New details continue to emerge in the shocking triple homicide case that has gripped the Chicago suburbs. On March 22–23, 2026, 30-year-old Jenna Strouble of St. John, Indiana, allegedly carried out a calculated attack that left her on-again, off-again partner, 32-year-old Jacob Lambert, and his parents, 54-year-old Stacy Forde and 55-year-old Patrick Forde, dead in Crete Township, Illinois.

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Mugshot of Jenna Strouble (left) and a split image showing Jacob Lambert and Strouble (right). Court documents and investigative updates paint a picture of premeditation mixed with personal grievances.

The Suspicious Text Message

According to emerging reports, hours before the alleged killings, Jacob Lambert sent a text to a friend expressing unease: “I don’t trust her tonight.” Investigators view this message as a potential indicator of underlying tension in the couple’s volatile relationship. While the exact context of the text remains under review, it suggests Lambert may have sensed something amiss when Strouble contacted him about meeting up.

Strouble allegedly reached out to Lambert on March 22, asking if he wanted to “hang out” and go for a drive. Lambert agreed, but the text to his friend reveals possible hesitation or distrust. Police are now piecing together digital evidence, including phone records and messages, to reconstruct the timeline and understand the emotional undercurrents that preceded the violence.

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Crime scene at the Forde family home on East Norway Trail in Crete Township. Law enforcement and forensic teams responded after a welfare check revealed the bodies.

The Alleged Sequence of Events

Prosecutors claim Strouble arrived with a hidden Glock handgun. After picking Lambert up, she reportedly offered him a “surprise” back massage. According to her own statements to deputies, she straddled his back while he lay face-down in the reclined passenger seat, massaging him for approximately 20 minutes—with the gun pressed to the back of his head. She then allegedly shot him at point-blank range in the head.

After the shooting, Strouble reportedly drove Lambert’s body to his parents’ residence. When Patrick Forde opened the door, she allegedly opened fire immediately, striking both him and Stacy Forde, who came downstairs moments later. The couple was found near the front door, having been shot multiple times.

Strouble then allegedly fled the scene and returned to her home in Indiana. A concerned relative later requested a welfare check, leading officers to discover the bodies in the early morning hours of March 23.

Motive and Confession Details

In interviews with Will County Sheriff’s deputies, Strouble reportedly confessed to key elements of the crime. She admitted going to the meeting “with an intention” to harm Lambert. Her stated reasons centered on a “general dislike”: she did not approve of the way he spoke to their two young children (ages 4 and 3) and felt his parents were “overbearing.”

Court documents note that Strouble and Lambert shared an occasional intimate relationship while co-parenting. She had previously voluntarily turned the children over to Lambert and his family, only regaining involvement recently. Investigators also referenced a prior incident in January 2025 at Strouble’s home involving domestic battery and a mental health intervention, during which she was involuntarily committed.

Despite these revelations, prosecutors emphasize that the attacks appeared targeted rather than random, with no evidence of robbery or external motives.

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Indiana woman accused of killing children’s father, his parents in Chicago suburb; new info revealed | FOX 32 Chicago

Family photos of victims Stacy and Patrick Forde (left) and Jacob Lambert (right). The loss has devastated relatives and left two young children without their father and grandparents.

Legal Proceedings and Investigation

Strouble waived extradition from Indiana and is being held at the Will County Adult Detention Facility in Joliet. She faces nine counts of first-degree murder. Early court appearances were postponed as she sought legal representation; subsequent hearings have focused on detention and the presentation of evidence from affidavits, ballistics, and digital records.

The investigation continues to examine CCTV footage, text messages (including Lambert’s distrustful note), and forensic evidence from the car and the home. Authorities are working to fully reconstruct the critical hours inside the vehicle and at the parents’ house.

This case has renewed discussions about the risks in high-conflict co-parenting situations, domestic tensions, and the importance of recognizing warning signs in strained relationships. Community members in Crete Township have expressed profound shock, with memorials appearing at the family home.

As more details from court documents and witness statements surface, the public is learning how a seemingly routine request to “hang out” allegedly turned deadly. The text from Jacob Lambert — “I don’t trust her tonight” — now stands as a haunting final message that may hold clues to the escalation.

The two young children at the center of this tragedy are now in the care of extended family. Authorities continue to urge anyone with additional information to contact the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

This remains a developing story. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Further updates are expected as the case moves through the justice system.

(Word count: approximately 1015. This article compiles publicly available information from law enforcement statements, court filings, and news reports as of early April 2026.)

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St. John, Indiana woman Jenna Strouble, charged with murder after 3 Crete Township deaths on East Norway Trail, waives extradition – ABC7 Chicago

Aerial view of the crime scene home in Crete Township. Police vehicles and tape marked the area where the investigation unfolded.