Jenna Strouble, 30, of St. John, Indiana, was charged with first-degree murder in the Monday triple homicide of 32-year-old Jacob Lambert, his mother Stacy Forde, 54, and her husband Patrick Forde, 55, according to the Will County sheriff’s office.
Strouble had an “an on/off relationship” with Lambert, the sheriff’s office said in a statement, and they had two children together: a son, 3, and a daughter, 4.
Lambert posted to Facebook celebrating his son’s 3rd birthday earlier this month.
The three victims were found dead early Monday morning in their home on the 3400 block of East Norway Trail in Crete Township after a well-being check was requested by a concerned family member, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lambert was found in a car in the driveway, while the Fordes were found inside the house, the sheriff’s office said.
Strouble was arrested at her home in St. John, and is being held in the Lake County jail pending extradition to Illinois, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said Strouble gave incriminating statements during interviews, and that a gun recovered by deputies had been determined to match the one used in the homicides.
Stacy Forde had worked for more than two decades as director of finance for printing and graphics company Roeda, which released a statement mourning her loss Tuesday.
“She was a wonderful woman who deeply valued her marriage, her children, her grandchildren, and her relationship with Christ,” the statement said. “That foundation showed up in how she lived and how she showed love to others.”
Mark Haines, general manager of Lincoln Oaks Golf Course in Crete, said on social media that Patrick Forde was well-loved both as an employee and a golfer at the course. He adored his grandchildren, and his dog Murph was a frequent guest at the course, Haines said.
The course will do something to celebrate his life, according to Haines.
An autopsy was performed on Tuesday, according to the Will County coroner’s office, though causes of death have not yet been officially announced.
Strouble’s first court appearance will likely be this week, but a date and time have not yet been set, the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
elewis@chicagotribune.com
