Sheriff Kaupas said he is waiting on more tests before linking Gary Amaya, 48, to both scenes.
"We're still waiting the results of the forensic evidence and, uh, before we make that determination. We had the ballistics done, the bullets done, yes. That's not the forensics," said Sheriff Kaupas.
Amaya was shot to death during a robbery attempt at an Orland Park L.A. Tan on December 13. He is also suspected in a two-state shooting spree -- referred to as the 'honeybee' shootings because the gunman asked one of his victims about honeybees before shooting him -- on October 5 at Indiana/Illinois border. One man was killed.
"The evidence at this time of what we do have is that the suspect that was killed in the armed robbery in Orland Park, his information does match the information we have from the previous homicide shooting in Lowell, Indiana," said Sheriff Kaupas.
Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said a survivor from the honeybee shooting spree who remains hospitalized positively identified Amaya as the gunman from a photo and recognized his truck.
"He has unequivocally identified Gary Amaya as the person who shot him. In addition to that, also gave us information about the truck that had not previously been disclosed that also matched the pickup truck that was found in Orland Park," said Sheriff Dominguez.
Despite the information, authorities stopped short of calling Amaya the killer.
"We still need to tie it more as to who it might be," said Sheriff Dominguez about the gunman in the honeybee shooting. "We want to wait for the forensic evidence."
While officials said it is likely Amaya is the honeybee gunman, they have no idea why he would have gone on the shooting spree.
"Nobody could give us a clear motive. Not a positive motive. Not a motive at all," said Sheriff Kaupas.
