Local News

Slain Cop's Dying Words Lead To Arrest Of Suspect

Funeral For Officer Today; One Man Held In Double Murder

CHICAGO (CBS) ― As a family prepares for a funeral today, charges have been filed against a man in last week's slayings of an off-duty Chicago Police officer and a DCFS social worker. They were shot to death inside an SUV on the West Side. 

Jason Austin, 26, of the 500 block of North LeClaire has been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, Police Supt. Jody Weis announced at a news conference on Monday. Austin has five prior convictions, including drug possession and battery.

Robert Soto, a veteran detective, and Kathryn Romberg, a supervisor for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, were shot in the 3000 block of West Franklin Blvd. at about 1:30 a.m. last Wednesday.

CBS 2's Mike Parker reports Soto's visitation was held Monday in Summit.  His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Chief of Detectives Thomas Byrne said robbery was the "sole motive" in the murders. "Somehow this robbery went obviously wrong," he said.

And Byrne says Soto's ability to talk to officers before he died makes their case even stronger.

"If we didn't have Det. Soto's own words, motive for the would've been open to speculation," Byrne said.

It's unclear what, if anything, was taken from Soto, whose wallet was on the floor of the SUV, police said. Credit cards were found in his wallet but no cash, they said.

Authorities held a news conference at 10 a.m. at police headquarters to announce details of the charges against Austin.

"Today, two families still grieve," Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis said. "But they are relieved. A community is at peace, and a murderer is charged."

Soto told officers arriving on the scene on Romberg's block that he had been the victim of an attempted robbery and was able to give them a description of the subject.

Authorities said the motive appeared to be robbery. About midnight, police had responded to a call about "screaming males" and a suspicious car in the alley of the West Garfield Park block, a source said.

Soto was still conscious when police arrived and was able to describe the gunmen, sources said.

"The defendant made an admission to a friend, stating that he had 'hit a lick,' which means committed a robbery, and that the area would be hot because a police officer had been shot," said Assistant State's Attorney Maria McCarthy.

In the Far West Side neighborhood where Austin lives, Sarah Goodlow told CBS 2 the accused killer snatched a $20 bill from her hand 10 days ago.

Detectives were checking video from city and private cameras in hopes of getting a glimpse of the offenders or a dark-colored vehicle seen on the block, a source close to the investigation said. They were also checking into reports of an armed robbery two weeks ago in the 3100 block of West Franklin as well as reports on other robbery crews known to work in the area.

Police say they have security video of Austin's car entering and leaving the murder scene.

But some who know Austin say just because investigators identified his car, doesn't mean they can pin the crime on him.

Tanisha Reese has known Austin for a couple of years.

"He didn't do it," Reese said. "I immediately thought he didn't do it."

Reese said she saw Austin after the killings, acting "normal.

"Nothing suspicious...and I'm thinking, if he did a murder why would he come home?" Reese said.


After Austin's appearance in court, where bail was denied, Austin's aunt Sharon White also insisted police have the wrong man.

"We done have enough of innocent people going to jail for things they haven't done," White said.

"We submit that this truly was a rush to judgment by the police department in this particular investigation," said Austin's attorney, Steven Decker.

Austin's relatives and his defense attorney say in their desire to make an arrest, police made a mistake, adding he has an alibi.

"We think they have the wrong person. We think we definitely know they have the wrong car," Decker said.

"He took it to the shop Monday," White said. "He didn't get the car at the shop 'til Thursday."

Austin got it back, they say, a day after Soto and Romberg were killed, meaning someone else was driving the car.

Police don't think so and indicated there may be more arrests in the future.

Decker said no evidence was found in Austin's home when it was searched over the weekend, and that no evidence was found in Austin's car.

Soto was assigned to the Bomb and Arson section and had been a police officer 23 years. Romberg worked for DCFS for 13 years.

CBS 2's Mike Parker and Dana Kozlov and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

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