Police in Romeoville, Illinois, near Chicago, are searching for the killer of a man, woman, their two children and three dogs inside a home. (WGN/YouTube)
Police are frantically searching for a killer who shot a man, a woman, their two kids and three dogs to death inside their home in a small town outside of Chicago.
Officers from the Romeoville Police Department were called to the home for a well-being check shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday and found the four people and three dogs suffering from gunshot wounds.
“A member of the family did not show up for work at 6 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 17th, and did not respond to phone calls throughout the day, resulting in family members becoming concerned,” said Deputy Chief Chris Burne at a Monday press conference.
Cops believe the murders happened sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday, Burne said. The killer is on the loose, he said.
“We don’t believe that the offender is among the victims right now,” Burne said. “It is not a murder-suicide.”
The adult victims were identified as Alberto Rolon and Zoraida Bartolomei. Burne declined to name the two deceased kids, but said the two boys were 7 and 9 years old.
Burne declined to release further details “due to the sensitivity of the case and to maintain the integrity of the investigation.” On Tuesday, Burne said the slayings were not random and residents nearby do not need to shelter in place.
“Our detectives and crime-scene investigators have spent the last 36-hours collecting a tremendous amount of physical evidence,” he said in a statement posted on the village’s Facebook page.
Mayor John Noak said the community is grieving with the family.
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“It is always heartbreaking whenever there is a loss of life, but when there are children involved it’s much more painful,” he said.
Both boys attended R.C. Hill Elementary School in the Valley View School District, Superintendent Rachel Kinder wrote in a letter posted on the district’s website. The school district had a crisis intervention team and grief counselors on hand to help students.
“It is with deep sadness that we inform you about a recent loss to our VVSD school community. Today, on September 18th, 2023, we were informed that two of our R.C. Hill Elementary School students tragically lost their lives in a senseless act of gun violence at their residence in Romeoville,” Kinder wrote. “This violent incident and loss are sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school community.”
A small memorial of candles and flowers was left outside the home of the slayings, which left neighbors stunned, according to ABC affiliate WLS.
“It’s unnerving, very unnerving,” neighbor Dan Lugo told the TV station. “We moved out of the city to come out to this quiet area, which has always been quiet, and to come and something like this to happen, it’s pretty messed up.”
Neighbors told the outlet that Rolon worked at a beverage warehouse and would give his allotment of free beer to neighbors because the family didn’t drink.
Romeoville is located about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.
Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Romeoville Police Department at 815-886-7219.
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