Twenty-two-year-old Torolan Williams is charged with five counts of first degree murder, five counts of armed robbery and one count of home invasion. Police say Williams confessed to the April 23 crimes that left three men and two women shot to death in a home on the 7600-bock of South Rhodes.
"Through an associate or associates they found out that the victims may have had some money," said Thomas Byrne, Chicago Police Department.
Jackie Catron left her job Wednesday to listen to the police announcement about a break in the case. Her son, Anthony Scales Jr. was one of the five victims. She says the three men who were killed were childhood friends and they possibly knew one of the suspects.
"I heard one of the suspects was at my son's funeral. He had went to the two other gentlemen's funerals that was killed with my son," said Catron.
Police credit an anonymous tip with helping them track down Williams, information that came after a person at a South Side gas station overheard Williams talking about the murders.
"The detectives behind me did a great job gaining the trust of the individual that wanted to bring forward the information," said Byrne.
After Williams' arrest police recovered items that were reported stolen from the home. Police also say Williams gave them information about another person who is being sought in the murders.
Catron says even though she is relieved this case is coming to and end she is still devastated by the loss.
"The five people that were killed, everybody's families are messed up behind that. Now these people that did the killings, their families are messed up," said Catron.
Williams was hospitalized for stomach pains after his arrest and did not appear in court Wednesday for his bond hearing, so it was postponed until Friday.
Police stressed that the arrest was possible with the help of the public and that they received lots of tips in this case.
