Indiana Woman Charged in Triple Murder Case
Authorities have shared additional details regarding a 30-year-old woman from Indiana, who is accused of fatally shooting a child’s father and her own parents in suburban Illinois earlier this month.
Jenna Struble faces nine counts of first-degree murder linked to the deaths of 32-year-old Jacob Lambert and his parents, Patrick and Stacey Ford, that occurred on March 22 in Chicago.
Recently unsealed court documents indicate that Struble reached out to Lambert on the day of the alleged crime, inviting him to hang out. She subsequently confessed to investigators that she went with the “intent” to harm him.
Prosecutors claim Struble traveled to Plum Creek Conservation Area, but upon discovering it was closed, she stopped in Sauk Village. There, she offered Lambert a back massage. Reports suggest she straddled him while he lay face down, massaging his back for around 20 minutes.
It is alleged that when Lambert criticized her technique, Struble retrieved a hidden Glock handgun from under the passenger seat, held it to his head for several minutes, and then shot him.
Shortly after the shooting, Struble went to Lambert’s parents’ home in Crete Township, attempting to get inside with a key. When her father, Patrick Ford, opened the door, she is said to have entered and opened fire from the porch, hitting him 17 times in the chest and abdomen. When Stacey Ford came downstairs, she was shot three times.
When questioned about her intentions at Lambert’s parents’ home, Struble responded, “Yeah, pretty much,” affirming her plan to carry out the act.
After the alleged murders, Struble returned to her home in St. John, Indiana, where she contacted her sister, who urged her to confess. Eventually, the sister called the police.
Authorities arrived at the Fordes’ residence around 2 a.m. on March 23, discovering Patrick Ford’s body in the dining room and Stacey Ford’s on the stairs. Lambert’s body was found in a nearby cul-de-sac in his car, face down with the seat reclined.
When officers approached Struble’s home, she reportedly emerged and surrendered a loaded Glock 19. Investigators subsequently located Lambert’s vehicle just a short distance away.
Documents reveal that the night before the shooting, Struble wrote a note addressing her three children, asking someone to care for them. Reports claim she bought the gun in December 2025 and the suppressor online for nearly $589.
Prosecutors have indicated that Struble’s concerns regarding Lambert’s parenting and family dynamics could have motivated the crime. They noted that, despite maintaining a sometimes close relationship while co-parenting, Struble had largely distanced herself from the children, voluntarily giving up custody to Lambert and his family before recently regaining it.
Struble allegedly expressed doubts about the safety of her children with their parents and considered the possibility of harming them. When asked if she believed Lambert’s actions were driven by a concern over custody, she acknowledged that “that’s part of the reason.”
Further investigation revealed Struble’s history of suicidal tendencies and depression, including a past incident where she reportedly attempted suicide while with her children.
Struble is set to appear in court on Tuesday, where a judge will determine whether she remains in custody until her trial. If convicted, she faces the possibility of life imprisonment.
