Murder charges in off-duty police officer's death

A mortally wounded off-duty Chicago police detective managed to call 911 on his cell phone and later tell officers at the scene that he and a real estate agent had been shot during a robbery by a gunman who got away in a "maroon or red" car.

Detective Robert Soto's words shortly after he and Kathryn Romberg were shot Aug. 13 as they sat in an SUV were at the center of a news conference Monday in which police announced first-degree murder charges in their slayings.

"Detective Soto says to responding officers, 'Three individuals just robbed me, they went westbound in a maroon or a red vehicle,'" said Chief of Detectives Thomas Byrne.

Police said Jason Austin, a 26-year-old convicted felon, was arrested without incident at his Chicago home over the weekend. In addition to two counts of first-degree murder, he was charged with one count of armed robbery with a firearm and ordered held without bail at a Monday hearing.

Police have recovered Austin's car -- a maroon 1996 Buick -- and they believe it is the same car described by Soto, a 23-year police veteran, and other witnesses and the same vehicle captured on video shortly before and after the shootings.

After the hearing, Austin's attorney said his own investigation has just begun, but he thinks police have arrested the wrong man.

"We are certain that we can establish a valid alibi defense for him that will prove that he wasn't in the immediate vicinity and had nothing to do with this unfortunate shooting incident," attorney Steven Decker said.

Byrne would not discuss many details of the investigation. When asked, for example, about Soto's statement that he'd been robbed by three people, Byrne would only say detectives continue to follow up leads and that the investigation remains open.

"We have one offender we can hold accountable," he said.

He also said detectives believe Austin was the gunman, and that he did not know either Soto or Romberg, but that he shot them during a robbery.

Superintendent Jody Weis also said witnesses "incriminated Austin and placed him at the crime scene."

Byrne said police have not recovered any items belonging to Soto or Romberg from Austin or at his home, saying investigators believe Soto was robbed of cash because his wallet, which did not have any money in it, was recovered on the floorboard of the SUV in which he and Romberg were sitting when they were gunned down.

"Based upon that, we believe cash may have been taken," he said. "And that, we believe (is) corroborated a little bit with some interviews with the offender."

He also said they have not recovered what they believe is the gun used in the crime.

Soto, 49, was in a SUV with Romberg outside Romberg's West Side home, when they were shot.

Romberg, 45, worked in the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services and was a part-time real estate agent.

Austin's next court date was set for Sept. 10.