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Manhunt turns up murder suspect


Uvalde Police Department’s SWAT team was searching for a woman accused of murder Saturday night, hours before Frio County law enforcement knew there was a homicide victim in their jurisdiction.

The team caught up with former Uvalde resident Mary Jane Roman, 53, on Sunday afternoon.

Roman, 53, stands accused of killing her roommate at their shared residence in Frio County.

According to the Frio County Sheriff’s Office, Roman was living with Larry Pate in Bigfoot. The living arrangement began a few weeks ago.

Pate was last seen alive by a neighbor at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday, and investigators believe Roman was in Uvalde by 8 p.m.

According to the department, Roman requested a ride to Uvalde. When her ride arrived at her Farm-to-Market Road 173 residence, she showed one person the body of a man who was face down on the floor.

Pate had a single gunshot wound to his neck. Authorities discovered his body just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday, after the witness notified a family member who called police.

“Dispatch received a call saying Mary Jane Roman killed a man, was at a Farrar Street residence, and still had a gun,” said Lt. Mariano Pargas of the Uvalde Police Department.

The department set up a perimeter around the home but discovered Roman was not at the location. Soon after, detectives spoke to the witness and learned the homicide did not take place in Uvalde.

“The witness gave a description of the body and the home, and we notified Frio County authorities,” Pargas said. Frio County deputies confirmed Pate’s death. His body was taken to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office for examination.

UPD later received a tip that Roman was at her mother’s North Grove Street residence.

“We activated SWAT, made entry and arrested her,” Pargas said.

According to police, Roman confessed to the homicide and was booked into the Uvalde County Jail at approximately 1:39 p.m.

Mary Jane Roman

Mary Jane Roman

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