9-year-old pleads guilty to homicide

ST. JOHNS, Ariz., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A 9-year-old Arizona boy has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in a November shooting incident that left his father and another man dead.

Christian Romero entered the plea in Apache County Juvenile Court in connection with the death of Tim Romans, 39, after prosecutors agreed never to charge with boy with his father's death, the Arizona Republic reported Friday.

County attorney Michael Whiting says he agreed to the deal because it was likely the boy would have been found incompetent to stand trial.

Christian Romero was 8 years old when his father, Vincent Romero, 29, and Romans were shot with a .22-caliber rifle.

When Judge Michael Roca asked Christian whether he wanted to stand trial, the boy answered "No, sir."

During the hearing before Roca, Christian didn't make any statements about why the shooting occurred.

The judge is expected to sentence the boy in about two months after he has had a chance to review court-ordered psychiatric evaluations, the Republic said.