JOLIET, Ill. — A man allegedly responsible for a series of murders in the Joliet area took his own life during a confrontation with Texas police, according to authorities. Romeo Nance, 23, was found dead in the city of Natalia, Texas, nearly 1,200 miles away from where the killings occurred. Nance had traveled to Texas after the murders, but officials are still unsure of his motive or reason for traveling across the country.
Nance was wanted for shooting nine people, eight of whom died, across four separate crime scenes in the suburbs earlier in the week. The bodies of seven victims were discovered at two homes on West Acres Road in Joliet. Authorities have yet to release the names, genders, and ages of the deceased.
The incident began when Will County Deputy Sheriff Dan Jungles responded to a home on Pheasant Run Lane, where he found Toyosi Bakare, a 28-year-old from Nigeria, with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Another man was injured in a shooting on Davis Street, where a red Toyota Camry pulled up and opened fire, injuring a 42-year-old man in the leg.
After conducting surveillance near Nance’s last known address, law enforcement discovered two more victims, who had been fatally shot, and contacted the Joliet Police Department. Five additional bodies were found at a second house, which was inhabited by some of Nance’s relatives. Police have stated that Nance knew all of his victims.
Authorities believe Nance had a criminal history, although no further details were provided. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans called the crime scene the “worst” he had ever encountered in his 29 years on the force. Police are urging anyone with information related to the crimes to contact the Joliet Police Department.