A 23-year-old Joliet man, Romeo Nance, was accused of unleashing what has been dubbed a “reign of terror” after he allegedly murdered eight people, including members of his own family, before taking his life during a standoff with the authorities in Texas. The brutal and senseless series of events left the community of Illinois’ third-largest city in shock, with motives still shrouded in obscurity.
In a press conference, it was relayed that Joliet police and Will County Sheriff's officials were at a loss with Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans stating, "We just don't have any clue as to why he did what he did," indicating the difficulty faced by law enforcement to decipher Nance's actions, as reported by ABC News. The Chief Deputy of Criminal Investigations at the Will County Sheriff's Office, Dan Jungles, echoed this sentiment, saying, "We may never know the truth or motives."
The series of killings began on January 21 with the victims found at two separate residences on West Acres Road in Joliet. The Will County Coroner's Office released the names of the adult victims which included Nance's mother, Tameaka Nance, 47; his brother, Joshua Nance, 31; his aunts Christine Esters, 38, and William Esters II, 35. Two teenagers, a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl, were also among the dead. As per details mentioned by The Chicago Tribune, one of Nance's sisters survived the attack.
Romeo Nance's troubled past was no secret to the people in Joliet. During a confrontation, he had previously shot at another driver multiple times during a road rage incident and injured a jail cellmate over a dispute about hygiene, as described by The Chicago Tribune. After a manhunt by U.S. Marshals, Nance was found in Natalia, Texas, where he ultimately died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Additionally, Nance's 3-year-old son survived the incident, and the child's mother, 21-year-old Kyleigh Cleveland-Singleton, faces obstruction of justice charges for allegedly lying to the authorities, as recounted by The Chicago Tribune. Cara Esters, Nance's aunt, depicted the rest of the family as very close-knit and supportive, recalling better times with a quote she told the publication, "We were all very excited and hopeful for the future because if he made it through that situation, then obviously he was supposed to be here."
As Nance's past begins to unfold, it reveals a history of aggression and confrontations. His former Joliet West High School football teammate Andre Shorter described him as "an overly aggressive dude" who "got mad super easily," according to The Chicago Tribune. The community is now grappling with the horror of the events, reminiscent of Nance's darker inclinations.
