A Streamwood man identified as “a credible suspect” in the slayings of a Romeoville family was killed and a woman dubbed “a person of interest” was wounded by gunfire and later died of her injuries on Wednesday after a fiery crash in Oklahoma.
During a news conference in Romeoville, Deputy Police Chief Chris Burne said they had identified two people they wanted to question about the weekend slayings in the far southwestern suburb. He named one of them as Nathaniel Huey Jr., 31, from Streamwood. The other is a woman associated with Huey who Burne declined to name.
Burne also would not elaborate on a possible motive in the slayings of Alberto Rolon, 38, Zoraida Bartolomei, 32, and their two sons, 7 and 9, who were found shot to death in their Romeoville home Sunday. Three dogs were also found dead.
Relatives created a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses for the couple and their two children, identified as Adriel and Diego. As of Wednesday night, it had raised more than $33,000, more than $5,000 above the target of $28,000.
“These were hardworking people that had just bought their first home,” the organizers wrote. “Their kids were the sweetest most innocent angels who could hug your worries away.”
Police believe the family was killed sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday.
Two days after the Rolon-Bartolomei family was found slain, the Streamwood woman on Tuesday night was “reported by family as a missing/endangered person,” police said.
Information was entered into a national law enforcement database, and Romeoville police distributed a “bulletin to law enforcement agencies believing Huey to be a credible suspect in this investigation.”
On Wednesday morning, police in Catoosa, Oklahoma, received an alert regarding a vehicle in their area that matched the description of one linked to Huey and the woman being sought.
Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped off and ultimately crashed, causing a fire. Police reported hearing what they believed to be two gunshots, Burne said.
It was not clear who fired the shots.
In the car, Catoosa police found a woman wounded by gunfire in the passenger seat. She was taken to a hospital and later died of her injuries, authorities said.
The driver, who police believe was Huey, was found shot to death.
Burne said there was “a nexus between our suspect and the victims as well as a possible” motive for the slaying, but he declined to elaborate. He did say they had no evidence of additional suspects.
But he said police had gathered “a tremendous amount of physical evidence” and that their investigation was ongoing.
Relatives of the Rolon-Bartolomei family issued a statement Wednesday thanking the public for its support.
“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity and support following the tragic loss of Zoraida Bartolomei, her husband Alberto Rolón, and their sons Adriel and Diego,” the family wrote.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on channeling support, assistance and love for our family and loved ones. We appreciate the understanding and we take this opportunity to once again express our profound gratitude for the solidarity and support extended by people during this period.”
