Condolences issued to singer's family

The killing of Tejano singer Ernestine Romero in a murder-suicide Thursday in Santa Fe saddened many music fans across New Mexico, including those in Tucumcari anticipating a show at the Knights of Columbus Hall in the fall.

The bodies of Romero, 32, and her estranged husband, Jessie Saucedo, were found in a parked SUV near the state Capitol. Police ruled Saucedo shot her twice in the chest with a pistol, then turned the gun on himself.

Many people — including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan — issued condolences to Romero’s family. A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night for Romero near the New Mexico Roundhouse.

Romero previously had performed in Tucumcari during the 2018 New Mexico Music Showcase and during a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Mesalands Community College several years ago.

Jerry Lopez, a key organizer of the annual New Mexico Music Showcase, said Romero and her band had been booked to perform at the Tucumcari Knights of Columbus Hall on Oct. 12.

“She’s going to be missed,” Lopez added. “There’s a lot of people who’ve reached out to me, asking me what happened. It’s sad, because we lost out on her being able to perform here. She would bring fans here from Clayton down to Clovis and West Texas.

“I was telling a fan of hers she’s in a better place and pain-free but ...”

Lopez sighed.

“She had a lot of potential and was rising more and more in the music industry,” he said.

Romero, who released her first album at age 11, totaled nine CDs to her credit and more than 20 years in music professionally. She’d cultivated the respect of many in the music industry, Lopez said, including Tejano music legend Ruben Ramos.

Romero also had been booked to perform at major Tejano festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, and at the Dreaming of You: Como la Flor Cruise in 2020 with headliner Chris Perez, husband of late Tejano superstar Selena. A fan-club president shot Selena to death in 1995.