JOLIET, IL -- Robbery was the motive in the deaths of two men, strangled by four friends who lured them to a home Thursday, killed them and then partied and played videogames after, local police chief Mike Trafton said.
There is evidence the suspects intended to dismember their victims, Trafton said. He described the 1121 N. Hickory St. crime scene as gruesome, particularly in light of the suspects' total "disregard for human beings."
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"I think you need to know this is one of the most brutal, heinous, really upsetting things that (I've seen) in 27 years of law enforcement," he said. "It is the worst thing I've come across in my career.
"After the homicides were committed, they continued the party atmosphere, I guess I would say, without getting into it any further."
The victims have been identified as Eric Glover and Terrance O. Rankins, both 22.
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Charged with six counts of first-degree murder each are Adam M. Landerman, 19, 1053 Glenwood, Joliet; Bethany L. McKee, 18, 200 West Shore, Shorewood; Joshua F. Miner, 24, 601 W. Jefferson, Joliet; and Alisa R. Massaro, 18, 1121 N. Hickory St., which is where the murders took place.
Landerman is the son of Joliet Police Sgt. Julie Landerman, Trafton said.
Based on the evidence, bond was set Friday afternoon at $10 million each by Will County Judge Daniel Rozak. They are being held in the Will County jail.
Police learned about the homicides at about 4 p.m. Thursday, when they received a tip that they would find two dead bodies at the Hickory Street address. When officers arrived, they found the victims and then heard noise indicating there were other people in the house, Cmdr. Brian Benton said.
"I would say they were very much surprised (by the arrival of the police)," he said.
Landerman, Massaro and Miner were arrested there; McKee was arrested at a home in Kankakee, Trafton said.
Benton called the suspects and victims "social friends," and said the plan was to lure the two men to the house in order to rob them of cash. The victims were killed by physical strangulation; no rope or cord was used, Trafton said.
The police chief declined to discuss whether drugs or alcohol played a role in murders, and that he didn't consider it a mitigating factor even if it did.
"I refuse to use any of that as an excuse whatsoever," Trafton said. "They did what they did and they're to blame. As far as I'm concerned, they're going to jail today and they should stay there forever."
Will County prosecutors worked with police at the crime scene and later helped secure a search warrant for the house, State's Attorney James Glasgow said.
"This is a highly unusual case and were not going to be talking about any details right now, but they're quite disturbing," said Glasgow, who filed charges against the four suspects Friday afternoon.
Trafton said he revealed Officer Landerman's relationship to the suspect to ensure there would be no allegations later that the information was deliberately not disclosed or that Adam Landerman received special consideration because of his mother.
"She was spoken to me by myself," Trafton said. "She has no access to the case whatsoever, and she was afforded no luxury whatsoever."
Miner is the only suspect to have a criminal background, Trafton said.
According to jail logs, which are incomplete, he was arrested in August 2010 for residential burglary and previously in April 2008 for knowingly damaging property. When he was arrested in second case, he also had two outstanding warrants for failure to appear at other criminal proceedings, the log shows.
Anybody want to sign the online petition to make an exception to the Illinois Death Penalty?
My deepest sorrows goes out to both families of the victims.
Ranting....heil hitler and marquette park March to you... You sound very 'life experiened'... Not!!! Whata a shame you are Many Pixels shy of a full screen! Condolences & prayers to victims... Beware who your children associate with Certain personalites get together and Kill People! Hitler met all his cronies in jail!
This is no place for your religious beliefs. Everyone has their own, don't let anyone demean yours, keep your head up. Fighting back and forth does not make either of you correct.; it actually shows that each need to practice what they preach.
1:11 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 Ur a dumb ass... U should keep that to yourself.. I know the same things but I didn't share them with everyone!! and then this...who is the dumb ass now?
But also to you again, you might want to read the hateful stuff that clutche puts up here. Maybe he is the same person, with about 4 profiles, because the more that I read, the more that he, and a whole bunch of people all sound the same. Then again, small minds think alike. People really need to be able to speak more properly, on both sides of this issue. It's really stupid how people think, and cannot form correct sentences. I can agree that these people on here make it seem that everybody from Joliet are either project trash or trailer trash, but still, I dare any of you to step out in public and say these things to another person's face. I bet it would not happen.
I am disgusted with the crimes committed, but even more disgusted that there are people like you who have the nerve to blame the victims. How racist can you be..... Blacks scare more that whites, calling them wimps and cowards and insinuating that whites are Superior, who do you think you are... I am as white as they come, but my heart goes out to the victims and there families here. Skin color has nothing to do with it. White or black, murder is wrong and a victim is a victim. As you sit there and bash these poor victims for the color of their skin, you failed to mention that the sick individuals who took these men's lives, and engaged in sexual act atop their corpses were white. They are the coward, wimps and, as you said about the victims, will be "so scared and screaming like women, defecating in their pants from fear and crying like girls" when they realize their lives will be spent staring at bars and they have become the jail house "bitches". To end this post I would like to say that everyone, black, white, big or small, we are all capable of good, bad and evil. We are all equal and deserve to be treated as such. When hurt we all bleed RED, a victim is a victim regardless of the color of their skin. Your mind seems just as corrupt as the people who orchestrated this crime. Makes me sick to my stomach knowing there are still people out there who don't realize we are ONE RACE.... Human......
AFTER MURDERING TWO PEOPLE. NOW WHAT IF SOMEONE HAD MURDER YOUR COUSIN AND THEY FAMILY SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO MURDER YOUR COUSIN WAS A GOOD PERSON HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? RIGHT!!!!!!!