A 22-year-old Illinois man has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder in a stabbing spree that killed four people, including a 15-year-old girl, and injured seven others on Wednesday, authorities said.
In addition to those charges, Christian Soto was hit with seven counts of attempted murder and home invasion with a dangerous weapon following the rampage across multiple locations in Rockford, Illinois, officials said during a press conference on Thursday.
The victims include Jacob Schupbach, 22, Ramona Schupbach 63, Jay Larson, 49, and 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. Police said three of them died where they were attacked, and a fourth died at a hospital.
Larson was identified as a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service. Officials said Soto ran him down with a car and then stabbed him.
Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said Soto told investigators that he was friends with Jacob and had gone to his house to take drugs. Soto claimed the drugs had been "laced" with an unknown narcotic, causing him to grab a knife from the kitchen and stab Jacob and Ramona to death.
Soto recalled leaving the home and getting in his car before "taking out the mailman," Hanley said.
He then broke into a home and attacked three juvenile females with a softball bat found inside the kitchen. Two of the girls were injured while the third was beaten to death.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara told reporters that Jenna’s mother "wants the community to know that Jenna died saving her sister and her friend and protecting them from further harm."
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Soto is also accused of breaking into another home and stabbing a woman with a knife. The woman ran from the home, and as she was being stabbed, a good Samaritan driving by stopped to intervene. The good Samaritan was also stabbed.
Deputies and police arrived and chased Soto over multiple fences before taking him into custody.
The deputy who apprehended Soto was struck multiple times and stabbed in one of his hands. He was treated for his injuries.
Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said that three of the injured people remained hospitalized while four others were treated and released.
Soto will be in court Thursday afternoon to hear the charges and for a judge to determine whether he will remain in jail pending trial.
