In a harrowing and tragic series of events, a total of eight individuals lost their lives due to gunshot wounds across three different locations in Joliet over a span of two days. The suspect responsible for these slayings, 23-year-old Romeo Nance, was discovered dead from an apparent suicide in Texas, approximately 1,200 miles away on Monday night, concluding a widespread manhunt conducted by various law enforcement agencies.
Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans provided details at a news conference, revealing that officers received a notification from the Will County Sheriff’s office at 12:04 p.m. on Monday regarding multiple fatalities in two separate residences on West Acres Road, near Madison Street. Responding officers discovered seven individuals who had all been fatally shot. The crime scene was in close proximity to the bustling intersection of Jefferson Street and Larkin Avenue, as well as Ascension St. Joseph Hospital and Joliet West High School.
Following the announcement of the Monday shooting deaths, Joliet police identified Nance as the prime suspect. The authorities believed that Nance, whose last known address matched the location of the incidents, was driving a red Toyota Camry. Chief Evans disclosed that Nance was acquainted with the victims found in the two houses, and they were believed to be related.
The discovery of the victims came as a result of an earlier shooting investigation by Will County Sheriff’s deputies, where a man was found dead in an unincorporated area just outside Joliet on the preceding day. The common link between the incidents was the red Toyota Camry associated with Nance.
The tragic events unfolded further on Sunday at the Pheasant Run Apartments, where a 28-year-old man named Toyosi I. Bakare, originally from Nigeria, was found bleeding from a gunshot wound. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Bakare succumbed to his injuries. Around the same time, a 42-year-old man was shot in the leg in Joliet, but he sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The Will County Sheriff’s office indicated that these earlier incidents appeared random, with the victims seemingly unrelated. However, the same car associated with Nance was present at both crime scenes.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s office, investigating the Sunday shooting a day later, established surveillance on Acres Road, where the registered owner of the car resided. Upon approaching a house and receiving no response, deputies found blood upon entry, leading to the discovery of five deceased individuals in one house and two in another.
Chief Evans expressed the severity of the crime scene, describing it as the worst in his 25-year career as a policeman. A manhunt for Nance was initiated, with authorities warning that he was armed and dangerous. However, before the night concluded, it was reported that Nance had been spotted in Natalia, Texas, where he was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a confrontation with local law enforcement.
Nance’s prior arrest records revealed involvement in a 2023 shooting case, specifically for aggravated discharge of a weapon against a woman. He was out on bond, awaiting trial at the time of the recent incidents.
Distraught neighbors in Joliet expressed their shock and fear over the violence, highlighting the proximity to their homes and the seemingly random nature of the crimes. Emotional individuals gathered at the Acres Road scene before learning of Nance’s demise, grappling with the overwhelming impact of the tragic events.
Dead by Suicide … Romeo Nance, 23, who lived in one of the two homes on West Acres Road where seven bodies were found Monday afternoon, was locate by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas around 8:30 p.m. Monday. Joliet police say they believe he took his own life following a… https://t.co/dijz02NVSm pic.twitter.com/vCQ88e8l9y
— SubX.News (@SubxNews) January 23, 2024