A 22-year-old Illinois man went on a rampage through his neighborhood after smoking marijuana he claimed was “laced” with an unknown narcotic, authorities said, leaving four dead and seven others injured within a 20-minute span.
Police said they have not yet established a motive for Soto’s reign of terror in Rockford, Ill., during which he is accused of attacking neighbors on a spring break afternoon with items he found in their homes. Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said in a news conference Thursday she couldn’t comment on whether the marijuana was indeed laced, and Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said Soto appeared “conscious” of what he was doing.
“I don’t really have a good answer for that,” Hanley said when asked what motivated the violence, “and I’m not sure we will.”
Rockford police said they took Soto into custody after officers responded about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday to “multiple addresses,” all near Cleveland Avenue. Prosecutors charged him with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of home invasion.
A public defender has been appointed to represent Soto, the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office said; the public defender’s office did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment. Prosecutors asked during his first court appearance Thursday that he be held without bail, and a judge ruled that he be jailed at least until his next appearance Tuesday.
Police identified the deceased victims as Jenna Newcomb, 15; Jay Larson, 49, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier; Ramona Schupbach, 63, and her son and Soto’s acquaintance Jacob Schupbach, 23. Seven other people were taken to the hospital with injuries, they added. At least two remained there Thursday.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara described the rampage as a “huge blow” to the community of about 147,000, about 80 miles northwest of Chicago and 15 miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin border. He noted that residents were already shaken over the stabbing death of an 18-year-old Walmart employee. The city has partnered with public schools and a nonprofit to offer free counseling services this week.
“It’s hard to grasp how this could happen and how emotional and raw the community is,” the mayor said in a statement. “This has been one of the most difficult weeks I have seen in my seven years as Mayor. As a dad, a son, a husband, the Mayor and a Rockford supporter, my heart is breaking for those who have lost their lives, their families and our community.”
The details of the killings are “heinous,” the police chief said. A criminal complaint lays out a rampage that started at the Schupbach house after Soto smoked marijuana. He grew paranoid that it was laced, he told police, and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Witnesses told police they saw the suspect chasing Schupbach across the street and stabbing him. They said he then got into his black Chevy Silverado and ran over Schupbach.
Schupbach then ran back into his home, and Soto followed, leaving a short time later, witnesses said..
Larson, a 25-year postal worker, was the next victim. A witness told police he saw Soto punch and stab Larson before running him over twice.
Soto forced his way into a nearby home where a woman was taking out her pit bull, according to authorities. He assaulted her and two others inside the house, leaving after a man hit him with a syrup bottle and the dog bit him.
After that, Soto told police he came upon a garage with a motorcycle in it and a house with an unlocked door. Three teenage girls were inside enjoying their spring break. Two were watching a movie in the basement and another was grabbing a snack from the kitchen.
The girl noticed Soto and ran down to tell the others. Then Soto came down the stairs calling the girls a profanity and swinging a softball bat he had found in the house. Authorities said one of them curled in the fetal position as he swung; another, Jenna Newcomb, tried to protect the others.
“Jenna’s mom wants the community to know that Jenna died saving her sister and her friend and protecting them from further harm,” McNamara said at the news conference.
By this time, police had received multiple 911 calls, but Soto had not stopped. A few blocks away, he broke a window and forced his way into yet another house, where he attacked a woman with a knife. Lindsay Craig fled and was chased outside by Soto. Keith Fahreny, who was driving by, stopped to try to intervene and was also stabbed by Soto. Authorities said Craig and Fahreny were in serious condition Thursday, with Craig intubated.
It was after the attack on the two that police arrived and took Soto into custody after a chase; a deputy was stabbed in the process, officials said.
Soto did not have any history indicating that he would commit such an attack, police said at Thursday’s news conference. They previously had minimal contact with him, including in 2022, when he was charged with criminal damage to property after spinning out his car in a forest reserve, Redd said Thursday.
Law enforcement encouraged local residents to review their security footage and to contact them with any information. Prosecutors said Thursday additional charges could be brought.
The violent attacks drew an outpouring of responses from local, state and federal officials. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) tweeted Wednesday that he was “grateful for the first responders who were on the scene” and that “our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims.”
President Biden said in a statement he was “horrified to learn of the brutal attack.” He added that federal law enforcement has offered assistance to local authorities and pledged to help the community recover.
“Families across America want the same thing: the freedom to feel safe in their community,” he said.
At the Thursday news conference, the mayor and other speakers teared up, took deep breaths between statements and became visibly emotional when detailing the horror.
“I can’t tell you all the worst parts,” McNamara said of the Wednesday afternoon that was violently disrupted. “I can’t even comprehend that.”
