On September 17, 2023, the bodies of Adriel Bartolomei, age 9, his family, and their three dogs were discovered in their home in Romeoville, Illinois. Adriel, along with his parents, Zoraida Bartolomei and Alberto Rolon, and his younger brother Diego, age 7, were the victims of a premeditated and execution-style murder.
The investigation revealed that Nathaniel Huey Jr., who had a romantic relationship with Zoraida Bartolomei, was the perpetrator of the murders. However, he was manipulated into committing the crime by his fiancée, Ermalinda Palomo. Palomo, upon discovering Huey Jr.'s affair with Bartolomei, created fake social media accounts and pretended to be part of a Mexican and Bulgarian criminal organization. She convinced Huey Jr. that he was under constant surveillance and that Bartolomei was a "mole" planning to attack him.
On September 14, 2023, two days before the murders, Palomo, using her fake accounts, told Huey Jr. that Bartolomei was the "mole" and needed to be eliminated. Huey Jr., believing he was working for the cartel, planned and executed the murders with Palomo's guidance. They researched the neighborhood, located cameras, and planned how to enter and exit the house. Palomo instructed Huey Jr. to make the scene appear like a burglary committed by kids, including cutting screens and using spray paint to mislead investigators.
On the night of the murders, around 3:17 a.m. on September 16, 2023, Palomo drove Huey Jr. to the Bartolomei-Rolon residence. Huey Jr. entered the house through an unlocked door, shot Alberto Rolon multiple times as he tried to protect his family, and then shot Zoraida Bartolomei and their two children, Adriel and Diego, in their bedroom. The family members were shot a combined total of 20 times, and the three dogs were also killed.
After the murders, Huey Jr. and Palomo fled the scene, leading to a manhunt that ended in Oklahoma. On September 17, 2023, the couple was spotted by law enforcement, and a brief chase ensued. Their vehicle crashed into an expressway divider and burst into flames. During the incident, Huey Jr. shot Palomo in the head and then shot himself twice, resulting in their deaths.
The investigation concluded that Ermalinda Palomo was not an endangered person, as her family had claimed, but was actively involved in the planning and execution of the murders. The case highlighted the elaborate and deceptive nature of the plot, which was driven by Palomo's manipulation of Huey Jr. following the discovery of his affair with Zoraida Bartolomei.
