Human Wreckage True Crime

Robert Eugene Crimo III: Highland Park gunman

• Thomas W

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If you close your eyes, you can almost hear it. A perfect July morning. Flags rippling, lawn chairs lined up along Central Avenue, the hum of a town that believes it's safe. You hear the brass band warming up, a child begging for cotton candy, parents waving to floats as they pass. It's the sound of summer, the sound of small town America. And then, in an instant, that sound changes. Music turns into screaming. Flags drop. People run. And Highland Park, a place that always felt untouched, becomes the next headline in a story we've heard too many times. That morning didn't just steal life. It broke something deeper, a sense of innocence, of trust, of ordinary safety. But what happened afterward, how a community faced its wreckage, how neighbors became lifelines, that's where this story lies. I'm Thomas. This is human wreckage. In this episode, we return to Highland Park, Illinois, to understand what happens when celebration turns to horror and how people find a way back from silence. The shooting occurred at 1014M, roughly 15 minutes after the parade had started. Seven people were killed and forty-eight others were wounded by bullets or shrapnel. Authorities apprehended twenty-one year old Robert Eugene Cremo III, more than eight hours after the shooting and charged him the next day with seven counts of first degree murder. On july twenty seventh, the charges were upgraded to twenty one counts of first degree murder, forty-eight counts of attempted murder and forty eight counts of aggravated battery. Cremo pleaded guilty to all charges on March 3rd, 2025, shortly before his trial was to begin. At that time, his sentencing was set for April 23rd. By law, he faced a mandatory life sentence. On April 24, 2025, Cremo was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences plus 2,400 years without parole. Highland Park is an affluent suburban community of about 30,000, located in southeastern Lake County, Illinois, United States, 25 miles north of Chicago, in the area's north shore. The city held a 4th of July celebration, which included a parade that began at 10 and the parade started at the intersection of Laurel and St. John's Avenues, headed north on St. John's Avenue, then turned west on Central Avenue, and continued to Sunset Woods Park. The shooting began at 10 14 M in downtown Highland Park, with the shooter firing a rifle from the rooftop of the Ross Cosmetics Building, a local store on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and 2nd Street. The gunmen had gained access to the elevated position by using an unsecured ladder attached to the building. The shooter used a Smith and Wesson rifle with three 30-round magazines. A total of 83 shots were fired. Victims included spectators and some of those marching in the parade. At least one parade attendee provided medical treatment to those injured before first responders arrived. Footage shot by Chicago Sun Times reporter Lynn Sweet, a spectator at the parade, shows a participating klezmer band on afloat continuing to play as gunfire began, and many attendees running while screaming. Over one hundred law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to the shooting. The shooter ceased firing as law enforcement officers approached the building, fled the scene, and evaded immediate capture. During his escape, the rifle Cremo used fell from his bag and was recovered by police within minutes. He then drove to the Madison, Wisconsin area. He considered attacking another Independence Day celebration in Madison, but decided against it. He discarded his cell phone in Middleton, Wisconsin. A driver from Waukegan and his passengers spotted Cremo's damaged 2010 Honda Fit Southbound on U.S. Route 41 near Wadsworth. Over the next 13 minutes, they relayed information to 911 operators. Cremo was stopped by North Chicago and Lake Forest police units at the intersection of U. Route 41 and Wesley Road in Lake Forest, Illinois, and apprehended without incident at approximately 6.30 p.m., more than eight hours after the shooting began. Seven people were killed and forty-eight others were injured by either bullets or shrapnel during the attack. Five of the victims, all adults, died at the scene, and two died at the hospital. Mexican authorities have said two men killed at the parade were natives of the country. One of these was a 78-year-old Mexican grandfather who was visiting family in the area, and another was a 69-year-old man. Three Jewish victims that were killed were a 63-year-old woman, an 88-year-old grandfather, and a 35-year-old woman. Another was a 64-year-old mother of two. The victims ranged in age from 8 to 88 years old. Highland Park Hospital reported that they were treating 26 people after the shooting, 25 being gunshot wounds, with five later transferred to Avanston Hospital. One of the wounded victims was rendered paraplegic. Additionally, four of the injured were transported to Glenbrook Hospital, and several others were taken to hospitals outside of the North Shore University Medical System Network. Highland Park authorities collaborated with the FBI, Illinois State Police, and Chicago Police during the investigation and manhunt. The police believe only one shooter was involved, and the shooting was described as appearing to be very random and very intentional. After his arrest, Cremo's home in Highwood, a small suburb just north of Highland Park, was raided by FBI agents. Lake County authorities alleged that Cremo planned the attack for weeks, and that he dressed in women's clothing and hid his facial tattoos in order to flee the scene after the attack among panicked parade goers. