Couple, two young children, and three dogs discovered fatally shot in suburban Chicago residence
A suspected quadruple murder shocked a suburban Chicago community after police found an Illinois couple, their two young children and their three dogs shot dead inside their home Sunday night.
Romeoville Deputy Police Chief Chris Burne said at a press conference Monday that police are investigating the deaths as a murder, not a murder-suicide.
The victims were identified as Alberto Rolon and Zoraida Bartolomei, the parents of the two children, whose names and ages were not released Monday. The family lived in Romeoville, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.
Police discovered the bodies around 8:40 p.m. Sunday after they went to the home for a welfare check. Family members had called police after one of the victims did not show up for work at 6 a.m. Sunday and did not answer messages, police said.
During a press conference on Monday, Romeoville Deputy Police Chief Chris Burne clarified that the deaths are being investigated as a homicide, ruling out the possibility of a murder-suicide.
“Right now we are investigating this as a murder,” he said at the press conference streamed by NBC Chicago.
ALSO READ| India-Canada diplomatic row: Sikh groups threaten protests in Canada
He also said there was no threat to the public, although no suspect has been arrested.
“Due to the timeframe that has gone by – more than 18 hours from the time we were contacted – we are not asking anybody to shelter in place, we are not actively looking for anybody in the area,” he said.
Burne did not confirm if Rolon and Bartolomei were married.
The two children attended RC Hill Elementary School, according to Valley View School District Superintendent Rachel Kinder, who sent a note to the community.
Law enforcement suspects that the family of four met their tragic fate between 9 p.m. on Saturday and 5 a.m. on Sunday.
Neighbors told that the family was nice and quiet, and did not interact much with others.
“They kept to themselves,” a neighbor told ABC 7 Chicago. “I really don’t know. Never saw the kids outside playing and I have a child. I don’t know really what happened and it’s very scary. Too close to home.”
“It was a mom and dad and a couple of kids. The parents would be outside working the yard, and we’d wave hi and bye, that kind of thing,” Lynn Phillips, who lives one house away, told the Chicago Sun Times. “Nothing unusual. We all keep to ourselves.”
ALSO READ| Flood watches issued for millions of people in New England as storm looms
Carol Love, who lives next door, told the newspaper that the family was friendly and respectful.
“It’s so sad. They were nice people. They didn’t bother anybody,” Love reportedly said. “I hope they find out who did it.”
Beador’s lawyer Michael L. Fell issued a statement to USA TODAY Monday, saying Beador is “extremely apologetic and remorseful” for her actions.
“We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available,” Fell said. “Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.”