Bio

In January 2024, Romeo Alexander Nance was 23 years old. He lived in Joliet, Illinois. His home was on the 2200 block of West Acres Road.

Several of his family members lived nearby. His mother was Tameaka Nance. His uncle was William Esters II. Other relatives included Christine Esters (37), Joshua Nance (31), Alexandria Nance (20), Angel Nance (14), and Alonnah Nance (16).

His girlfriend was named Kyleigh Cleveland-Singleton. These are the personal and family details available from the research provided.

Murder Story

On January 21, 2024, Romeo Alexander Nance opened fire on three separate occasions in and around Joliet, Illinois. A total of eight people were killed and one person was injured. Nance was 23 years old. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in 2024 and the deadliest in Illinois history.

Around 4:15 pm CST, Nance drove by a 42-year-old man who was getting items out of his car in the 200 block of Davis Street in Joliet. Nance briefly stopped and the two exchanged words before Nance drove on. After the man crossed the street, Nance returned from the other direction and opened fire, striking the man in the leg before driving away.

About 10 minutes later, the Will County Sheriff's Office responded to the Pheasant Run Apartments complex in Preston Heights. Officers discovered 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare with a gunshot wound to the head. Bakare was transported to a local hospital and later died from his injuries.

Using surveillance footage from the shootings, the sheriff’s office identified the perpetrator and the vehicle but could not find them. Deputies set up surveillance near Nance’s home in the 2200 block of West Acres Road in Joliet at around midnight. After about 12 hours, deputies approached the home and spotted blood outside. They entered and found 47-year-old Tameaka Nance and 35-year-old William Esters II dead of gunshot wounds. Tameaka was Nance’s mother and William was his uncle.

Officers checked a second house on the same block that was inhabited by some of Nance’s family members. Inside they found 37-year-old Christine Esters, 31-year-old Joshua Nance, 20-year-old Alexandria Nance, 14-year-old Angel Nance, and 16-year-old Alonnah Nance all dead from gunshot wounds.

Jon W. Hansen was interviewed by police in late January and said he was with Nance during at least two of the shootings. He said Nance gave him the weapon used to shoot one of the victims and that Hansen threw the gun into the DuPage River. Authorities searched the river and found a loaded black Springfield Armory XDS pistol.

Nance drove south to Texas after the shootings. Police believe he stopped at a mall and acquired Texas license plates, which he put on his vehicle. Around 8:30 pm CST the following day, U.S. Marshals located Nance in Natalia. He was confronted by police at a gas station just outside Natalia, and he fatally shot himself during a standoff.

All of the victims, except the injured 42-year-old man and Bakare, were related to Nance. Police said Bakare was connected to Nance in some way. Police also said Nance had a criminal history. In 2018, he was charged with an armed robbery using a knife. In January 2023, he was arrested for allegedly opening fire on another driver during a road rage incident.

Shortly after the shootings, Kyleigh Cleveland-Singleton, Nance’s girlfriend, was arrested and charged with felony obstruction of justice. A judge ordered that she be placed on home confinement. On February 9, 2024, she pled not guilty. On May 31, 2024, 24-year-old Jon Hansen of Shorewood, Illinois, was arrested on three counts of murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm. He is accused of being with Nance during both shootings in the Joliet area and of throwing the gun into the DuPage River.