- Law enforcement officials in Joliet, Illinois, have announced that the suspect in connection with the deaths of seven people has died.
- The bodies of five victims were found in one home, while the other two were discovered in a nearby residence.
- The suspect, identified as Romeo Nance, allegedly took his own life with a handgun after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.
Additional Coverage:
- Police in Joliet searching for man after ‘multiple deceased’ people found in 2 homes (abcnews.go.com)
Law enforcement officials in Joliet, Illinois, have announced that the suspect they were searching for in connection with the deaths of seven people has died. The bodies of five victims were found in one home, while the other two were discovered in a nearby residence on Monday. The suspect, identified as Romeo Nance, was located by U.S. Marshals near Natalia, Texas, where he allegedly took his own life with a handgun after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.
Authorities had been investigating two shootings that occurred on Sunday and were watching one of the homes as part of their investigation. When officers received no response after knocking on the door of the house, they went to a nearby house that was believed to be connected. It was there that they found evidence of blood and entered the house to search for injured individuals.
While details about the victims have not been released, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans confirmed that they were related. He described the crime scene as the worst he has ever encountered in his 29 years as a policeman.
The victims in the homes were known to Nance, according to Deputy Chief of Special Operations for the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Dan Jungles. Nance’s last known address was on the same block where the crimes took place.
Earlier reports indicated that Nance was driving a red Toyota Camry, which was also linked to the two shootings on Sunday. The Sheriff’s office responded to an emergency call at Pheasant Run Apartments on Sunday, where one person died from a gunshot wound to the head. Another shooting occurred on Davis Street, resulting in a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to a man’s leg.
Law enforcement officers began surveillance on the West Acres Road home after discovering the connection with the Camry. The investigation identified Romeo Nance as a suspect in the homicides as well as the other shootings. The investigation is ongoing, and no motive has been determined at this time. However, Police Chief Evans believes there is a correlation between the Sunday shootings and the scene discovered on Monday.