Scott Robert Fleming Sentenced to Maximum 27-Year Sentence in Killing

Scott Robert Fleming, who was charged and found guilty of multiple crimes from his involvement in the 2019 death of Carpinteria man Eric Romero, was sentenced to the maximum of 27 years in state prison, according to Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley.

Fleming, who was previously found guilty of multiple violent crimes, was given the maximum, Dudley said, because of an “extensive criminal history” and a prior strike conviction.

In August, a jury found Fleming guilty of voluntary manslaughter, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery causing serious bodily injury, as well as a special allegation for personally inflicting great bodily injury in the killing of Romero.

In the July 2019 incident, Romero, a father of two children at the time, was trying to break up what the district attorney described as “various altercations” between a group of friends, when Fleming “turned on Romero, who was trying to de-escalate the situation.” Fleming assaulted Romero, rendering him unconscious and causing him to fall back and hit his head on the concrete.

After being transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Romero succumbed to his injuries several hours later.  Fleming, who had fled the scene shortly after the assault, was arrested by Sheriff’s Detectives several days later in Ventura.

“Justice was served in this case as a direct result of a thorough investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and a detailed and rigorous prosecution team led by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin Weichbrod,” Dudley said.

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