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The suspect in a killing spree that claimed the lives of four people and left at least seven people injured told police that he became paranoid after smoking marijuana that may have been laced with another drug.

Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley read a statement of facts during an emotionally charged news conference on Thursday. The statement said Christian I. Soto, 22, of Rockford, was visiting a neighborhood friend's house in the 2300 block of Holmes Street where the carnage began with killings of Jacob Schupbach, 23, and his mother, Romona Schupbach, 63.

The spree of violence included five crime scenes, some in Rockford and some in Winnebago County. Soto is initially charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and home invasion. He will face a detention hearing this afternoon.

After the Schupbachs were killed, Soto is accused of leaving the Schupbach house and attacking U.S. Postal mail carrier Jay Larson, 49, about 1:15 p.m. Larson was beaten before a witness told police he saw Soto retrieve a knife from a vehicle, stab Larson repeatedly and then run over him with a vehicle more than once.

More:Stabbing leaves 4 dead, 7 injured after violent attacks in Rockford, Illinois

As police converged on the area, Soto fled and broke into a house where teenage girls home on spring break were watching a movie.

Soto is accused of cornering them with a baseball bat he found in the house and beating the girls with it, killing 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb.

"Jenna’s mom wants the community to know that Jenna died saving her sister and her friend and protecting them from further harm," Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said.

Soto is accused of attacking five more people in two more locations including a passerby who stepped in to save a woman's life.

Then a Winnebago County Sheriff's deputy with the help of Rockford Police Department officers captured him after a foot pursuit through the neighborhood which included leaping over fences. The deputy suffered a stab wound to the hand while apprehending Soto, Sheriff Gary Caruana said.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter.