An autopsy conducted Monday on Ronnie Romero's body discovered a balloon of suspected black tar heroin in his rectum, Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said.

In addition, other inmates at the Santa Fe County jail told investigators that Romero — who police long suspected had a role in his younger brother's disappearance in 2000 — smuggled heroin into the jail when he returned from a furlough Friday and distributed it to inmates, Solano said. The autopsy, however, did not determine a cause of death, which likely won't be known until the results of a toxicology screen are done, which could take months, he said.

Investigators found no needles or other paraphernalia in Romero's cell, Solano said. The inmates said the heroin was in black tar form and pill form, he said. One inmate reported seeing Romero taking crushed-up pills Saturday, Solano has said.

Inmates often hide contraband in their rectums, a process known as "keistering," Solano said.

Seven-year-old Robbie Romero disappeared from his family's Bellamah Road home on the evening of June 7, 2000. Despite exhaustive searches, the boy's body has never been found, though police believe he is dead.

Police have long considered Ronnie Romero, 31, a "person of interest" in his brother's disappearance, but he's never been charged in the case.

Capt. Gary Johnson, the longtime supervisor of the investigation into Robbie's disappearance, said Monday that Ronnie Romero's death could bring closure to the case.

"We believe there are members of the community who have information (about Robbie), and this is an opportunity to come forward," Johnson said. "We believe Ronnie's passing might provide an opportunity for people in the community to come forward."

Solano echoed those words Monday. "Now would be a good time (for anyone with information) to come forward and allow Robbie Romero to be returned to his family or rest in peace," he said.

Andi Dean, Ronnie Romero's aunt, scoffed at those comments Monday and said she believes that if anyone in Santa Fe knew something about Robbie, they would have spoken up by now. She also said she didn't believe Ronnie Romero smuggled heroin into the jail.

"That's a lie," said Dean, who lives in the same Bellamah Road home where Ronnie Romero lived during a recent 30-day medical furlough. "I never heard of him doing heroin."

Ronnie Romero often got in trouble for cocaine-related charges.

Dean said that while Ronnie Romero was home recently, he was completely sober, which was verified by random urine analysis and Breathalyzer tests.

"He was totally straight," she said. "He was like the normal Ronnie. I haven't seen him like that in years. He had five more months and then he was going to go to school to be an X-ray tech."

Dean said her sister, Evelyn Romero — mother of Ronnie and Robbie — was having trouble not only with her son's death, but also with that of her mother-in-law, who died Monday.

"She's just have a really hard time dealing with everything," Dean said. "She's overwhelmed, to say the least."

Ronnie Romero was in jail after a state district judge sentenced him in March to serve a year for violating his parole for the sixth time. His medical furlough was for unspecified heart problems.

Contact Jason Auslander at 986-3076 or jauslander@sfnewmexican.com.