Chicago/ Crime & Emergencies
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Published on October 04, 2024
Twisted Love Triangle Spawns Tragic End, Suspected Gunman Led to Chicago Suburb Slaughter Under Girlfriend's Cartel CharadeSource: Unsplash/Michael Förtsch

In a grisly crime that has gripped the suburban Chicago community of Romeoville, police documents have provided fresh details on the quadruple murder that occurred in September 2023. According to the investigative analysis released on Thursday and reported by NBC Chicago, Alberto Rolon, Zoraida Bartolomei, and their two children, along with three dogs, were found dead in their home, having been fatally shot.

Evidence uncovered points to Nathaniel Huey Jr. as the alleged gunman, who was misled into believing he was executing orders for a Mexican cartel, a narrative masterminded by his girlfriend, Ermalinda Palomo. Leveraging a series of fake social media accounts, she deceived him into believing that Bartolomei was a "mole" that needed to be eliminated. Throughout the complex charade, Huey Jr. was under the impression that he was under constant surveillance and that his loyalty was in question. According to the released police reports, Palomo's communications, "frequently referenced Nathaniel's relationship with Ermalinda. She would encourage Nathaniel to be faithful in his relationship."

Palomo, who was initially only considered a person of interest by the police, has been revealed as an active participant in the planning of the murders. Found in their home in Streamwood, an investigation by the Romeoville Police Department, as indicated by CBS Chicago, unearthed "digital evidence" that tracked the suspects' vehicle and showed that Palomo had driven Huey Jr. to the crime scene.

In the aftermath of the murder, police tracked Huey Jr. and Palomo to Catoosa, Oklahoma, where after being spotted at a Walmart, the couple led authorities on a high-speed chase that ended with a fiery crash on Interstate 44. In a frantic conclusion, police said Huey Jr. shot and killed Palomo, before ultimately taking his own life. They were identified by Oklahoma officers as an "armed and dangerous murder suspect" and a "missing person endangered," as evidenced by body camera footage mentioning, "She’s the missing person endangered, he’s the murder suspect."

As noted by Romeoville Police Chief Brant Hromadka in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago, while the investigation may have reached its conclusion, the events that unfolded will leave a permanent scar on the community. "The tragic deaths of a young family, including two young children, will forever impact the surviving family and those that investigated this case," Hromadka stated. "Nothing can prepare a person for such an incident, and nothing can justify such a senseless act of violence."