Billi Romans, a 51-year-old Caucasian woman, was a well-liked receptionist at a Christian school in her community of London, Ohio. On the night of April 6, 2008, a devastating fire tore through her family’s home, killing Billi and her two children, 16-year-old Ami and 12-year-old Caleb. As flames engulfed the house, both Billi and Ami managed to make desperate calls to 911, but they were trapped inside and could not be saved. The tragedy left the community searching for answers about what happened to the family.
Investigators determined the fire originated in the family's 2001 Ford Expedition, which was parked in the carport next to the house. While initially considered a possible accident, the State Fire Marshal’s Office eventually ruled the blaze an arson.
The discovery of accelerants at the scene confirmed that the fire had been intentionally set, and the case was reclassified as a homicide investigation.
Suspicion eventually turned toward Billi’s husband, Peter Romans. He claimed the fire was accidental, blaming it on a faulty cruise control switch in the Ford Expedition that had been the subject of a recall. He even pursued a lawsuit against the vehicle manufacturer. However, investigators found that the evidence did not support his account. They concluded that the SUV had burned from the outside in, making it impossible for the fire to have started the way Peter described. Citing inconsistencies in his statements and other physical evidence, authorities continued to focus on him as the investigation progressed over the next decade.
In July 2019, more than eleven years after the fire, Peter Romans was arrested and charged with three counts of murder and arson in connection with the deaths of his wife and children. He maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. In October 2020, Peter Romans went to trial on the charges. After hearing the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense, a jury found him not guilty, and he was acquitted of all charges.
As of October 2020, the case of who killed Billi, Ami, and Caleb Romans remains unsolved. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation continues to seek information from the public. Central Ohio Crime Stoppers offers a reward for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction in the case.
