Visitation for 3 victims killed in stabbing attacks in Rockford

Visitation, funeral services planned for 3 victims in Rockford stabbing attacks

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Visitation services will be held on Friday for three of the victims killed in last week's stabbing attacks in Rockford. 

Four people were killed and seven others hurt in violent attacks in and around Rockford on March 27.

Jacob and Romona Schupbach Family Photos

Visitation was set for Friday for three of the victims – 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb, 23-year-old Jacob Schupbach, and 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach. The fourth victim, 49-year-old Jay Larson, was laid to rest on Wednesday.

Jay Larson CBS

A shared funeral for the Schupbachs was scheduled for Saturday, while the Newcomb family will hold a private funeral for Jenna at a later date.

Winnebago County prosecutors said the victims' families and neighbors may never know what motivated these attacks. 

Christian Soto, 22, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, and three counts of home invasion.

Prosecutors said Soto admitted to smoking marijuana he claims was laced while with his friend, Jacob Schupbach. Soto then went on a rampage, breaking into homes and attacking people at random.

Police said Soto seemed to target people at random - going house to house in a series of seemingly unmotivated broad daylight attacks in 20 minutes.

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara has said Jenna Newcomb, who would have been 16 this week, died protecting her younger sister and a friend in the attack.

Soto is due back in court on April 16. He is being held at the Winnebago County Jail while he awaits trial. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison for each count of murder.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.