Streamwood stabbing suspect ID'd as Jalonie Jenkins, manhunt underway after sisters found dead in home
A manhunt had been underway for 24 hours Thursday night for the suspect in the deadly stabbing of two sisters inside a townhome in Streamwood, Illinois.
Police believe the suspect for whom they are searching could be armed and dangerous.
On Wednesday night, the Streamwood Police Department responded to the home in the 1600 block of McKool Avenue for a stabbing death investigation. When they arrived, officers found two victims stabbed to death in the home.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified them as Janiya Jenkins, 21, and Eyani Jones, 10. Neighbors told CBS News Chicago the victims were sisters.
The crime scene was gruesome, and the brutal attack happened in the presence of other children.
Police identified the suspect as 25-year-old Jalonie Jenkins, who is considered armed and dangerous. He was last seen in Bensenville, Illinois. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 630-736-3719.
Police found the suspect's vehicle in Redmond Park in Bensenville, less than 20 miles away from the crime scene. Investigators searched Thursday afternoon in a retention pond in the park.
Police did not say for what exactly what they were looking, but it was near where the suspect's car was found.
Meanwhile, forensic specialists we reentering and leaving the Streamwood townhouse Thursday night to collect all the evidence.
The sisters' deaths have hurt not only their family, but the entire Streamwood community.
"It's very devastating," said Gabriela Morales. "We are part of the community."
Morales was among the many who brought flowers and wrote messages of hope and love at the scene.
"She was just a little girl, you know?" Morales said of Eyani, "and no one has that right to take a life away — even for the older sister."
Denise Howard is a neighbor.
"He hurt the community. He definitely, he definitely hurt that family. I feel sorry for that mother," Howard said. "One person hurt a whole community when he did that."
Howard said Eyani played with her grandchildren.
"She'd come to my house, she would get the popsicles, the candy and stuff like that. She always called me grandma; you know, always gave me a hug," Howard said.
Another neighbor — who is a good friend of the family, and whose daughter was best friends with Eyani — said her daughter was on the phone with the victims around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday when she heard commotion from inside the home. She said the last thing her daughter heard was Janiya Jenkins saying, "Don't kill the kids."
The neighbor said shortly after, two other kids who were inside the home came over to say their two sisters were dead.
"He said: 'Can you call my mom? Eyani's dead,'" she recalled.
The neighbor followed the boy to the home and found a gut-wrenching scene.
"I walked up the stairs, and I just see like blood and stuff, you know, everywhere," The neighbor said. "I see the oldest girl, you know, laid out. I see the little girl, she laid out."
The neighbor said she saw no signs that the victims were breathing or moving.
"I'm on the phone with the mom, so I'm telling her like, 'Oh my God, like you know, your kids are gone,'" she said.
Outside the townhouse Thursday night, a growing memorial was just one way people were expressing themselves.
"It's all about the children, and I hope the healing starts as of now," said Morales.
Police have not specified Jalonie Jenkins' relationship to the victims.
Police said this was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the public.
