Jury hung in fatal Healdsburg hotel confrontation

A Sonoma County jury has failed to reach a verdict in the case of a Santa Rosa man who was subsequently charged with assault a violent confrontation in 2023 at the Hotel Healdsburg that left another man dead.

Romario Cisneros was charged with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon in the death of Abel Garzawho had attacked hotel staff before Cisneros fatally stabbed him.

Eleven jurors favored a not guilty verdict, with one exclusion leading to a hung jury. The jury, which received Judge Laura Passaglia’s case on Friday afternoon, was dismissed on Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear whether the Sonoma County Prosecutor’s Office will refile charges against Cisneros.

A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service could not be reached for comment after Wednesday’s proceedings.

Cisneros’ attorney Charles Dresow said in a text to The Press Democrat: “This was a terribly sad and traumatic situation for everyone involved. We thank the jury for the time they spent on this case. It is a relief that eleven jurors were prepared to acquit my client.”

No one disputes that Cisneros killed Garza outside the Hotel Healdsburg; the arguments in the case focused instead whether his actions were justified.

He was originally charged with an additional charge of involuntary manslaughter before prosecutors dismissed it shortly before testimony in Cisneros’ trial began on Oct. 16.

Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner emphasized that there was little doubt that Garza was “causing trouble,” but argued that there was no need for Cisneros to respond the way he did.

Autopsy results showed Garza was under the influence of alcohol, fentanyl and methamphetamine when he showed up at the hotel twice, threatening staff each time.

During the initial confrontation, officials said, Garza headbutted an employee and tried to hit him and Cisneros with a skateboard. He then left the hotel.

Healdsburg police were notified but said they were unable to find Garza.

When he returned, he was holding a pole and hammer and yelling at hotel staff for calling the police, officials said.

Garza hit a staff member with the pole before the employees took it from him. They then followed him through an alley across the street from the hotel and next to The Wurst restaurant.

Prosecutors argued that several witnesses were present, but they kept their distance or used weapons to fend off Garza. A maintenance manager brandished a pocket knife but put it away before the two started fighting, officials said.

That’s when Cisneros stabbed Garza with the pole, puncturing Garza’s lungs and aorta.

Kimi Vehilac, a pathologist who performed Garza’s autopsy, testified on Oct. 22 that the stake caused significant injury and damage to the aorta “caused massive internal bleeding.”

She confirmed that meth, fentanyl and alcohol were found in Garza’s system, but none contributed to his death.

The prosecutor completed his plea on October 23 and Cisneros took the witness stand that day to defend himself.

He said his goal that day was to protect his colleagues from Garza, whom he feared. Cisneros said he did not remember stabbing him and only discovered it happened when police showed him surveillance footage.

Police arrested Cisneros on August 8 following an investigation. He was booked into jail but later released after posting $30,000 bail. He has since been released and regularly attended court hearings.

Garza’s family has filed a civil lawsuit alleging the hotel’s negligence in his death. The next hearing in that case is scheduled for February 27.

Staff writer Anna Armstrong contributed to this story.

You can reach staff writer Colin Atagi at [email protected]. On Twitter @colin_atagi