Breaking: Victims identified as mother, son in fatal double shooting in Sycamore

Sycamore police chief confirms deaths from apartment shooting as investigation continues

SYCAMORE – A mother and her son are dead after a shooting inside an apartment in Sycamore on Coltonville Road Sunday afternoon, and details of the incident remain under investigation.

Connor A. Roesch, 26, of Sycamore and Sarah R. Roesch, 49, of Shabbona were found dead inside an apartment in the 1800 block of Coltonville Road Sunday, according to a news release from the Sycamore Police Department Monday afternoon.

“Both were shot,” said Sycamore Police Chief Jim Winters Monday. “And we still have further interviews to conduct. We don’t think there’s any danger to the public from this incident. It was isolated.”

According to Sycamore police, a firearm was found in close proximity to Connor Roesch, and as of Monday at 4:30 p.m., investigators don’t believe anyone else besides the pair were involved in the incident.

Winters said the 911 call to police was made Sunday afternoon by someone who knew both victims. Both people were pronounced dead on the scene inside the apartment, Winters said.

The shooting occurred about 3:23 p.m. Sunday inside an apartment in the 1800 block of Coltonville Avenue in Sycamore. The apartment is in the same building as Fence Sales of Sycamore.

“Officers arrived on scene and right now we have two deceased people,” Winters said Sunday. “We’re working with the State’s Attorney’s Office and we’ve got a full complement of investigators out there processing the scene.”

According to Sycamore police, officers had to force their way into the apartment and discovered the two bodies. There was no one else inside the apartment when police arrived, the release states.

Detectives obtained a search warrant through the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office and began searching inside the apartment.

On Sunday, police had the building blocked off with crime scene tape, though as of 8 p.m., roads were cleared. Winters said police left the scene around 11 p.m. Sunday.

Details of the incident remain unclear as of Monday, as police work to piece together what happened with the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Winters said autopsies of both the Roesch victims were conducted by the DeKalb County Coroner’s office Monday. He did not share how many times either victim was shot, or where.

“There was at least one firearm recovered at the scene,” Winters said.

The Sycamore police chief said he expects investigators will be able to unearth more details in the coming days. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the initial response to the shooting.

The Sycamore Police Department is also seeking the public’s help, and anyone with information on the incident is urged to call 815-895-2123.

This story has been updated as of 4:45 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, 2021.


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