In the quiet neighborhood of Washington Heights on Chicago's Far South Side, the night of Saturday, March 7, 2026, was shattered by violence that claimed the life of 71-year-old Tuanna Thomas, a Black/African American female. Just before 11 p.m., police responded to a call on the 10400 block of South Peoria Street, where they discovered a tragic scene. Thomas and another woman, 68-year-old Phyllis R. Goolsby, had both been fatally shot.
Both women were found with gunshot wounds to the chest and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The response from law enforcement was swift. Less than 20 minutes after the shooting, officers arrested 75-year-old William Wallace Jr. in the very same block where the incident occurred and where he also lived. Wallace was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Thomas and Goolsby. Some reports indicated that Wallace confessed to the shootings and told authorities where to find the weapon inside the house.
As the legal process began, Wallace was scheduled for a detention hearing the following Tuesday. While an arrest has been made, the motive behind the tragic shooting and the specific relationship between Wallace and the two victims have not yet been made public by the authorities as the investigation continues.
