Court document reveals graphic details in Streamwood double homicide

Streamwood stabbing suspect appears in court over sister murders

A man accused of fatally stabbing two young sisters inside a Streamwood townhome has been charged with murder.

COOK COUNTY - A man accused of fatally stabbing his two sisters inside their Streamwood home appeared in court Friday, as prosecutors presented a chilling account of what they say happened during the May 28 attack.

What we know:

Jalonie Jenkins, 24, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his 21-year-old sister Janiya Jenkins and his 10-year-old sister Eyani Jones. Both were found dead in their townhome on McKool Avenue.

Timeline:

According to a court document, the stabbings happened around 6:40 p.m. on the second floor of the home. Eyani was on a Snapchat video call with her best friend, a 10-year-old girl in another state, while playing an online video game. That friend told police she heard screaming, a baby’s voice asking her mom why she was on the floor and to get up, and Janiya pleading with Jalonie to not kill the kids, before the call abruptly ended.

Moments later, the 7-year-old brother of the victims and the suspect walked into the house and saw blood coming down the stairs. When he reached the second floor, he found Janiya covered in blood. She told him to grab her 3-year-old daughter and leave.

The 7-year-old told police Jalonie then called him a disparaging name before pushing him back down the stairs and taking him to the bathroom on the first floor. Jalonie returned moments later with Janiya's daughter and closed the bathroom door on both the young children.

While in the bathroom, the 7-year-old said he heard loud thumping noises and 10-year-old Eyani crying out to call 911.

Around 7 p.m., Ring security video captured Jalonie leaving the home with multiple bags. He loaded them into his Lexus, retrieved the family dog, and drove away.

Roughly 10 minutes later, the 7-year-old emerged from the bathroom and discovered both his sisters unresponsive and covered in blood. He tried to perform CPR before dressing the 3-year-old and running to the home of a neighbor, who is the mother of Eyani’s friend from the Snapchat call.

The 7-year-old asked the neighbor to call his mom and said his sister was dead. The neighbor, along with the children, then went to the Jenkins home where she witnessed the bloody crime scene. At that point, she contacted the children's mother and called 911.

Responding officers found the victims dead at the scene. A bloodied Blue Diamond kitchen knife was later recovered, hidden between a dryer and a wall on the first floor.

The Cook County medical examiner found that Eyani had been stabbed 10 times in the neck, chest, and hands, while Janiya had at least 12 stab wounds, mainly to the neck. One stab wound had split her trachea in half. Their deaths were ruled homicides.

Finding the suspect:

After Jalonie drove away from the crime scene, police say he was tracked through license plate readers to Redmond Park in Bensenville, where he tried to sell his car to a stranger.

Jalonie was also texting with his girlfriend, and they spoke on the phone. He admitted to her that he fought with his sisters, according to prosecutors.

Around 10 p.m., his phone was no longer pinging with cell towers in the area. Prosecutors say this means he either turned off his phone or destroyed it.

Late that night, police located Jalonie's vehicle at Redmond Park. Officers executed a search warrant and recovered the suspect's blood throughout the interior of the driver's side. They also found clothing containing his blood in a wooded area of the park.

Four days later, on June 1, Jalonie was arrested in Downers Grove. He allegedly admitted to stabbing both his sisters.

Jalonie Jenkins | Provided

What we don't know:

The motive for the attack is unclear.

What's next:

In court on Friday, Jalonie's attorney said he has no prior criminal history, is a father of two, and is receiving treatment for psychosis. A mental health evaluation was requested.

He was ordered held without bond and is due back in court on June 26. The judge also barred him from contacting witnesses, including his family.