Illinois family found dead inside home, ‘not a random incident’: police
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (WGN) — A homicide investigation is underway after a couple, their two children and three dogs were found dead inside a home in Illinois.
Police conducted a well-being check around 8:40 p.m. Sunday on the family’s home in Romeoville after a member of the household did not show up to work and was not responding to phone calls. Romeoville is located about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.
Upon arrival, officers found two adults and two children dead with gunshot wounds inside a residence.
Police said three dogs were also found fatally shot.
According to authorities, the adult victims have been identified as Alberto Rolon, 38. and Zoraida Bartolomei, 32. Police said the deceased children, ages 7 and 9, belonged to both Rolon and Bartolomei. The children’s identities have not yet been released.
Investigators said the shooting happened sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday. Police do not believe the shooter is among the victims.
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“This incident is the police department’s top priority. All officers and professional staff have been working tirelessly on this case,” Deputy Chief of Police Chris Burne said in a Tuesday afternoon update. “Our detectives and crime-scene investigators have spent the last 36 hours collecting a tremendous amount of physical evidence. We were able to determine that this was not a random incident and there was no cause for a shelter-in-place order.”
Watch the Romeoville Police Department press conference in the video player above.
Authorities say they do not consider the deaths a murder-suicide.
As of Tuesday night, no one has been taken into custody, and no suspect information has been released. The Romeoville Police and Will County Major Crimes Task Force continue to investigate the incident.
“Our entire community is grieving with the family over this tragic incident. It is always heartbreaking whenever there is a loss of life, but when there are children involved it’s much more painful,” Mayor John Noak said. “I have directed our social services staff to make themselves available to our community to help begin the healing process. It is important that we conduct a thorough investigation and we have committed our full resources to that task. The victims deserve that.”
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Romeoville Police Department at 815-886-7219.
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