Belvidere homicide victim was trying 'to start a new life, somewhere beautiful'

BELVIDERE — "This is not God's will. This was the evil of man."

Those were the words spoken by the Rev. David Smith of First Assembly of God Church in Belvidere.

Smith led more than 50 people in prayer Tuesday evening at a vigil held in the 600 block of Union Avenue where family, friends and community members gathered outside of the home of Andrew Hintt.

Hintt and his two sons, Benjamin, 7; and Sebastian, 5, were found deceased Sunday inside of his residence. All three had been shot. The Boone County Coroner's Office classified the deaths as homicides.

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"I can't tell you, 'It's not going to hurt,' Smith told the family. "It's going to hurt for a while. But look around and remember. In the moment that it hurt the most, these people came out here to be beside you."

Kathy and Vernnon Hintt, Andrew's grandparents, said their great grandsons enjoyed playing soccer, basketball, Minecraft video games, and Legos.

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"They were good boys," he said.

Vernnon said he was the last one to see boys alive as they were with him and other family members at his residence earlier on Sunday. His last words to the boys were, "I love you."

"They said, 'We love you too, Grandpa.'"

Andrew Hintt's aunt, Theresa Eileen, said she was 9 years old when Andrew was born.

"He was my birthday present," she said.

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Because of their closeness in age, Eileen said their relationship was one of more big sister and little brother than aunt and nephew.

"We hung out," she said. "I used to try to scare him. I tried to flaunt my nine years. But he had a good sense of humor."

Eileen said Hintt was self-employed and owned and operated his own meat truck.

When Hintt wasn't working, Eileen said Hintt was "the best father."

"He spoiled the heck out of his kids," she said. "He would take them everywhere. He brought the boys their own (electric) dirt bikes. He taught them how to ride."

Hintt and his fiancee are the parents of five children. However, Benjamin and Sebastian lived with other relatives in the area. Eileen said Andrew had weekly visiting rights.

Hintt's fiancee and the other three children, ages 3 and under, were in California at the time of the deaths.

Eileen said the couple was in the process of moving to California and that they were hopeful the two oldest children would be able to join them and their siblings in the near future.

"They were just trying to start a new life, somewhere beautiful," she said. "They both loved it out there. They had been out there for about a month looking for a place to live."

Officers found Hintt and his boys Sunday night in the Union Avenue home after the landlord called 911. Police said the landlord was contacted by the boys' mother after she failed to reach Andrew and had not heard from any other family members.

Wednesday, police announced the arrest of 24-year-old Alize Smith of Huntley, who was identified early on in the investigation as a person of interest. Authorities said Alize was with Hintt and his boys that Sunday morning.

U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Task arrested Alize Tuesday on a warrant for parole violations. He is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.

It is unknown if officers are still searching for Hintt's vehicle, a silver or gray 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with Illinois registration: CT92923.

Anyone with information about the crime or the whereabouts of the vehicle is asked to call the Belvidere Police Department at 815-544-2135 or Boone County Crime Stoppers at 815-547-7867.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family with funeral expenses.

Chris Green: cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Belvidere triple homicide victim was trying 'to start a new life'