The crowd inside the packed Joliet courtroom watched on a small TV screen in silence as the four defendants made their brief appearances via teleconference, one after another.
19-year-old Adam Landerman, the son of a Joliet Police sergeant.
18-year-old Alisa Massaro, who lived in the house where the murders are believed what happened last week.
24-year-old Joshua Miner and 18-year-old Bethany McKee said very little to the judge Monday afternoon.
All four are charged with first-degree murder in the strangulation deaths of 22-year-old friends Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins, who police say were robbed, killed and partially dismembered at the house on Hickory Street. Both victims went there to hang out.
“He was over there chillin’ with them and everything,” said Casey Smith, a friend of Rankins. “It’s not like he didn’t know them. He knew the females, not the guys, the females. They just set them up pretty much.”
Smith said Rankins called Wednesday night and joked that Massaro and McKee were telling him and Glover that they had been “kidnapped.”
“He said they told him, ‘You ain’t going home tonight,’” Smith recalled, adding that Rankins thought it was a joke. “They said, ‘You’re kidnapped and you ain’t going home.’”
Joliet police were tipped off by McKee after she left the house on Thursday. Police found the other three defendants still partying and playing video games inside of the house, while the bodies of Eric and Terrence were still inside.
“This is something that has been brewing in their system a long time. That was some diabolical acting right there and we need justice right now,” said George Leftridge, a friend of both victims.
The victims’ parents, also inside of the courtroom Monday, cried after seeing those accused.
“What reason?” asked Eric Glover’s mother, holding up a picture of her son.
“That’s the biggest question,” said Glover’s stepfather, Bobby Jones, “Why did you do this to our son and his friend?”
Will County states Attorney James Glasgow says he will personally prosecute this case and called on any possible racial tensions to subside.
The four defendants will appear again in Will County Court on February 5th, after the case goes before a grand jury for indictments.
8 Comments to “Friend: Strangled victims lured by female defendants”
January 15, 2013 at 12:14 PM
they used to hang niggaz back in the day .what kind of kids police officers raise these days. kids that think is ok to kill. I was arrested by LT OFFICER E landeman AND FOR THE RECORD THE KKK IS IN JOLIET AND STRONG SO EYES OPEN FIST CLINCHED. YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS. I HOPE ANY BODY WHO KILLS SHOULD PAY . COPS SONS ALSO. SINGING OUT SUPERHOOD2020. THUG LIFE
PEACE IN THESE STREETS IS WHAT I TEACH AND PREACH.SUPERHOOD2020 YOU WELCOME CHICAGO
January 17, 2013 at 12:57 PM
thug life?….peace in these streets?….wtf..not possible
January 15, 2013 at 12:23 PM
They always talking about Black shooting each other, but behold, serial killers in the making.
January 15, 2013 at 4:06 PM
were the parents of these four nitwits present in the courtroom?
January 16, 2013 at 9:46 AM
In today's society the laughs, grins, and phony character are all attributes of deception. Racism right in our face, but we turn a blind eye because we do not want to ruffle any feathers with the powers that be. This is only a case we heard about, there more situation that occur in Illinois and specifically Chicago. The Martin luther King dream speech has not manifested itself yet, and truthfully it might not ever come to light.
January 17, 2013 at 2:12 PM
The Will County state's Attorney said he will personally prosecute the defendants and calls for any racial tension to subside???? Wtf you mean racial tension to subside?? TWO BLACK MEN WERE BRUTALLY MURDERED BY FOUR WHITE PEOPLE!!! There's racial tension all through Joliet! This was a HATE CRIME!! And need to be addressed and treated as such!
February 27, 2013 at 7:57 PM
My GOD this could be four congress or senators in the next few years !