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said that she believed that the weapon used in the crime was obtained legally. Police seized three rifles, one shotgun, and one handgun from Cremo. Cremo's motives remain unclear. The London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue said it appeared Cremo's extensive online presence contained posts that gravitated toward far right and neo-fascist ideologies. A Highland Park rabbi stated that, three months before the shooting, Cremo had entered Central Avenue Synagogue, a Chabad house, during the Passover setter and was asked to leave. The Chabad house is located two blocks from where the July 4th shooting occurred. However, investigators have determined no racial or religious motivation for the shooting. Michael Masters, National Director and CEO of the Secure Community Network headquartered in Chicago, said, Nothing overtly we have identified in his social media post says this was an anti-Semitic attack, but we are coordinating with law enforcement. Apparently on social media, there are some indications he was ideating around the Fourth of July for some period of time, which would indicate this was not an attack on one particular community. According to experts on Canon and conspiracy theory movements, Cremo's social media diet, while extreme, was distinct from the realm of Canon. Mike Rothskild, an author who has written on Canon, said, the world Cremo lived in was pretty far off cue. He was in a 4chan bubble of ironic Nazi and anime memes, fascist inspired music, and mass shooter ideation that basically consumes nothing but irony and sadness. Robert Eugene Cremo, the third born September 20th, Twin was charged on July 5th with seven counts of first degree murder. The next day, he confessed to the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff's Office said that he is being held without bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 28, 2022, that the hearing was obviated when a Lake County, Illinois grand jury indicted Cremo on July 27, 2022. Cremo was indicted on 117 felony counts. For each of the seven deceased victims, three counts of first degree murder 21 counts, and for each of the 48 victims struck by a bullet or shrapnel, one count of attempted murder 48 counts, and one count of aggravated battery 48 additional counts. Cremo initially pleaded not guilty, and his trial was originally set for February 2025. At a June 2024 hearing, it was anticipated that Cremo would plead guilty to 55 counts, including seven counts of first degree murder, and immediately be sentenced. However, during the hearing he declined to change his not guilty plea. Jury selection for Cremo's trial began on February 24, 2025. That same day, prosecutors dropped aggravated battery charges against him. On March 3, 2025, Cremo pleaded guilty to all 69 counts, just hours before his trial was set to begin. His sentencing was set for April 23, 2025. The maximum sentence Cremo could face in Illinois was imprisonment for life. Following his guilty plea, his mother Denise made a quiet comment in the courtroom that prompted the judge to halt the proceedings. She continued to sit in the courtroom after a warning from the judge, but following proceedings, Denise stormed out of the Lake County Courthouse. In an interview with WGN TV outside the courthouse, she said that Cremo had no free will to make his own choices, and he has never had any outside help. On April 24, 2025, Cremo was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 2,400 years fifty years on each of the 48 counts of attempted murder to be served consecutively to the life sentences. His sentencing caused anger to the injured victims inside the court because Cremo would have potentially been afforded the time to address an apology to them. During the recess, the state's attorney told victims that it was his belief the sentence had already been handed down, and therefore it was too late for Cremo to speak during the hearing. On April 25th, 2025, Cremo was transferred to the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill to serve his sentence. Survivors and their families have also filed multiple lawsuits, including against Smith and Wesson, the maker of the semi-automatic rifle used in the shooting against Illinois State Police and Cremo's father, Robert Cremo Jr. Cremo lived in Lake County throughout his entire life. He attended Highland Park High School but dropped out before his junior year. At the age of 11, he began uploading music to the internet. He has performed under the stage name Awake the Rapper and posted his albums on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. Music videos by him on YouTube depicted mass shootings and characters being shot by police. One video was accompanied by the narration, I need to just do it. It is my destiny. The account is no longer available. Cremaux frequently visited an online message board that discussed graphic depictions of death. He posted a video of a beheading the week before the shooting. He had his own Discord server, which was invaded by 4 Chan users after the shooting and has since been shut down. Stephen Harrison of Slate speculated he had used a single-purpose account on the English Wikipedia in an unsuccessful attempt to create an article about himself in 2017 and 2018. An account with the same username created articles about Cremo on the fandom sites Wikitubia and the Rap Wiki. A voluble supporter of then former President Donald Trump, Cremo frequented far right gatherings, often wearing wears Waldo garb and confrontationally joined counter protests. Cremo signed his name and Donald Trump's when he waived his right to trial. Police records and people who knew Cremo indicate that he came from a middle class but troubled household. When Cremo was two, his mother Denise left him unattended on a hot August day inside a car with windows rolled up. She pleaded guilty to child endangerment and was ordered to undergo an evaluation at a child advocacy center. Between 29 and 2014, police officers visited the Cremo's home nearly 20 times, nine of which involved reports of domestic violence. In 2010, Cremo's father, Robert Cremo, Jr. reported that his wife struck him with a screwdriver, but later retracted the accusation. Officers recommended that the couple go through marriage counseling or separate. Cremo's parents no longer live together. Law enforcement identified two prior encounters with Cremo, a 911 call in April 2019 reporting that he attempted to commit suicide in a September 2019 incident regarding alleged threats by Cremo to a family member. According to law enforcement, mental health