ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford officials identified the victims of Wednesday’s horrific 20-minute killing spree that took place in a quiet neighborhood on the city’s southeast side.
According to Mayor Tom McNamara, the dead included 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb, 49-year-old mail carrier Jay Larson, 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach, and her son, 23-year-old Jacob Schupbach.
U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendoza identified Larson as a 25-year veteran of USPS.
“Jay was doing what he loved, serving his community,” Mendoza said.
McNamara said Newcomb died saving her sister and a friend, according to her mother.
“The trauma of this magnitude impacts all of us. We as Rockfordians, we will get through this,” McNamara said. He added that the city has received condolences from Gov. JB Pritzker, state legislators, and the White House.
Police identified Christian Soto, 22, as the suspect in Wednesday’s bloodshed, which began around 1:15 p.m. in a southeast neighborhood of the city.
The neighborhood is located east of N. Alpine Road between Charles Street. and Harrison Avenue, in a pocket of Winnebago County surrounded by the City. Its location necessitated a response from both County deputies and Rockford Police officers.
Authorities said 11 people in total were killed or injured in the brutal attacks.
Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said Soto later told police he had gone to Schupbach’s house, in the 2300 block of Holmes Street, earlier that afternoon to allegedly smoke marijuana.
Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said Schupbach and Soto had been friends and had grown up together.
Court records also show Soto resides on Upland Drive, near where the attacks occurred.
Soto told police he believed the drugs to have been “laced with something,” fueling his subsequent spree, Hanley said.
Witnesses said they saw Soto chase Jacob Schupbach across the street, stabbing and punching him. He then reportedly got in a black Chevrolet Silverado and ran Schupbach over several times.
Schupbach survived the attack long enough for witnesses to see him run back inside, and Soto followed him into the house.
Hanley said both Schubpach and his mother, Ramona, were found dead inside.
Soto then reportedly ran down mailman Jay Larson in the front yard of 2200 Winnetka.
Witnesses said they saw Soto on top of the mailman, punching him. He then reportedly retrieved an orange-handled knife from his truck and stabbed Larson multiple times, then rolling him over with his truck.
Larson was transported to a hospital by first responders, where he died.
Soto left the truck at the scene and then allegedly forced his way into a home in the 4800 block of Cleveland Avenue as Darlene Weber was letting her dog out.
Authorities said he stabbed Weber in the face, then attacked Jacob Vollmann and Cathy Gilfillan, who were inside the home, wounding both. The attack ceased after Vollmann reportedly threw a bottle at him, and Soto later told police he recalled being bitten family’s pit bull, according to the criminal complaint.
Next, he reportedly went to 4700 Cleveland Avenue and attacked three teen girls, Newcomb, her sister, and a friend who had spent the night. Hanley gave their ages as 14 and 13.
Authorities said Soto attacked all three girls with a baseball bat after entering through an unlocked back door. Newcomb was killed in the attack, Hanley said.
“It’s spring break. You have 3 girls watching a movie. I can’t even comprehend that,” McNamara said.
Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said his deputies responded to reports of “a person on the loose, stabbing.”
Nearby, in the 4600 block of Florence Street, a woman, Lindsay Craig, was the victim of a home invasion, Caruana said.
She suffered multiple stabbing injuries but was able to escape her attacker thanks to a good Samaritan, Keith Fahrney, who was able to intervene in the 2100 block of Eggleston, Caruana said.
Caruana said that if Fahrney hadn’t intervened, Craig likely would have been killed. She is currently in serious condition at a local hospital, Hanley said. Fahrney also suffered multiple injuries.
Deputies were able to chase the suspect over several fences and onto neighboring property where they were able to take Soto into custody, with the help of Rockford Police officers.
In interviews with police while in custody, Soto claimed to have limited knowledge of the crimes, according to Hanley.
“I understand rightfully the public wants to provide some answer to why this occurred,” Hanley said. “I don’t really have a good answer for that. And I’m not sure we will.”
Soto faces 4 counts of First Degree Murder, 5 counts of Attempted Murder, and 2 counts of Home Invasion with a Dangerous Weapon.
Hanley said at the press conference that additional charges, including for federal crimes, could be possible.
“You may hear grief and sadness from me. I’m also really pissed off,” McNamara said.
“If the last couple of days doesn’t show you, life is just too short to speak hate,” referring to the murder of Jason Jenkins, who was stabbed to death while working at a Rockford Walmart on Sunday.
“Unfortunately we have been here before. We’ve experienced great loss. And we’ve shown great strength and resiliency. Kindness and compassion must lead us forward,” McNamara said.
