Bridget Michelle Ross, a beloved mother and daughter known for her spunky personality, was 35 years old when her life was tragically cut short on the first day of 2022. Born in Peoria, Illinois, on September 16, 1986, to John and Sherry Ross, Bridget was remembered by loved ones for the deep love she had for her children.
In the early hours of New Year's Day, Saturday, January 1, 2022, chaos erupted in Peoria. The first homicide of the year occurred around 2:00 a.m. when 33-year-old Daniela T. Jackson was shot and killed at a party on Southwest Adams Street. Less than two hours later, at approximately 3:56 a.m., Peoria Police, AMT, and the Peoria Fire Department were dispatched to another shooting, this time in the 500 block of West Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
At the scene, officers discovered Bridget Ross and an adult male, both suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
First responders performed aggressive resuscitation efforts on Bridget, but her injuries were too severe. She was rushed to OSF St. Francis Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:29 a.m. An autopsy later confirmed she had sustained a single, fatal gunshot wound to her upper body, an injury from which she likely died instantly. The male victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Peoria Police Department quickly identified a suspect in both of the New Year's Day homicides: 27-year-old Robert A. White. Authorities released his name to the public, warning that he should be considered armed and dangerous and urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact law enforcement. For over a month, White remained at large.
On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, acting on a tip, a multi-agency task force located and arrested White without incident in the 1800 block of West War Memorial Drive. He was taken into custody and held in the Peoria County Jail, charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery for the deaths of Bridget Ross and Daniela Jackson, and for the injuries to two men. His bond was set at $1 million.
The legal process moved forward with separate trials for the two killings. In June 2023, a jury found Robert White guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated battery for the shooting death of Daniela Jackson. Prosecutors had argued that White made sexually suggestive comments at a New Year's party, leading to an argument that ended with him firing a gun four times, killing Jackson. In July 2023, a judge sentenced White to a total of 69 years in prison for that crime. During the sentencing hearing, the judge described the killing as "diabolical," and Jackson's mother, Rosalyn, spoke of her struggle to forgive White, who had been a close family friend.
As of July 2023, Robert White is serving his sentence for the murder of Daniela Jackson and is still awaiting trial for the killing of Bridget Michelle Ross. The Peoria Police Department continues to investigate the case and has asked anyone with information to contact Detective Scott Hulse at (309) 494-8391, Detective Jake Beck at (309) 494-8480, or Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000.
