Joliet Mass Murderer's Co-Defendant From Shorewood Stands Trial This Week At Courthouse

JOLIET, IL — Joliet mass murderer Romeo Nance, who killed off all of his family members who lived on West Acres Road, never stood trial for his execution style killings because Nance fled to Texas where the police cornered the fleeing fugitive. Nance chose to end his own life, rather than be taken prisoner.

But this week at the Will County Courthouse inside Courtroom 502, Nance's acquaintance, Jon Hansen of Shorewood, will stand trial on first-degree murder charges even though Hansen himself never actually pulled the trigger from one of the guns used to commit the mass murder spree on Joliet's west side and later on the east side where two more people were shot, one fatally, in late January 2024.

Jury selection was finishing on Tuesday in the courtroom of Judge Jessica Colon-Sayre. Hansen's family hired the law offices of Tomczak Law Group and lead attorney Jeff Tomczak has been handling Jon Hansen's defense strategies.

Hansen has remained in the Will County Jail since May 31, 2024 when the Will County Sheriff's Office had him arrested months after the Joliet murder spree.

In January 2025, Joliet Patch reported that Hansen smiled when he was led into Will County Courtroom 502 after seeing at least a dozen family and friends in the gallery, including his baby girl and his girlfriend.

Hansen has been locked up in the Will County Jail since May 31, 2024 when the Will County Sheriff's Office had Hansen arrested on first-degree murder charges in connection with the late January 2024 mass murder spree carried out by Hansen's friend, Joliet criminal Romeo Nance, who died fleeing the police in Texas.

According to the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow, on Jan. 27, 2024, Jon Hansen was interviewed by police and admitted to being with Romeo Nance on the day of the shootings. He stated that Romeo told him he killed six people when he picked him up. According to prosecutors, Hansen said Romeo asked Joliet Township murder victim Toyosi Bakare what he was doing and then shot him.

"Jon admitted to holding the gun used for the Davis Street shooting ... He claimed to not know what Romeo was doing, didn't know why they drove to the areas they drove to and essentially blamed Romeo for everything," prosecutors outlined in 2024. "He did admit assuming they were going to slide on some Vice Lords. He admitted to being masked and gloved and knowing he was going to hold a gun. He admitted he had the gun that was used in the Davis shooting and threw it in the river. He identified the river near 7-Eleven where he threw the gun."

In 2025, Tomczak argued that Judge Colon-Sayre should let the 25-year-old murder defendant out of the jail because his client needed to help raise his baby daughter and that Hansen has employment prospects available.

"I appreciate as a baby grows, the demands of parents become complicated," Judge Colon said. However, Colon made it clear that "I support those findings" from Judge Cornelius, "and I believe this court feels further detention is necessary in protecting the community and the public. I support the findings of Judge Cornelius. I believe that further detention is necessary."

As the Will County sheriff's deputies escorted Hansen away from Courtroom 502, one of his male family members yelled out, "We love you, Jon."

In June 204, Joliet Patch reported that Hansen, then a 24-year-old Shorewood resident from Ravinia Drive, was riding around with Romeo Nance after Nance admitted killing six people in January, according to Will County prosecutors.

Hansen's girlfriend was also riding around in the car belonging to Nance's murdered relative, prosecutors said. Joliet police determined that Nance killed seven of his family members, fatally shot a man outside the Pheasant Run apartments in Joliet Township in a random attack, and wounded another man on Joliet's Davis Street in another random shooting.

Back in 2025, attorney Tomczak told Joliet Patch's editor, "This case needs to go to trial as soon as possible. There is simply no evidence that he participated in any mass murders. What the evidence shows is that he was merely present in a homicidal maniac's car, who decided to continue his spree in the streets of Joliet."

Tomczak pointed out that in addition to Hansen, Hansen's girlfriend, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was also a passenger in Nance's car, and she was not charged with any crimes.

"She cried and begged to be let out of the car while (Romeo Nance) was talking about suicide by a cop," Tomczak said.

At the time of Judge Colon's ruling in favor of keeping Tomczak's client Hansen locked up inside the Will County Jail pursuant to the SAFE-T-Act, the downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer offered this remark to Joliet Patch: "I am disappointed with today's ruling, but obviously, I respect the court's decision, and we look forward to trying this matter on a burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt."

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Shorewood Gang Member Wanted To Fight Vice Lords: Prosecutors
• 'Romeo Nance's Reign Of Terror' In Joliet Is Over: Sheriff's Office
• Romeo Nance Was Seen Running With A Rifle: Neighborhood Source