Jury Sees Footage of Joliet Man in Home Where Family Was Killed
In the trial of Shorewood man Jon Hansen, defense attorneys introduced videos showing Romeo Nance inside West Acres Road residences shortly before his family was shot.
By Marco Alvarez ·
Seven family members were killed in two separate homes on West Acres Road in Joliet on Jan. 21, 2024, according to Joliet police officials. The deaths occurred approximately four hours before two other shootings in the same city that are now the subject of a criminal trial.
On Wednesday, a Will County jury viewed three short video clips captured that day. The footage shows Romeo Nance, 23, inside a residence on West Acres Road. One clip from an interior camera captures Nance holding a rifle as he rushes up a staircase. His 3-year-old son is visible in the frame, repeatedly asking, “Daddy why?” Nance walks past the child and looks out a window.
A second clip from a doorbell camera shows Nance approaching the same residence carrying a firearm. A third video shows two individuals inside the home looking out a window. Nance is seen walking up the stairs toward them while holding the rifle. He is heard on the recording saying, “I love y’all but..” and later, “Mom’s dead.” The video ends before any further action is visible.
The footage was presented by attorneys for Jon Hansen, 26, of Shorewood. Hansen is charged with the first-degree murder of Toyosi Bakare, 28, and the attempted murder of Mario Guerrero, 42. Both men were shot on Jan. 21, 2024. Prosecutors stated that Hansen was with Nance at the time of those shootings.
Defense attorney Jeff Tomczak argued that Nance was solely responsible for the Bakare and Guerrero shootings. Tomczak told the jury that Nance was upset about losing his son to his mother and devised a plan to kill her and his family. He described Hansen as a “survivor” of Nance rather than an accomplice. The defense also showed the jury crime scene photos from the West Acres Road incident, including images of the victims. One victim was Nance’s mother, Tameaka Nance, 47.
Prosecutors disputed the defense’s timeline, stating that the West Acres Road killings and the Bakare and Guerrero shootings were unrelated events. They argued that Bakare and Guerrero were shot because they were mistaken for members of the Vice Lords gang. Hansen is an affiliate of the Milwaukee Kings gang, which opposes the Vice Lords.
State gang expert testimony linked phrases found in messages from Hansen’s cellphone to drive-by shootings. Prosecutors presented evidence that Hansen solicited Nance and others to “spin the lords” or “spank the lords.” They also highlighted Hansen’s removal of messages, a change in his phone number, and requests to unsend communications. On Monday, the jury watched interrogation video in which Hansen said Nance had “snapped.” Detectives noted that Hansen repeatedly declined to name who received the gloves and clothes he was wearing on the day of the shooting.
Nance died by suicide on Jan. 22, 2024, in Texas following a confrontation with the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force. Joliet police have said no other suspects have been identified in the West Acres Road homicides. Kyleigh Cleveland-Singleton, 24, Nance’s son’s mother, is facing a charge of obstructing justice.
