JOLIET, Ill. — A manhunt is underway following the discovery of seven people shot and killed in two separate homes in Joliet on Monday afternoon. According to Joliet police Chief Bill Evans, officers responded to a report from the Will County Sheriff’s office about several deceased individuals in the 2200 block of West Acres Road, near Madison Street. The bodies were found in two different houses across the street from each other.
Authorities believe that the fatal shooting on Sunday is connected to the mass-casualty incident. The location of the crime scene is near a busy intersection, Ascension St. Joseph Hospital, and Joliet West High School.
The police are actively searching for a suspect identified as Romeo Nance, who is believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry with Illinois license plate Q730412. Nance is 23 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall, and weighs 160 pounds. His last known address was also on the same block of Acres Road, and it is believed that he knew the victims found in the two houses and is related to them. Nance should be considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who sees him is urged to call the police immediately.
Moreover, a red Toyota Camry with the same license plate as the one referenced in connection with the Monday discovery was also involved in two shootings on Sunday, one of which resulted in a man’s death. The Will County Sheriff’s office had been investigating the shooting since it happened – and had set up a surveillance area on Acres Road, where the registered owner of the car lived.
Several distraught neighbors expressed concern and fear about the random nature of the crimes, saying that such violence is unsettling in their neighborhood, where young children are present. “It’s frightening that this is so close to home. I literally live like probably four houses down, and I have a young daughter, and it’s crazy,” said one resident.
As the investigation continues, police are working on the theory that the crimes Sunday and Monday are all connected. Nance’s prior arrest records indicated that he also listed an address on Acres Road as his home address when he was arrested for aggravated discharge of a weapon involving a woman. Court records indicate Nance was out on bond in connection with a 2023 shooting case and is still awaiting trial.