Family of 4 Shot Dead in Illinois, Along With Their Dogs

Police say Romeoville tragedy was not a murder-suicide
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 20, 2023 1:00 AM CDT
Family and Their Dogs Shot Dead at Illinois Home
A Romeoville Police officer carries out a door from inside of the home where four people were shot to death, on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in Romeoville, Ill.   (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Two adults, their two children, and the family's three dogs were all found fatally shot in their Illinois home, and police say the tragedy was not a murder-suicide. They also don't believe it was a random slaying, which is why they haven't issued a shelter-in-place order in Romeoville, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago as they search for the gunman, CNN reports. Police think Alberto Rolon, 38, Zoraida Bartolomei, 32, and their 7- and 9-year-old sons were killed sometime between Saturday night and early Sunday; their bodies were found during a well-being check by police who were called after relatives became concerned when one of the family members did not arrive at work Sunday and no one was answering phone calls.

Neighbors tell CBS Chicago the family had just moved in this spring and was fairly private. "Like a close knit family as far as I could tell, and they just stayed to themselves," a neighbor tells ABC 7 Chicago. "Had outings in their backyard a lot of times with just family. And both of them worked. She worked days, and he worked nights, so they just crossed paths on the way." Multiple neighbors who were home during the time the shootings likely took place say they heard nothing. Police are asking for doorbell camera footage from the area. (More Illinois stories.)

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