Romeo Nance, Joliet, Illinois man wanted in deadly shootings in 3 area homes that left 8 people dead and one injured. Was out on bond for attempting to fatally shoot woman in 2023. Manhunt underway for African American driving red Toyota Camry with the license plate Q730412.
Illinois authorities have launched a manhunt after ‘numerous’ individuals were found shot dead at two homes in Joliet, Monday afternoon. The shootings are thought to be connected to two separate shootings which occurred nearby on Sunday, one of which left one man dead and another injured.
Romeo Nance, 23, a 6ft’2, African American male was identified as the suspect was described as an ‘armed and dangerous’ and driving a red Toyota Camry with the license plate Q730412.
Officers discovered seven people who had mortal gunshot wounds in two homes in the 2200 block of West Acres Road. Police said the houses where the bodies were found were across the street from each other, with one of the homes being where the suspect resided, Joliet Police announced during a press update, Monday evening.
Joliet gunman kills self after surrounded by cops: killed 7 family members
Suspect resided at one of the two homes & knew his victims
Illinois authorities declined to release the identities, and the number of fatalities in each home, pending further updates
‘The information remains fluid and ever changing as this investigation progresses,’ said police of the seven confirmed fatalities at the two residences.
During Monday’s press conference, Will County Chief Deputy Dan Jungles said that deputies had been staking out one of the houses since Sunday evening in case the suspect in that day’s shootings returned to them. When no one showed, deputies finally went to the door of one of the houses. No one answered so they tried the other house, which they knew was linked to the first house and found the first bodies. Jungles didn’t offer any further details
Jungles said he didn’t have any indications yet of how long the people in the houses had been dead. He said that autopsies are pending.
Asked if the victims were members of the suspect’s family, Jungles said he couldn’t comment except to say that the suspect knew them.
8 fatalities in 3 different homes believed to be linked
Meanwhile, a red Toyota Camry with the same license plate as the one referenced in connection with the Monday discoveries was also identified as being involved in two shootings on Sunday – one of which left a man dead.
The Will County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Pheasant Run Apartments located off Pheasant Run Road in Unincorporated Joliet Township regarding a shooting around 4:27 p.m. on Sunday.
Police found a male victim on the ground bleeding from the head from an apparent gunshot wound.
He later died.
The victim was identified as Toyosi Bakare, 28, originally from Nigeria, who has been living in the U.S for approximately three years, Shaw Local reported.
About ten minutes before the shooting of Bakare, another man was shot in the leg, he was injured, but did not die.
Was awaiting trial after shooting at woman multiple times in 2023
The Will County Sheriff’s Office has been working with the Joliet Police Department on both crimes.
The Will County Sheriff’s office said these earlier incidents appeared random – and the two victims were not connected. However, according to the sheriff’s office, the same car with the same license plate associated with Nance was spotted at both scenes.
The manhunt for Nance comes less than a year after the wanted man was arrested by Joliet police before in 2023 after allegedly trying to shoot a woman multiple times.
The 36-year-old woman was driving when a black four-door sedan began honking at her. The driver then pulled up alongside her and threw a water bottle at her, before following her car and pointing a gun at her.
He allegedly then shot at the woman multiple times, but didn’t hit her, before speeding away.
Police identified Nance as a suspect, found him near his house and arrested him after brief struggle.
He was charged with aggravated discharge of a weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated assault, reckless discharge of a firearm and obstructing a peace officer.
But he was released after posting $10,000 of a $100,000 bond in March 10 2023, according to court documents seen by WGN9, and was due back in court February 1.
He was also imprisoned aged 19 and charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of theft and one charge of unlawful possession of cannabis.
Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley is ‘urging the public to remain vigilant and safe while law enforcement continues to pursue all leads in locating this vehicle and potential suspects.’
Anyone who sees the vehicle should call 911 immediately and not approach it.
