- Written by Brandon Drennon
- BBC News, Washington
image source, Getty Images
Rockfield, Illinois community members gather for vigil held for stabbing victim
The suspect in a violent murder in Rockford, Illinois, allegedly “laced” his marijuana with an unknown drug, authorities said.
Christian Soto was indicted Thursday on 11 charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder.
Four people were killed and seven injured during the 20-minute spree.
Darlene Webber, the mother of the victim who was attacked in her home, described the scene as “like something out of a horror movie”.
“The whole thing was a blink of an eye,” Webber told NBC News after explaining how Soto allegedly stabbed him in the face.
The victims killed in Wednesday’s attack have been identified as 63-year-old Ramona Schubach, 49-year-old Jay Larson, 23-year-old Jacob Schubach and 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. .
Detectives investigating the case said the motive for the stabbing in a Rockford residential area remains unclear.
But authorities said Soto told police he believed the drugs his friend gave him were “laced with an unknown psychiatric patient.”
Illinois State Attorney J. Hanley said at a news conference Thursday that Soto said he “became paranoid after using drugs.”
Soto appeared briefly in court Thursday afternoon. He is expected to be held until a detention hearing scheduled for next week.
The BBC contacted the local public defender’s office, which said it could not comment because Soto had not yet been appointed to represent him.
Authorities said the attack began around 13:15 pm ET (17:15 pm Japan time), shortly after the suspect arrived at the home of Jacob Schupbach, who said he had smoked marijuana.
Witnesses told BBC News, the BBC’s media partner, that the suspect chased Jacob across a lawn, punched and stabbed him before getting into a pickup truck and running him over. He said he saw it coming.
Jacob and Ramona were later found dead in their home.
Police said the suspect roamed several nearby streets for about 20 minutes, breaking into multiple homes.
That’s when he allegedly encountered postal worker Jay Larson. Witnesses reported seeing Soto stab him multiple times and run him over with a truck.
Weber said the man who broke into the backyard was covered in blood.
“He was like the devil incarnate,” Webber told NBC.
She claimed the suspect stabbed her in the face and chased her into the house as she screamed for help.
Weber said her son, Vollman, saved her by wrestling with the suspect until he gave up and walked away.
She called Vollman a “knight in shining armor” and said if it wasn’t for him, “I don’t think I would be standing here right now.”
Keith Farney, one of the people allegedly injured by Soto, told NBC News that he was driving home when he saw Soto attack a woman and other people and then see the suspect flee. He said he witnessed it.
A woman was sitting in her garden when she noticed someone standing over her. She seemed to be in pain, so he stopped her car and got out of the car.
After intervening and finding the woman covered in blood, Fernie returned to her car to retrieve her cellphone. At that point, Soto also allegedly attacked him.
Mr Farney told the media that the alleged assailant appeared strange, “like something had taken over his body.”
“It’s very scary. I never thought it would happen to me,” he said after being discharged from the hospital.
Soto also allegedly entered Jenna Newcombe’s home through an unlocked door while she was watching a movie with two other girls.
Police said Soto found a baseball bat in his home and attacked the girls in the basement. The teenage girl’s mother said her daughter died helping two others who suffered bruises, lacerations and broken bones.
State’s Attorney J. Hanley said police arrested the suspect after he attacked and attempted to steal a Good Samaritan Jeep that had stopped on the road to help one of the last victims. .
He said federal charges in the killing of postal worker Jay Larson may also be filed at a later date.
