BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A memorial is growing outside the home of a Belleville woman and her young daughter after a car crashed through their living room, killing them.
The two victims were 35-year-old Shavonne Green and 4-year-old Torianna Bohanna.
On Monday evening, family and friends had gathered outside the home for a balloon release.
It happened on Sunday morning in the 100 block of S. 8th Street.
Belleville Police say Matthew Thomas intentionally drove into the front of the house, causing a major fire. Officials said responding officers arrived to find the home engulfed in flames with heavy smoke.
There was a manhunt for Thomas for several hours Sunday, but he has not been charged yet.
Police released his name and photo when they believed he was a danger to the public, believed to be wielding a machete near railroad tracks by S. 29th Street. He was later taken into custody.
Shavonne Green's dad, Maurice Green, said that he's heartbroken over the loss of his daughter and his granddaughter.
"There's a hole in our life. How do you get by? How do you smile? How do you breathe? I'm at work to keep moving, to be strong. I sympathize and empathize with any parent who has to bury their children or bury a child, let alone a child and a grandchild," Maurice Green said.
Green said Shavonne and Torianna were watching television together in the living room when Thomas came crashing in and killed them. The mom and daughter were trapped underneath the car.
"They were beautiful people, personality-wise. My daughter was intelligent. I was proud to be her father. My grandchild was a bundle of joy. They had a very close bond," Green said.
Thankfully, first responders rescued Shavonne's 10-year-old son, DJ, safely from the house.
Belleville Police's assistant chief, Lt. Col. Mark Heffernan, said the young boy was taken to the hospital and released to family.
Thomas was unarmed when he was arrested outside of the Dollar Tree on Belleville Crossing Street after a concerned citizen called police inside the store. Security camera video obtained by 5 On Your Side shows Thomas entering the store after the crash with no shoes and shirt, stealing a drink, and leaving.
The father said Thomas was a neighbor and had bothered the family before. Green said Thomas caused problems at his daughter's home the day before the deadly accident and police were called.
Green said officers wanted to take Thomas in for psychiatric evaluation, but his daughter wanted to "do right by the man."
Belleville Police confirm they have been called to Shavonne Green's house for problems with Thomas.
"There was a disturbance the day before, and because he wanted a relationship, he was infatuated with my daughter, and my daughter called the police because he was being more than a handful. She convinced the police not to take him away, having mercy. And this was the result. My daughter was a simple victim," he said.
Maurice Green said he forgives the man for killing his daughter and granddaughter.
"I don't harbor any hard feelings toward a young man, especially when I know that he's challenged mentally. I would just like to find out what the motive was. I hope he gets the necessary help and that the Lord has mercy on his soul and forgiveness for his family. I don't want them to feel guilty for his actions because he's somebody's child, too," he said.
This happened less than a block away from the Belleville Police Department. Heffernan said they're going to do everything they can to make sure the Green family gets the justice they deserve.
"It's an absolute, devastating tragedy, especially when a young child is involved. When an individual is determined to cause harm, there's not going to be much that stands in their way. This individual should be held responsible for the evil that he caused, and we're going to ensure that we put together a good case and present it to the State's Attorney's Office so we can seek justice for this family," Heffernan said.
Heffernan said the responding officers witnessed a traumatic scene and will be receiving the proper care and therapy in days to come to "make sure they're OK before they continue their duties with the city."
Green said his daughter just celebrated her 35th birthday about a week ago.
On Monday, dozens of people gathered for a balloon release outside the charred home. In attendance was Green's mother Shelby Jackson, who told 5 On Your Side it still doesn't feel real that her daughter and granddaughter are gone.
"It's gas in that car so it's going to ignite," Jackson said. "He set fire to the house. He pinned them into the car because they were on the couch. Shavonne was holding Torianna."
"We want to wait to find out what was the motive behind all of this," Maurice said.
Jackson said Thomas banged on the door for people to come out the same weekend he drove the car into their living room.
"This person had some kind of issues, infatuated with my daughter," Jackson said. "I guess when he seen this other person with my daughter, he couldn't take it."
"I said, 'Where are both of them. Where is Shavonne where is Torianna?'" Jackson recalled asking over the phone to DJ. "He said, 'They're upstairs asleep.' I said, why isn't she answering the phone? That's not like her."
However, Green and Torianna were not upstairs, but in the living room on the couch when they got trapped by the car.
DJ escaped.
"He says, 'Granny I'm 10 years old. I shouldn't even be going through this. I can't even call on my mama to check on her anymore. I can't play with my sister anymore,'" Jackson said.
The family said DJ is staying with his grandmother.
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