A Long Beach man accused of killing his girlfriend, the mother of their five children, during a domestic dispute earlier this month, allegedly fled to Mexico with her body, where authorities said he then turned himself in.
According to Long Beach police, 44-year-old Erik Alcantar and his girlfriend, 45-year-old Aracely Romero, were involved in an argument inside a vehicle in Long Beach on Nov. 8. The dispute escalated, resulting in Romero’s death.
Investigators believe Alcantar then drove the vehicle across the border into Tijuana, Mexico, where he surrendered to Mexican authorities. Officers in Mexico located Romero’s body inside the vehicle, officials said.
According to a GoFundMe set up by Romero’s family, the 45-year-old was a mother of five, and they will remember her as the “light of our family” and a woman who “loved without limits.” Her relatives wrote that she dedicated her life to her children — Nathan, 16; Melissa, 19; Jessie, 22; Fernando, 24; and Erick Jr., 26 — calling them “her entire world” and the reason behind every sacrifice she made.
Aracely Romero, 45, of Long Beach is seen in this undated photo provided after her death in November 2025. (GoFundMe)
The family said the children are now facing “a pain no child should ever have to endure,” noting that “in one moment, they lost both of their parents.” The fundraiser aims to help cover funeral costs and support the siblings as they navigate life without their mother. “Aracely’s love will live on through her children and through all of us who were blessed to know her,” relatives wrote, adding that her kindness, warmth and “beautiful soul” will never be forgotten.
Detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration on Nov. 11.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Long Beach police homicide detectives at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips can be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online.
Luis Zuniga contributed to this report.
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