ROCKFORD (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A Rockford man has been charged in Wednesday’s stabbing rampage in northern Illinois that left four people dead, and seven others wounded.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said 22-year-old Christian Soto faces 13 felony charges, including murder, attempted murder and home invasion.
He made his first court appearance this afternoon.
In a Thursday morning press conference, Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said police believe Soto acted alone.
Redd said the attacks happened in multiple locations across both Rockford and Winnebago County jurisdictions. Police received the first emergency calls around 1 p.m., followed by additional calls for police and paramedics.
The Winnebago County Coroner's Office identified the victims who died as 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach, 23-year-old Jacob Schupbach, 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb, a 49-year-old Jay Larson, who the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division confirmed to be a USPS letter carrier.
Thursday, Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley said Soto's stabbing spree began at home at 2316 Holmes Street. Police were called to the home for a report of a person being run over by a car and perhaps stabbed.
There, officers found both Ramona and Jacob Scupbach fatally stabbed, Hanley said. Witnesses police they saw a man, later identified as Soto, chasing Jacob, stabbing him with a black object, then running him over with a black Chevy pickup truck. Witnesses said they saw Jacob get up and run into the house. Soto went back in as well, they said, and exited a short time later.
Hanley said Soto returned to the truck and fled southbound on Holmes Street.
Soto revealed to police in an interview that he was friends with Jacob and went to his house to smoke marijuana. Hanley said that Soto believes the marijuana Jacob gave him was laced with a narcotic that made him paranoid.
According to Hanley, Soto admitted to grabbing a knife from the Scupbach's kitchen and then stabbing the two to death.
Once leaving Holmes Street, Soto confirmed to police the attack on the letter carrier Jay Larson in the 2200 block of Winnetka Lane.
Officers found Larson in front of a home with multiple stab wounds. He was transported to a hospital but later died.
A witness told police he saw Soto pummel Larson, repeatedly punch him, stab him and then twice run him over with a black pickup truck. Soto then fled the scene on foot.
Hanely said Soto went to a home in 4800 block of Cleveland Avenue, stabbing a woman at her door step, and attacking two other people inside. Soto left the scene on foot after the male victim hit him with a syrup bottle.
The suspect then made his way to a home on the next block, at 4700 Cleveland Avenue. Hanely said Soto broke in and attacked three girls in a basement with a softball bat, killing 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. She said Soto came downstairs
According to one of the victims, she was spending the night at Newcomb's house and were watching a movie on a laptop in a basement bedroom when Soto came downstairs and went after her and two other girls with the bat.
Ultimately, Soto's rampage ended in Rockford, near Florence Street and Eagleston Drive. There, according to Hanley, Soto broke into a home on Florence Street and stabbed a women, chasing her until he was interrupted by a good Samaritan who was driving by.
Despite being attacked, he was able to hold off Soto until police were able to arrive.
The woman suffered stab wounds and remains hospitalized, intubated.
"Our community must continue to come together and lift each other up," Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said. "Unfortunately, we have been here before. We've experienced great loss, and we've shown tremendous strength and resiliency by supporting one another in coming together. Kindness and compassion must lead us as we move forward."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram I TikTok