Joliet murders: Police release familial connections between suspect, 7 victims
JOLIET, Ill. - Seven people were found dead at two Joliet homes Monday afternoon, which led to a manhunt for the suspected gunman.
Shortly before noon, Joliet detectives and officers responded to the 2200 block of West Acres Road and located multiple deceased individuals inside two homes. Police say five people were located in one home and two others were located in the other home. All the victims were shot to death.
Police say the individuals from the two houses are related and released their identities on Wednesday, shared below:
- Tameka Nance, 47, mother
- Christine Esters, 38, aunt
- William Esters II, 35, uncle
- Joshua Nance, 31, brother
- Alexandria Nance, 20, sister
- 16-year-old female, sister
- 14-year-old female, sister
Family members and coworkers of the victims say one of the victims was a corrections officer at the Joliet Treatment Center for over five years. She lived with her sister and her sister's three children.
The suspect's girlfriend and the suspect's uncle lived in the second home, family members say.
"I've been a policeman for 29 years. This is probably the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with," said Joliet Police Chief William Evans.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden issued another statement on the shooting, pushing for Congress to take action on gun safety legislation.
While investigating the deaths, detectives announced they were seeking the whereabouts of Romeo Nance, who is believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry Q730412. Nance is also believed to be armed and dangerous.
The Will County Sheriff's Office also said Monday that they were looking for a Toyota Camry with the same license plate that they believed was involved in two other shootings that occurred Sunday.
At approximately 4:27 p.m. Sunday, Will County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the Pheasant Run Apartments located off Pheasant Run Road in Unincorporated Joliet Township for a report of a shooting.
Romeo Nance (JPD)
While responding to the scene, they were advised that there was a male victim outside on the ground bleeding from the head from an apparent gunshot wound.
When officers arrived, they performed life-saving measures before the victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries. He was identified as Toyosi Bakare, 28, who was originally from Nigeria and has been living in the Will County area for the last three years.
About 10 minutes prior to this shooting, a 42-year-old man was shot in the leg in the 200 block of Davis Street and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
After investigating the two shootings that occurred on Sunday, the sheriff's office identified the suspect vehicle as a red Toyota Camry with license plate Q730412 – the same vehicle wanted in connection to the homicides that occurred Monday.
The Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed Monday night that the same suspect is connected to all three of these incidents.
Police did not release a motive, but did say that Nance knows the victims.
Around 8:30 p.m. Monday, U.S. Marshals located Nance near Natalia, Texas. At that time, it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.