Published 10:30 am Thursday, April 23, 2026 On Tuesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Victor Romero Jr. was sentenced to 25 years in prison for assaulting, kidnapping and killing Thomas Nielson in September 2022. According to the trial, Romero and Audrey Hahn drove to Nielson’s mobile home in Jefferson County, where they beat him before kidnapping him in early September 2022. Authorities said Hahn and Romero then drove Nielson to Crook County, off of Lone Pine Road, where they shot him multiple times. Nielson’s body was found nearly a year later. Judge Wade Whiting gave “heartfelt sympathies” to the family members and just before giving the sentencing, he described the Nielson’s death as “a very senseless and horrific crime that never, never needed to happen.” Romero signed a plea agreement on March 24 for manslaughter in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.…