The gunman behind an Illinois shooting spree that left eight people dead has killed himself after he was surrounded by police more than 1,100 miles away in Texas.
Romeo Nance, 23, was on the run after he was linked to three separate shootings in Joliet, near Chicago, in the past two days.
A man was killed and another injured on Sunday before seven more dead bodies were found on Monday afternoon.
Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said Monday’s victims were ‘family members’ who were found dead in two homes on the 2200 block of West Acres Road in one of the ‘worst crime scenes’ he had ever seen.
The shootings were all linked to Nance and a frantic manhunt was launched until he was finally caught 1,191-miles away at a Chubby’s gas station in Natalia, Texas at 8.30pm on Monday.
Officers said they tracked him down in a ‘stand-off’ at the gas station before he shot himself dead with a handgun following the ‘confrontation’ with police.
Romeo Nance, who police said was ‘armed and dangerous’, is dead after he was surrounded by police in Texas on Monday evening
Nance was linked to three shootings in Joliet on Sunday and Monday before he fled and was finally spotted at a Chubby’s gas station 1,191-miles away in Texas on Monday evening
The gas station was cordoned off after reports of a ‘confrontation’ with police in the forecourt
Footage of the scene showed a red Toyota Camry – like the one linked to Nance in Illinois – stopped next to a pump and pinned in by a large black pick-up truck
The Joliet Police Department said: ‘At approximately 8:30 PM this evening, the Joliet Police Department learned that Nance had been located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas at which time it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.’
He was caught at a Chubby’s gas station with photos of the cordoned-off scene showing a red Toyota Camry – with different plates than the ones that were seen on his car in Illinois – stopped at a pump with a large black SUV pinning it in.
Medina County Sheriff’s Office said they ‘received a call of an individual heading into our county on IH35 from Bexar County. The individual was believed to be wanted out of Chicago for multiple homicides.
‘Deputies were able to help assist the other agencies and the suspect was at a standoff in Natalia at Chubby’s Gas station.
‘The male suspect ended up sustaining self inflicted gunshot wounds.
‘The scene is currently secured and there is no threat to the public. We ask the public to please be mindful of this area and allow the Investigators and Deputies to conduct their investigation.’
The fastest route from Joliet to Texas by car would have taken Nance at least 19 hours and crossed through four states.
Police at the scene of one of the shootings on the 2200 of West Acres Road, Joilet, Illinois
Five of the family members were found dead in one of the houses and then another two were found dead in another house across the road
Two people were found dead in one home in Joliet while five were found dead in another house
In Illinois, Will County Sheriff’s Office had started investigating Nance after the shootings on Sunday, when a 28-year-old man was fatally shot and another man was shot in the leg but survived.
They set up surveillance at an address linked to Nance’s car on Sunday night in the 2200 block of West Acres Road, and when he didn’t return they decided to knock on the door.
They said that when they approached the door of 2212 West Acres Road they saw blood on the floor and then forced entry to find ‘five individuals that appeared to be deceased from gunshot wounds’.
They then discovered ‘another possible crime scene at 2225 West Acres Road and made entry into this home as well, locating two individuals also deceased from gunshot wounds.’
Chief Evans said the seven dead people are ‘family members’.
A motive for their killings hasn’t been established, but Chief Evans said the family were ‘known’ to Nance.
He said: ‘I’ve been a policeman 29 years, this is probably the worst crime scene I have ever been associated with’.
The two homes are located on the 2200 block of West Acres Road
Police cordoned off the area all of Monday following the discovery of seven dead bodies on the block
A previous mugshot of Nance from 2019 after he was charged with theft and robbery
Will County Sheriff’s Office deputy chief Dan Jungles said they had been working on the investigation into Nance since Sunday when they were called to a report of a man bleeding from his head at 5 Pheasant Run Lane.
He said: ‘Our officers responded to that area for a person found with blood coming out of his head and upon deputies arrival they located a gunshot wound.
‘He was transported to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.’
The man was later identified as 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare, originally from Nigeria, who has been living in the United States for approximately three years.
Dept Chief Jungles said they quickly identified Nance’s vehicle and found it was linked to another non-fatal shooting, where a man was shot in the leg but survived, in the 200 block of Davis Street, Joliet, the same day.
He said at midnight on Sunday officers set up ‘constant surveillance’ near an address linked to Nance’s vehicle in 2200 West Acres Road but it ‘yielded negative results’.
After Nance or the car failed to appear at the address, Dept Chief Jungles said: ‘Just before noon this morning, our officers then went to a residence, located blood, made entry where they located two deceased individuals.
‘Our deputies did go to one of the residence, knocked on that door first and when they received no response, they knew that the house across the street was related to the individuals in that house.
Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said it was the ‘worst’ crime scene he had seen in his 29-year career
Deputy Chief Dan Jungles said they had been surveilling the houses since midnight on Sunday
‘Walked over there and that’s when they discovered the blood and made entry into the house to look for these individuals.’
‘We had surveillance on it all through the evening and into this morning, constant surveillance, hoping the vehicle would return to that residence which it did not.
‘And that’s when we made the decision to try to make contact with the registered owner of the vehicle.’
Chief Evans said that they ‘do not have any motive’ for the shootings but that Nance ‘does know the victims’.
Referring the the victims, he said: ‘They are related. We do believe they are family members.’
He added: ‘Our hearts go out to the victims’ families of this heinous crime. We will do everything in our power, here at the Joliet Police Department, to bring the person responsible for this to justice.’
Before he was caught, a frantic manhunt was launched and Chief Evans warned the public to be vigilant and said: ‘Do not attempt to take this subject into custody on your own.’
Police were looking for a red Toyota Camry which was seen near the scenes of two other shootings on Sunday
Police said Nance was believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry with the license plate Q730412
A red Toyota Camry with the same license plate was identified as being involved with two shootings on Sunday
Nance 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.
Nance 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.