A man in Florida is facing murder charges after he accidentally sent text messages indicating his guilt to the lead detective investigating the murder of his girlfriend.
David Romig, 52, has been charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and false reporting of a crime after he allegedly sent two text messages meant for his wife to the lead detective investigating his girlfriend’s murder that indicated he was nervous about possibly being arrested.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“I think they are going to arrest me,” the first text message read, PEOPLE reports.
The second text message allegedly sent was similar to the first.
Officers found 64-year-old Sally Kaufman-Ruff, Romig’s live-in girlfriend, unresponsive with a single gunshot wound to the right side of her head on Jan. 30. Police allege that Romig fatally shot Kaufman-Ruff and then staged the murder to appear as though an intruder had entered the Dunnellon, Florida home.
A statement claims that Romig told authorities that he was present during the murder, with Romig claiming that he and Kaufman-Ruff had been sleeping when an armed intruder entered the home. He stated that the intruder, who was wearing a head-mounted flashlight, placed one hand over his mouth and the gun fired during a struggle.
During the initial investigation, Romig led detectives to a pry-bar and partially smoked cigarette on the front porch, both of which contained his DNA. Romig’s DNA was also discovered on a piece of cloth found attached to a splintered door frame, which police allege the 52-year-old had cut with a pair of scissors and placed there.
After his arrest on Monday, Feb. 12, Romig allegedly admitted that he may have killed Kaufman-Ruff, telling authorities that he had been suffering from blackouts and was “hearing voices.” He also told authorities that he had “an out of body experience” and “felt like he was wrestling with himself and the gun went off, shooting Sally.”
Romig was the sole beneficiary in Kaufman-Ruff’s will.
Romig has not yet entered a plea to the charges. He is being held without bond at the Marion County Jail and is expected to appear in court on March 20.