professionals handled the suicide matter. In September 2019, police seized 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from Cremo after a family member reported to the police that he planned to kill everyone. Cremo's father said the weapons were his, however, and both parents denied Cremo had threatened anyone. He was not charged with a crime at the time, but a clear and present danger report was filed with the Illinois State Police. In December that year, Cremo applied for a firearm owner identification card Foyd. It was sponsored by his father due to his young age. On either occasion, Highland Park Police could have invoked Illinois red flag law, which would have allowed them to seek a restraining order preventing Cremo from buying guns for up to six months. However, they did not pursue this option. Just four months later, in January 2020, Illinois State Police approved Cremo for a firearms permit, and he passed four background checks when buying firearms in 2020 and 2021. When asked why the clear and present danger report did not prevent Cremo from obtaining a Ford card, Illinois State Police said that Cremo denied that he would harm himself or others when questioned. Moreover, no one, including family, was willing to move forward on a complaint, or to provide pertinent information relating to threats or to mental health, any of which could have enabled further action by law enforcement. His weapon that was used in the shooting was reportedly purchased online from another store in another state and then legally shipped to the Red.arms store in Lake Villa for pickup. In 2023, a 38-second video of Cremo from a prison phone call at the Lake County Jail in Waukegan surfaced. In the video, Cremo claims the shooting was a false flag operation. He also claims that his interview was a performance and he was tortured into falsifying evidence. The clip was filmed and posted by a woman who identifies herself as a registered nurse, mental health advocate, and investigative journalist on her conspiracy theory blog. Earlier that year, Cremo's video call privileges were revoked after he allegedly made a prank call to a New York Post reporter, but his privileges were reinstated 30 days later. Cremo's father, 58-year-old Robert Bob Cremo Jr., who lived with his son, said that there had been no warning signs immediately before the shooting. He said he does not regret sponsoring his son for an Illinois Foy card that allowed his son to legally purchase weapons even after incidents that raised red flags with police. Cremo Jr. described the entire situation as a nightmare, saying the family is shocked at the behavior because he believes his son was raised with good morals. In an interview with the New York Post the day after the shooting, he denied any responsibility or feelings of guilt over how his son got the gun he used and said that his son had talked about the 2022 Copenhagen Mall shooting and the 22-year-old Danish suspect the night before allegedly launching his own massacre. Cremo Jr. lived in Highwood throughout most of his life and also had ties to both Highland Park and Buffalo Grove. He lived with his wife, Highland Park native Denise Pesna Cremo, who had a criminal history dating back as far as mid-22. Police records from Tulane 9 to 2014 showed a variety of domestic disputes between Cremo Izai's parents that included allegations of both verbal and physical abuse. In the 1980s and 1990s, Cremo Jr. served as the operator of a White Hen pantry store in Highland Park, and in 2008, Cremo Jr. and his wife launched their own pantry and deli restaurant not far from the former White Hen Pantry. The location has since been closed following the shooting. On December 16, 2022, Cremo Jr. was arrested without incident and charged with seven counts of reckless conduct in relation to the shooting. Lake County State's attorney Eric Reinhardt said that Cremo Jr. surrendered to Highwood Police. The charges are based on Cremo sponsoring his then 19-year-old son's application for a gun license in 2019. The following morning on december 17, Cremo Jr. was released on$50,000 bond. On february sixteenth, 2023, Cremo Jr. entered a not guilty plea to the charges involving the 2019 acquisition of his son's gun license. On November 6th, he pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct as part of a plea deal. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and two years of probation. On November 15th, ahead of his imprisonment, Cremo Jr. wore a white t-shirt to the Lake County Courthouse with large black letters reading I'm a political pawn on the front and laws, facts, reality. On the other side, Cremo Jr. turned the shirt inside out before he entered the courtroom. However, the judge threatened to hold Cremo Jr. in contempt of the court if he did it again. Cremo Jr.'s lawyer, George Gomez, said he did not know the meaning of his client's t shirt. When the gunfire stopped, Highland Park was silent. But that silence didn't last. In the days that followed, you could hear the sounds of something else. The shuffle of volunteers carrying candles to vigils, the hum of voices sharing meals, the steady rhythm of footsteps at memorial walks. They were small sounds, maybe but they were human ones. Every tragedy leaves wreckage behind. The empty seats, the unspoken questions, the ache that shows up when the fireworks return. But what the people of Highland Park have shown and what every community touched by violence continues to show is that wreckage isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning of rebuilding. Rebuilding looks like therapy sessions and art projects, policy debates and school safety drills, quiet mornings where people simply choose to keep living. We tell stories like this not to relive the pain, but to understand the cost of ignoring it, and to remember that behind every headline there are names, faces, and hearts that still beat with courage. Maybe the sound of July fourth will never mean the same thing again here. But maybe with time the echoes of that day will fade into something softer. Not fear, but resolve. Not silence, but solidarity. I'm Thomas, and this has been Human Wreckage. Thank you for listening and for remembering.