Suspect charged with murder in deadly Rockford rampage
CHICAGO — A 22-year-old man has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder in a frenzied stabbing and beating rampage that left four people dead in a matter of minutes in a northern Illinois city, authorities said Thursday.
Christian Soto is also charged with seven counts of attempted murder and home invasion with a dangerous weapon following the attacks in Rockford on Wednesday that also left seven people injured.
Court and jail records show Mr. Soto appeared in court briefly Thursday afternoon and remains held without bond. He is next due in court Tuesday when a judge will determine if he stays in jail pending trial.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, who was clearly shaken and struggled to hold back tears during a news conference Thursday, listed the victims as 63- year- old Romona Schupbach; 23-yearold Jacob Schupbach; 49year-old Jay Larson; and 15year-old Jenna Newcomb.
Three people remained hospitalized Thursday, officials said. The other four were treated and released, Rockford police Chief Carla Redd said.
Authorities have released little information about Mr. Soto, who was arrested Wednesday. A woman who identified herself as Mr. Soto’s sister declined to comment to The Associated Press.
Chief Redd said Mr. Soto acted alone and that police do not know his motive for the attacks.
She said Mr. Soto and Jacob Schupbach had grown up together. Mr. Soto told police that the two were smoking marijuana at Schupbach’s home before the attack, Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said.
“Soto said that he believes that drugs provided to him by Jacob were laced with an unknown narcotic,” Mr. Hanley said. “Soto said he became paranoid after the drug usage. He said he retrieved a knife from the kitchen ... and proceeded to stab” his friend and his friend’s mother to death.
Mr. Hanley provided details of the deadly attacks that quickly unfolded in a neighborhood of ranch-style homes soon after 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Chief Redd said less than 20 minutes passed between the initial 911 call and Soto’s arrest.
Rockford police responded first to a home on Holmes Street, where they found the bodies of Jacob Schupbach and his mother, Romona. Both appeared to have been stabbed, Mr. Hanley said.
Mr. Hanley said witnesses saw Jacob Schupbach being chased across the street, and that the attacker hit or stabbed him as he lay on the ground. They said the attacker then drove a pickup truck over Schupbach, who was able to make it inside the home. Witnesses said the attacker followed him but left soon after and drove away, Mr. Hanley said.
Mr. Hanley said officers next found Larson alive in a front yard on nearby Winnetka Drive, but he had been stabbed multiple times and died soon after in a hospital.
Ruth Mendonça, inspector-in-charge of the Chicago office of the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, told reporters that Larson had been a mail carrier in the area for 25 years.
A witness said he heard a commotion and saw a man beating Larson on the grass near his home, Mr. Hanley said. The witness dialed 911 as the attacker walked toward his locked front door. The attacker retrieved a knife from a black pickup and stabbed Larson before driving over him twice and running away.
Soto told police that he recalled “taking out the mailman,” Mr. Hanley said.
Around that time, police began receiving 911 calls about an attack on nearby Cleveland Avenue.
A woman and her adult son and daughter told officers that a man armed with a knife forced his way into their home. The man stabbed the mother near her left eye as she opened the door to let their dog out, Mr. Hanley said. Her children fought with Mr. Soto and also were wounded. The son told police that the attacker ran away after he struck him with a syrup bottle.
Residents then flagged down first responders about another attack on the same street, Mr. Hanley said.
Jenna Newcomb and a friend were watching a movie in her basement and Jenna’s sister was upstairs when Soto entered their house through an unlocked door. Hanley said one of the girls later told police Mr. Soto “was covered in blood. He beat all three with a baseball bat and Jenna died in the attack. The girls who survived are 14 and 15.
Jenna’s mother said she died trying to protect her sister and friend from further harm, according to Mr. McNamara.
Mr. Soto then broke a window to get into a home close by on Florence Street. A woman fled the home and Mr. Soto chased her into the yard and stabbed her. Keith Fahreny, who was driving by, saw the attack and stopped to intervene, Mr. Hanley said.
Mr. Soto attacked Fahreny and tried to steal his vehicle, but Mr. Fahreny dragged him from the car. Mr. Soto once again fled on foot, but he was soon arrested by a sheriff’s deputy.