A spring break sleepover took a horrifying turn for three teenage girls who became random victims of an alleged spree killer in Rockford, Illinois, according to a county prosecutor.
Christian Soto is facing multiple counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the incidents. Among the victims was 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb, who tragically lost her life while trying to protect her sister and friend, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara revealed.
Officials provided details during a news conference on Thursday outlining the case against Soto.
“It’s unimaginable, girls just watching a movie during spring break. I can’t even fathom it,” Mayor McNamara said, visibly moved by the events.
According to Winnebago County Prosecutor J. Hanley, Jenna’s friend, identified only by initials, had stayed over for the night, and the girls were watching a movie in the basement on Wednesday afternoon.
Around 1:30 p.m., while Jenna’s sister was in the kitchen preparing food, Soto entered the home through an unlocked back door connected to the garage.
[adinserter name="One"] [adinserter name="Two"]Covered in blood, Soto grabbed one of Jenna’s softball bats, Hanley explained.
Upon noticing Soto, Jenna’s sister rushed to the basement to warn the girls.
Soto pursued them, cornering them in the room, and began attacking them with the bat, Hanley recounted. Jenna collapsed and lost consciousness.
As Hanley recounted the harrowing details, he struggled to maintain his composure.
At one point, Jenna’s friend was curled up in a fetal position as Soto struck her on her left side.
Suddenly, Soto halted and announced his intention to retrieve a gun from upstairs.
It was then that Jenna’s friend called the police and fled outside, where officers were already responding to Soto’s spree.
[adinserter name="Three"] [adinserter name="Four"]Soto confessed to detectives that he had entered the home through the open garage and back door, found a bat in the kitchen, and proceeded to the basement to attack the girls, Hanley disclosed.
Jenna’s sister and friend sustained lacerations and bruises, with the sister also suffering from a fractured arm.
The bloodied bat was discovered in an upstairs bedroom.
As for the other victims in Rockford, Hanley stated that Soto first fatally stabbed his childhood friend, Jacob Schupbach, 23, and Schupbach’s mother, 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach, using a knife from their kitchen.
[adinserter name="Five"] [adinserter name="Six"]After leaving the Schupbach residence, Soto encountered Jay Larson, a mail carrier of 25 years in Rockford, whom he punched, stabbed, and ran over with his pickup truck, leaving him for dead, witnesses reported.
Soto later entered another home where three girls were watching a movie in the basement during their spring break. He found a baseball bat and assaulted the girls, resulting in Jenna Newcomb’s tragic death. Her mother informed Mayor McNamara that Jenna had sacrificed herself to protect her sister and friend from further harm. The surviving teens sustained bruises, lacerations, and fractures. Jenna would have celebrated her 16th birthday on April 1st.
[adinserter name="Seven"] [adinserter name="Eight"]
