On October 16, the Will County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division was honored at this year’s Illinois Homicide Investigators Association (ILHIA) conference with the Award of Excellence for work done in the murder investigation of Toyosi Bakare that occurred on January 21, 2024. This award would not have been possible without the help of our numerous law enforcement partners, most notably the various members of the Joliet Police Department, who also investigated these incidents.
The following is a copy of the nomination letter that was submitted to the ILHIA Awards Committee:
“All members exhibited exceptional professional skills and conduct while in the performance of their duties. Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) with the Will County Sheriff’s Office worked seamlessly together with the Joliet Police Department and federal law enforcement partners in investigating and solving this case in under 30 hours.
“Federal law enforcement partners tracked the offender, Romeo Nance, to Texas, and it was believed he was fleeing to Mexico. When confronted by law enforcement, Nance chose to take his own life just as he was about to be apprehended and held accountable for these brutal crimes.
“In addition, Jon Hansen was charged with three counts of First-Degree Murder, one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder, and one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm regarding the events that unfolded in the Joliet area on January 21.
“The following information is a summary of events that occurred regarding this homicide investigation. On January 21, 2024, at approximately 4:27 p.m., the Will County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call regarding a shooting that occurred at the Pheasant Run Apartments, at 5 Pheasant Run Road in Joliet Township. Deputies located a critically injured male, later identified as Toyosi Bakare, who had a single gunshot wound to his head, which entered near his left eye, and who later died. While securing the crime scene, deputies learned of another shooting that had occurred in the 200 block of Davis Street in the City of Joliet prior to the shooting of Toyosi Bakare. The City of Joliet victim reported to police the suspect vehicle in his incident was a Red Toyota. Video surveillance recovered at the shooting of Toyosi Bakare showed the same suspect vehicle both entering and exiting the Pheasant Run Apartment complex.
“Detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Joliet Police department began to collaborate and investigate these two random shootings that appeared to be connected. By 8 p.m., law enforcement was able to identify a suspect vehicle, which was a red Toyota Camry bearing Illinois license plate Q73 0412. The suspect vehicle was known to be used by Romeo Nance, who had an extensive criminal history. Detectives utilized License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras to track the suspect’s vehicle throughout the Will County area, but that trail quickly turned cold. When the vehicle could not be located, and the vehicle’s movements were no longer active, as a matter of public safety, the Will County Sheriff’s Office released information regarding the suspect vehicle to the public. It was at this point we believed Mr. Nance had fled the Will County area and was no longer a danger to the public in Will County.
“On January 22, shortly after noon, detectives went to 2212 West Acres to contact the registered owner of the suspect vehicle. Detectives received no response at that residence. Knowing the house across the street also was associated with the suspect and his family, detectives attempted to make contract with residents inside that home. When detectives approached, they noticed blood on the outside of the door and fresh bullet holes on the exterior of the house at 2225 West Acres.
“Detectives attempted to contact the occupants inside the residence and received no response. Under exigency circumstances, detectives made entry into the home and located two deceased individuals who had been shot. Detectives notified the Joliet Police Department of their findings and additional police personnel began to respond to the scene. Members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Joliet Police Department then made entry into the residence located at 2212 West Acres and discovered five more deceased individuals inside of that residence. All five individuals were shot to death by two different firearms.
“It was learned that Romeo Nance had disposed of his cellular telephone and obtained an unknown number. Members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office were able to obtain carrier information once Nance logged onto his Facebook account. All available law enforcement resources, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) were being utilized to locate Nance and the suspect vehicle.
“Shortly before 6 p.m., members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office, who were coordinating with the United States Marshals Service, advised that Romeo Nance was believed to be traveling in the State of Texas. By 8 p.m., a helicopter had located the suspect vehicle on I-35, and Texas law enforcement were mobilizing additional personnel to stop the vehicle. The suspect, Romeo Nance, pulled his vehicle into a gas station located in Natalia, Texas.
“Task Force Officers with the United States Marshals Service observed Nance exit his vehicle with a firearm and flee on foot once he observed law enforcement. Fearing he was about to be caught, Nance shot himself as law enforcement was beginning to close in on him. Even though Nance chose to take his life, the investigation into the circumstances behind the eight dead people he left behind did not stop.
“The firearm Romeo Nance used to end his own life was the same firearm used to murder Toyosi Bakare. Detectives were able to determine Romeo Nance was not alone when Toyosi Bakare was shot and killed. Upon viewing LPR photos, detectives were able to confirm there was a second individual sitting inside of the suspect vehicle when Toyosi Bakare was shot and killed. In addition, Nance was not alone when he shot another victim in the City of Joliet, just prior to the murder of Toyosi Bakare. With the help of additional LPR cameras and surveillance video from a local liquor store, detectives were able to determine the identity of the second individual inside of the vehicle driven by Nance.
“On January 27, Jon Hansen was taken into custody for questioning by members of the Joliet Police Department. Detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Jon regarding the shooting incidents that occurred in the City of Joliet and Unincorporated Joliet Township. Jon made numerous incriminating statements, including information related to the weapons used and who the victims were that were shot. Jon also stated he disposed of one of the guns used to shoot the victim of the Davis Street attack in Joliet into the river by his house. Jon refused to provide detectives with information regarding the location of the firearm.
“Detectives were able to extract data from Jon’s cellular telephone and pinpoint the precise location where the weapon was thrown from. On February 5, members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Plainfield Fire Department conducted a search of the DuPage River, near the intersection of Westshore Drive and Picnic Street in Shorewood. A black semi-automatic Springfield Armory XDS was in the river approximately 34 feet from the north shoreline, where detectives believed Jon Hansen was standing when he threw the weapon in the river.
“On May 31, Jon W. Hansen was taken into custody by members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office and United States Marshals Service pursuant to an arrest warrant that was getting signed. Jon was charged with three counts of First-Degree Murder, one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder, and one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm. The scope and magnitude of this investigation made national news, as the main offender had fled the state in hopes of escaping to Mexico. Even though Nance ditched his cellular telephone shortly after the murders of eight individuals, many of whom were of his own flesh and blood, detectives still were able to track his movements. While driving south to escape capture, Nance made the mistake of logging into his Facebook account from an unknown cellular number, which allowed law enforcement to track his whereabouts.
“This investigation is a prime example of how a coordinated law enforcement effort with multiple police agencies can be successful. With a bit of luck, a mistake by the offender, the use of technology, and great police work, detectives were to solve this investigation and hold an offender accountable for his actions.
“The Will County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the many members from the Joliet Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Plainfield Fire Department, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the countless agencies that had Task Force Officers involved in this case in helping bring this case to a swift conclusion.”