By rssfeeds-admin Soto has been in the Winnebago County Jail since March 27, 2024, the day he confessed to going on a 30-minute rampage using two knives, a pickup truck and softball bat at multiple locations in the subdivision where he lived.
The now 23-year-old told detectives he became paranoid after smoking laced marijuana with one of his victims.
Because of its magnitude, the case is moving slowly through the courts. Multiple discovery motions have been filed along with a fitness evaluation and a blood test to determine if there were drugs in Soto’s system at the time of the alleged offenses.
Soto is due back in court on April 4 for a status hearing.
Following is a timeline of events that unfolded on March 27, 2024.
1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
The violent spree begins in the 2300 block of Holmes Street at the home of 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach and Jacob Schupbach, 23. Twenty-two-year-old Christian Ivan Soto, a childhood friend of Jacob, is at the home smoking marijuana with him. Soto later tells police that he became paranoid, believing the marijuana was laced with an unknown narcotic. He says that’s when he grabs a knife from the kitchen and fatally stabs Jacob and Ramona.
According to witnesses, Soto chases Jacob across the street, where he repeatedly punches and stabs him before running him over with his black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Jacob manages to retreat inside the home, where he and Ramona are later found dead.
1:15 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
Soto allegedly leaves the Schupbach home in is pickup and encounters mail carrier, 49-year-old Jay Larson in the 2200 block of Winnetka Drive. A witness at that scene tells police he sees Soto punch and stab Larson multiple times. Soto allegedly then retrieves a different knife from his vehicle and continues stabbing Larson. He then allegedly gets into his truck and runs Larson over twice. Larson is later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
1:20 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.
Soto allegedly moves to a home in the 4800 block of Cleveland Avenue, where he’s armed with what victims describe as a katana-style knife or small sword. There, he encounters Darlene Weber who opens her door to let her dog out. Soto allegedly stabs Weber in the face and forces his way inside. Weber’s son, Jacob Vollmann and his girlfriend attempt to fight Soto off. Volmann and his girlfriend, Cathy Gilfillan, are also stabbed in the face. Vollmann hits Soto with a syrup bottle and Soto flees. The family’s pit bull bites Soto on the leg during the attack. All three victims survive their injuries.
1:25 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
The rampage continues in the 4700 block of Cleveland Avenue, where three teenage girls are enjoying their spring break by watching a movie. Soto allegedly enters the home through an unlocked door and grabs a softball bat that belongs to 15-year-old East High School student Jenna Newcomb and attacks all three teens. Jenna is killed. Her sister and friend survive.
One of the teens runs out of the house and flags down an officer but the suspect flees the scene.
1:30 p.m. – 1:35 p.m.
At a nearby home in the 4600 block of Florence Street, Soto allegedly breaks in through a window and attacks a woman with a knife. She manages to escape to the 2100 block of Eggleston Road. Soto allegedly pursues the woman and continues stabbing her in the face and arms.
As the attack continues, a man later identified as neighbor Keith Fahrney drives by in a gray Jeep. Fahrney notices a man standing over a critically injured woman who’s covered in blood so he stops to intervene. Soto allegedly attempts to steal the Jeep but Fahrney wrestles him to the ground. Soto allegedly stabs Fahrey in the head before fleeing on foot. Fahrney calls 911 and dispatchers learn his location.
1:35 p.m.
Winnebago County deputies arrive on Eggleston Road and is pursue Soto on foot. The suspect is taken into custody after a brief struggle. A deputy is stabbed in the hand during the arrest.
March 27 press conference
About an hour after Christian Soto is taken into custody, Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd confirms that four people were killed in the attacks: 63-year-old Ramona Shupbach, 23-year-old Jacob Schupbach, 49-year-old Jay Larson and 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. At least seven people were injured including Darlene Weber, Jacob Vollmann, Cathy Gilfillan, two teenage girls, the woman on Florence Street, and Keith Farney.
The attacks span multiple crime scenes on Holmes Street, Winnetka Drive, Cleveland Avenue, Florence Street, and Eggleston Road.
March 28, 2024
Soto appears in court via CCTV. He is formally charged with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder, and three counts of home invasion. The Winnebago County Public Defender’s Officer is initially assigned the case.
April 2, 2024
Christian Soto makes his first in-person court appearance. Moments after he’s led into the courtroom, a shackled and handcuffed Soto begins screaming at Judge Scott Paccagnini, calling him a “puppet” and “Satan.” He also shouts various things at the gallery, which sparks several verbal exchanges. Members of Soto’s family urge him to stop shouting. Surviving victims and their families soon join the verbal dust-up. Paccagnini quickly intervenes and clears the courtroom. Soto is denied pretrial release.
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