Suspect in 8 Joliet area shooting deaths found in TX, dies of self-inflicted gunshot wound: police
A total of 8 people are dead and a 9th person was also shot across 4 crime scenes, police say
JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- Our coverage has moved here.
Joliet police said a man wanted for shooting nine people, eight fatally, across four separate crime scenes is dead.
Romeo Nance, 23, who lived in one of the two homes on West Acres Road where seven bodies were found Monday afternoon, was located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas around 8:30 p.m. Monday. Joliet police say they believe he took his own life following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.
Joliet police said earlier Monday, they responded to the 2200 block of West Acres Road and two people dead in one home, and five more dead in another home. Their names, genders and ages have not been released.
The night before, Will County Deputy Sheriff Dan Jungles said his deputies were called to a home at 5 Pheasant Run Lane, where they found a person with a gunshot wound to the head. That victim, identified as 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare, was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. Jungles said he was originally from Nigeria and had been in Will County for the past three years.
WATCH: Full police update on Joliet murders
About 10 minutes before that, Will County officials said another man was injured in another shooting connected to the same vehicle. New video shows that shooting on Davis Avenue. In it, you can see a man getting supplies from a car, when a red Toyota Camry pulls up. A few words are exchanged before the driver pulls away. But moments later, as the 42-year-old victim walks home, the driver of the Camry pulls around and opens fire. You can hear the gunshots and then see the suspect in a red Toyota Camry speed away. The victim was wounded in the leg.
Police were able to identify the suspect and vehicle, but were not able to locate them. As a result, Jungles said his deputies set up surveillance near that home at about midnight, but they saw no sign of Nance.
After about 12 hours of surveillance, the deputies approached the home listed as Nance's last known address, saw blood outside and made entry. Inside, he said, they found two people who had been fatally shot and contacted the Joliet Police Department.
Police said the second house, in which five people were found dead, was inhabited by some of Nance's relatives, so they checked that house as well and made their gruesome discovery.
"I've been a policeman for 29 years, and this is the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with," Joliet Chief Bill Evans said.
Police said they do not believe Bakare is related to any of the victims discovered Monday, but is somehow connected to Nance.
Nance is believed to have a criminal history, though police did not offer any further details.
Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the Joliet Police Department.
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