Errol Romero

Errol A. "Romo" Romero Sr., the Iberia Parish public official who became the only person elected to three of the parish's major offices, sheriff, state representative, and parish president, died on September 17, 2026. He was 89. The Acadiana Advocate and local television reported that he died peacefully. Funeral arrangements were pending with Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia, with a Mass of Christian Burial planned at St. Peter Catholic Church and entombment at Nativity of Our Lady Cemetery.

Romero was born February 27, 1937, in New Iberia. He graduated from New Iberia Senior High School in 1957, served two years of active duty in the United States Navy with six years of inactive duty, and attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana and Louisiana State University. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy. Before full-time politics he worked as a plumber and taught vocational plumbing for the Iberia Parish School Board. In 1968 he won a seat on the Iberia Parish Police Jury and served as Police Jury president from 1978 to 1979.

In 1979, campaigning for accountability at the sheriff's office, he defeated 24-year incumbent G. "Jerry" Wattigny with 58 percent of the vote, one of the parish's notable political upsets. He served as Iberia Parish sheriff from 1980 through 1996. When Wattigny challenged him again in 1991, Romero won about 69 percent and 83 of 85 precincts. Nationally he was known for refusing to enforce Brady Act background-check mandates on local sheriffs; his federal lawsuit, Romero v. United States, argued Congress could not commandeer local officers for unfunded federal tasks, a stance later echoed in Supreme Court commandeering doctrine.

In 1997 he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 48, covering Iberia and St. Martin parishes, succeeding Elias "Bo" Ackal Jr. He served until 2008. He returned to parish government in 2012 as Iberia Parish president, holding the post through 2016. The Advocate noted he was the only person elected to those three major Iberia offices. Civic life included coaching youth swimming, boxing, and baseball; chairing March of Dimes, Bishop's Services Appeal, and United Givers drives; and membership in the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Woodmen of the World, and Kiwanis. He was a lay minister, lecturer, and usher at Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church and was inducted as an Acadian Museum Living Legend in 2002.

Romero was married to Mary Joyce Chevalon. They had two children, Clodora Romero Rhodes and Shane E.A. Romero Jr. His long tenure also drew local scrutiny at times, including litigation connected to parish operations during his presidency. Across more than four decades, however, he remained one of Acadiana's most recognizable elected figures. Local stations including KLFY marked his death the day it was announced, remembering a lawman and politician who shaped Iberia Parish government for two generations.