UPDATE: Neighbors report hearing a muffled scream around 7:37PM near Lambert’s car. Seconds later, silence. Police say CCTV shows no one entering or leaving… leaving investigators focused on a single open car door and a gun reportedly hidden under the seat.

The chilling new details emerging in the Jenna Strouble triple murder case have intensified public fascination and horror. What began with a 7:15 PM text message has now been supplemented by neighbor accounts of a muffled scream at approximately 7:37 PM, followed by eerie silence. Authorities indicate that surveillance footage from the area captured no additional individuals entering or exiting the vicinity, directing intense scrutiny toward a single open car door and the weapon allegedly concealed beneath the seat.

This latest development adds a layer of auditory terror to an already disturbing timeline in the Crete Township, Illinois, killings that claimed the lives of 32-year-old Jacob Lambert, his mother Stacy Forde (54), and stepfather Patrick Forde (55) on March 22, 2026. Strouble, 30, of St. John, Indiana, faces nine counts of first-degree murder.

fox32chicago.com

Indiana woman accused in Crete Township killings extradited to Illinois | FOX 32 Chicago

Jenna Strouble’s mugshot after her arrest.

According to prosecutors and court documents, Strouble texted Lambert inviting him to “hang out and go for a drive.” He reportedly stepped outside to meet her shortly after 7:15 PM, appearing tense to staff at a nearby cafe who noted him glancing over his shoulder. The pair entered her vehicle, where she allegedly offered a “surprise” back massage—possibly with a massage gun—while he lay face-down in the back seat.

What unfolded in the car has been described as calculated and cold. Strouble reportedly retrieved a handgun (a Glock she purchased in December 2025) from under the seat, held it to the back of Lambert’s head for several minutes, and then fired the fatal shot. The newly reported muffled scream around 7:37 PM aligns closely with this window, suggesting it may have been Lambert’s final moments of realization or struggle before silence fell.

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Generic nighttime surveillance footage from a parking lot or street area, similar to the type of CCTV referenced in the investigation.

Hypothetical scenario to explain the missing footage and scream: In the absence of direct visual confirmation for those critical minutes, one theory gaining traction online posits that the encounter began innocently enough inside the vehicle but escalated rapidly once the massage started. Lambert may have felt the cold metal of the gun pressed against his skull, freezing in fear or attempting a muffled protest that neighbors overheard. The open car door could indicate a brief struggle or desperate attempt to escape before the shot silenced everything. With no other figures seen on camera entering or leaving, investigators appear to be zeroing in on the car as the primary crime scene for Lambert’s death—treating the single open door and hidden gun as key pieces of physical evidence that corroborate Strouble’s alleged confession.

After the shooting in the vehicle, Strouble reportedly drove to the Forde family home on East Norway Trail. When Patrick Forde opened the door, she allegedly unleashed a barrage of gunfire—up to 17 rounds striking him—before turning the weapon on Stacy Forde, firing at least three times. Lambert’s body was later found inside the car in the driveway, while the older couple were discovered dead inside or near the residence. A suppressor reportedly purchased online “specifically for this plan” may help explain why the scream was described as “muffled” and why additional shots at the home didn’t immediately alert more neighbors.

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St. John, Indiana woman Jenna Strouble charged with murder after Jacob Q. Lambert, Stacy, Patrick Forde found dead in Crete Twp. – ABC7 Chicago

The Forde family home in Crete Township, shown with law enforcement presence and crime scene elements.

abc7chicago.com

St. John, Indiana woman Jenna Strouble charged with murder after Jacob Q. Lambert, Stacy, Patrick Forde found dead in Crete Twp. – ABC7 Chicago

Another view of law enforcement vehicles at the scene of the triple homicide investigation.

Strouble and Lambert shared an on-and-off relationship since around 2020 and had two young children together—a 3-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. Court records indicate she had voluntarily turned the children over to Lambert and his family at one point but regained custody relatively recently. Prosecutors say she admitted going to the meeting “with the intention” to harm him, citing a “general dislike” or unresolved tensions in their co-parenting dynamic. She allegedly confessed details to deputies after her arrest and even told her sister what she had done.

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Images of the victims: Stacy and Patrick Forde (left), Jacob Lambert (right).

Strouble’s history includes documented mental health concerns. In January 2025, deputies responded to a domestic battery call at her home where she reportedly threatened to jump from a window while holding her children, leading to involuntary commitment. Despite this, she was able to legally purchase the firearm used in the alleged crimes. These details have sparked broader discussions about mental health support, background checks, and the challenges of high-conflict co-parenting situations.

After the killings, Strouble was arrested in Indiana, waived extradition, and is now held in Will County Jail. Her court appearances have focused on pretrial detention, with prosecutors arguing she poses a danger. A detention hearing is pending, and she could face life in prison if convicted.

The “muffled scream at 7:37 PM” detail, combined with the lack of other movement on CCTV, paints an even more isolated and intimate picture of betrayal. The single open car door stands as a silent witness—perhaps left ajar in haste, panic, or as Lambert tried to react in his final seconds. The gun hidden under the seat suggests premeditation, aligning with reports that she planned aspects of the attack, including the suppressor.

Viral speculation filling the gaps: What if the scream wasn’t just from the gunshot but from a horrifying realization during those unrecorded minutes? Some online theories hypothesize a whispered confrontation or Lambert sensing the trap the moment the “massage” began. Others wonder whether the open door indicates he briefly fought back or tried to flee, only for the shot to end it instantly—explaining the sudden silence that followed. With no other suspects or persons of interest visible, the focus remains squarely on the interior of that vehicle and Strouble’s alleged actions.

This case has rocked the tight-knit Crete Township community and beyond, leaving two small children without their father and grandparents. Family tributes portray Lambert as a devoted dad, while the Forde home—once a suburban sanctuary—became the site of unimaginable violence.

As investigators continue analyzing forensics, phone records, digital evidence, and witness statements, the exact sequence in those 22 minutes between the text and the scream may become clearer. For now, the combination of a casual invitation, a supposed relaxing massage, a muffled cry in the night, and a car left with one door open creates a haunting narrative of trust shattered in seconds.

The tragedy underscores deeper societal questions: How do untreated mental health issues intersect with access to firearms and the stresses of co-parenting? Could better intervention systems have prevented this outcome? While the legal process will determine guilt and motive, the human cost is already devastatingly clear.

This article draws from multiple reported sources including court documents, sheriff’s office statements, and local news coverage. Speculative elements around the unconfirmed scream timing and missing footage details are presented hypothetically to explore public interest angles, but core facts stem from official releases. Our thoughts remain with the victims’ family and the children affected by this loss.