the bin belonged to Donna Anthony’s son Richard, who was twelve at the time of his death. Arpaio expressed views on the Anthony murder case in a press conference, including:

"(he hopes) to be around however long it will take to see the needle go into (Anthony's) arm" and: "(he guarantees he) will be at the execution chamber (to witness Anthony's death)"

Police investigation and trial testimony included references to alleged sexual assaults and other motives. Vince Imbordino, a deputy attorney working with Maricopa County, accused Anthony of killing his wife and her children to hide sexual assaults he had allegedly been committing against Danielle Romero. Imbordino also said that Anthony had stolen money from Donna Anthony, and he signaled David Anthony as a man who enjoyed flirting with numerous other women.

Arrest

Two weeks after the July 7, 2001 missing declaration, on July 21, David Anthony was arrested in connection with the disappearances.

Trial

The trial received much media attention in the United States, particularly in Arizona.

The defense introduced Rosa Romero, who had been married to Samuel Romero. Court records reported that Rosa Romero declared that Samuel Romero had a violent character and had threatened her before, and that she suspected it was him, not David Anthony, who may have been involved in the disappearance of Donna Anthony and her two children.

Proceedings

• Presiding Judge: Hon. Frank T. Galati
• Prosecutor: Vince Imbordino & John Boyle
• Defense Counsel: Robert Doyle & Herman Alcantar
• Start of Trial: February 12, 2002
• Verdict: April 1, 2002
• Sentencing: March 10, 2004

Verdict

On April 1, 2002, despite the lack of physical evidence linking Anthony to the three disappearances, he was found guilty of three charges of first-degree murder.

Sentencing

David Anthony was sentenced to death on March 10, 2004.

Aggravating circumstances

• Pecuniary gain
• Multiple homicides
• Age of victims (both under 15)

Appeals

David Anthony was appealing his murder convictions. The case included published opinions described as a direct appeal pending before the Arizona Supreme Court.

Outcome

On October 18, 2005, the skeletal remains of Donna Anthony and her two children, Danielle and Richard Romero, were found in three 55-gallon drums buried beneath a Buckeye, Arizona construction site.

Other details

Anthony married Donna Romero on April 15, 1997. He had been living in her home prior to the marriage with Donna and her two children, Danielle and Richard.

In interviews with police and statements to the media, Anthony claimed that he and Donna had a very good marriage, that he was faithful to her, and that he loved her children and treated them as his own.

The case also included allegations that Anthony engaged in inappropriate conduct with other women; expressed dissatisfaction with his marriage and his wife; expressed hatred towards his two stepchildren; and engaged in financial misconduct surrounding the joint business he and Donna operated.

In the months leading up to the deaths of Donna and her two children, the record included that Anthony transferred large sums of money from their joint account into a private account, purchased vehicles, made statements to others that he "was going to get rid of" Donna, referred to Danielle and Richard as "those ******* kids", and violently assaulted Donna.