A person of interest in the killing of a Romeoville family “is a victim too,” according to the family’s attorney.

Ermalinda Paloma has been identified by police as “a person of interest” in the Romeoville mass slaying, but even though the Streamwood woman was killed alongside the chief suspect – her fiancé – friends described the woman Friday as “a loving mother, sister and daughter.”

Paloma had nothing to do with the slaying of a family of four in the far southwestern suburb last weekend, a lawyer for Paloma’s family said.“She is a victim too,” said lawyer John Paul Ivec.

Ivec, who was hired by Ermalinda Paloma’s family, said Paloma was at home sleeping at the time of the four murders in Romeoville.

“Shortly after midnight, one of her children was feeding a baby when they heard loud, unique snoring,’’ Ivec said. It was Paloma, who had a distinctive-sounding snore, Ivec said.

“She is a victim too,” said Ivec of Paloma, who was 50, and the mother of 5 children and 5 grandchildren, some of whom she lived with in Streamwood, along with the suspect, Nathaniel Huey.

Paloma was described by police as a “person of interest” and Huey as a “credible suspect” in the murders of Alberto Rolon, 38, Zoraida Bartolomei, 32, and their two sons, 7 and 9 and three dogs last weekend.

Paloma and Huey were fatally shot 600 miles away in Oklahoma during a fiery car crash Wednesday after police tried to conduct a traffic stop. It was not clear who fired the shots.

Paloma’s family is in “shock” following her death, Ivec said Friday. Her family was told Paloma’s death was a homicide, according to Ivec.

“They’re grieving and they don’t want to be contacted by media,” he said.

A close family friend of Paloma described her as a light in the family and everyone’s biggest supporter.”

“She was a loving mother, sister and daughter,” the friend, who knew Paloma and her family for over two decades, said. “She was the most loving grandmother her grandchildren can have.”

She was engaged to Huey for “four to five years,” the friend said.

Provided

Huey and Paloma were detected by a digital license plate reader alert in Catoosa, Oklahoma Wednesday morning, Romeoville police Deputy Chief Chris Burne said during a press conference Wednesday.

“One of our cameras gave us two notifications — one of the same vehicle as the individual that was of interest in [Romeoville’s] quadruple homicide, and a female that had been listed as missing or endangered,” Catoosa Police Chief Ronnie Benight told NBC Chicago.

At the time, the vehicle was located in a parking lot of a department store, so officers waited for the pair to exit before approaching, Benight said.

“[Officers] made a very good decision,” Benight said. “It’s a large department store. They waited for them to come out rather than approach possibly armed homicide suspects inside of the crowded area. So when they came out to try to make contact, they got in the vehicle and they fled. So a vehicle pursuit ensued.”

The suspected vehicle sped off and ultimately crashed, causing a fire. Police reported hearing what they believed to be two gunshots, Burne said. It was not clear who fired the shots.

In the car, Catoosa police found Paloma wounded by gunfire in the passenger seat. She was taken to a hospital and later died of her injuries, authorities said.

The driver, who police believe was Huey, was found shot to death.

Detectives determined the shooting was “not a random incident” collecting a tremendous amount of physical evidence, Burne said in a video Tuesday.

Burne said there was “a nexus between our suspect and the victims as well as a possible” motive for the slaying, but he declined to elaborate. He did say they had no evidence of additional suspects.

Relatives of the Rolon-Bartolomei family issued a statement Wednesday thanking the public for its support.

“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity and support following the tragic loss of Zoraida Bartolomei, her husband Alberto Rolón, and their sons Adriel and Diego,” the family wrote.

“At this moment, our primary focus is on channeling support, assistance and love for our family and loved ones. We appreciate the understanding and we take this opportunity to once again express our profound gratitude for the solidarity and support extended by people during this period.”

Contributing: Emmanuel Camarillo, Allison Novelo, Phyllis Cha