'A total disregard for human life': Roselle short-term rental shooting one year later

One year after a shooting in Roselle that killed one man and wounded six others, police investigators continue to work on the case despite being frustrated by uncooperative witnesses.

Authorities have devoted more than 4,000 hours to the case, interviewed 200 people and issued more than 100 search warrants, but no arrests have been made, Roselle police Chief Steve Herron said.

However, he said, there still are angles to investigate and he believes the case will be solved.

"This is not a case that we put away and I know that this will not end up as a cold case," Herron said.

On June 27, 2020, a party of up to 100 people at a short-term rental property on the first block of Picton Road broke out into chaos at about 1:30 a.m. when someone fired a handgun inside the house. Several other people started shooting, as well.

Sixty-five rounds were fired from eight guns, police said.

Police arrived at the home as many party attendees were fleeing. Officers found 29-year-old Jamez Elm, of Maywood, killed and several others who were wounded but survived. Police found three handguns at the house.

Three investigators are actively working leads on the case or reviewing lab reports, down from 30 initially, Herron said. Roselle police, the DuPage Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigation Team and the DuPage County state's attorney's office have worked thousands of hours on the case, he said.

About 200 people have been interviewed and more than 100 search warrants issued, said Herron adding, people who were at the party have not been cooperative with police so far.

"Based on my 40 years of law enforcement, someone will come forward," he said.

Herron and Mayor David Pileski say the lack of cooperation has been a source of frustration.

"It's always sad to see such a total disregard for human life like this," Pileski said. "We haven't seen anything like this in Roselle's history before. You want law enforcement to do their jobs and you want people to have closure with this problem, but it's impossible when people don't want to talk to you."

Lisa and Mark Mlodoch, who live near the house on Picton Road, said people began gathering at around midnight.

Mark Mlodoch was sitting in his TV room and thought the crowd was a church group that gathers at times in the neighborhood - until he heard the sound of gunshots and people running.

"There were people running through the backyards across Forest Avenue," Lisa Mlodoch said.

"At any time it can turn out to be on your street" because of the increase in short-term rentals, said Mark Mlodoch, who found empty bottles of liquor and broken glass near his house. "You honestly don't know what to expect," he said, though he added he and his wife like using short-term rentals for their own trips.

As a result of the melee, the Roselle village board in October imposed new restrictions on short-term rentals. Under the ordinance, owners need to have title to the property, must be registered to vote at the address they are renting or where they pay property taxes, and must register with the village.

Rentals must be for between three and 30 days, and consecutive short-term rentals to the same people are prohibited. Renting groups are limited to 10 people.

Owners and renters violating the ordinance can face fines up to $1,000, with additional penalties toward owners if more than two police officers are called to resolve a situation.

The shooting caused officials in neighboring Bloomingdale to change rules for short-term rentals, as well. Those booking a short-term rental property in Bloomingdale are required to rent it for at least 30 days, and the owners must register with the village.

Pileski, Herron, and the Mlodochs drew parallels to a shooting Feb. 6 at Indian Lakes Hotel in Bloomingdale. At least 100 people in two separate groups were on the fifth and sixth floors of the hotel when fighting broke out, ending in a shooting that killed 27-year-old James McGill Jr., of Chicago, and injured at least a half dozen others.

As a result of the shooting, Indian Lakes owners relinquished their business license and permanently closed the hotel.

A woman who answered the door at the house on Picton Road in Roselle said she is the owner but declined to comment further.

Even with no arrests, Pileski is glad the village took action on short-term rentals.

"I'm still very proud of what we did as a community by sticking together, and for putting safeguards in place to prevent something like this from happening again," Pileski said. "I think we've seen the neighborhood bounce back. This is one of those humbling or sad moments to reflect on. But we've changed mostly for the good. It's a somber anniversary, but we've grown a lot from this."