Chicago-- It was a reprehensible crime committed against off duty Bomb & Arson detective Robert Soto and his friend Kathryn Romberg , a supervisor for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. They were sitting in Soto’s SUV when they were selected by a thug for a robbery, double murder. The crime happened outside Romberg’s apartment building located in the 3000 block of West Franklin Blvd. Soto was able to use his cell phone to call for help and alert police to the crime and offenders before he died from his wounds. Ex-convict, Jason Austin , 26, of the 500 block of North Le Claire has been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, Police Supt. Jody Weis announced at a news conference on Monday. Austin has five prior convictions, including drug possession and battery. Here is a video report from CLTV :