Several victims in Joliet, Illinois shootings were related to suspect, police said
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) – Most of the shooting victims at three different locations in southwest suburban Joliet were related to each other and the suspected shooter, police said.
Authorities shared new information about some of the eight people who were killed in the shooting spree. A ninth victim was also shot but survived.
The suspected shooter, Romeo Nance, 23, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Texas following a manhunt on Monday.
On Tuesday, Joliet and Will County authorities said seven of the victims found shot to death in two homes on the city's west side were all related in some way to each other and to Nance.
The two houses were across the street from each other on West Acres Road. Five people were found dead in one house at 2225 W. Acres Rd., and two were found dead in the other at 2212 W. Acres Rd., the sheriff's office said.
The Will County Coroner's Office identified most of the victims: Christine Esters, 38, Tameka Nance, 47, William Esters II, 35, Joshua Nance, 31, and Alexandria Nance, 20. A 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl were also found dead, but the coroner's office did not name them.
All were shot to death.
Police connected the shootings at the two homes to two other shootings about a 10-minute drive away at an apartment complex and to Nance.
At the apartment complex, Toyosi Baccari, 28, originally from Nigeria, was found shot in the head and later died at a hospital. He was not believed to be related to the other victims.
At another scene, the only surviving victim was caught on surveillance video walking to his car when the driver of a red sedan, who police said was Nance, passed by twice and fired nine shots out of the window, striking him in the leg.
A neighbor told CBS 2 that the surviving victim has lived at the complex for about five years and "never had a problem."
"He never has parties. I don't even think he drinks. He don't smoke. He don't do anything," said Curtis Ellis. "All he does is work on cars, and for this to happen to him, you know some people, I'm not going to say they deserve anything, but for a guy of his stature, that doesn't really do anything, it's kind of sad to just be walking out on a Sunday, and you can't even go to your car without getting shot."