Kankakee County sheriff: 4 homicides in less than 36 hours

KANKAKEE, Ill. – Four homicides, including a triple homicide, occurred in less than 36 hours in a northeastern Illinois township and police said Monday that it appears the crimes are related.

Ralph Ledet, 46, of Pembroke Township was found dead in his driveway shot in his head about 1 a.m. Saturday, Kankakee County officials said. The next day just before 1 p.m. deputies investigating a report of three men shot found a father and two sons dead.

Those victims were identified as Reginald Neal, 56, Dangelo Neal, 24, and Davante Hopkins, 21. The Kankakee County coroner plans autopsies Monday morning. The three men suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said at a Monday morning news conference.

The sheriff said there is a $1,000 reward for information in the cases and law enforcement are asking anyone with information to come forward.

The three men found dead Sunday were discovered by a relative who called police, Downey said.

Downey said investigators believe the killings were targeted “because of the way they were killed.” He said the victims weren’t restrained and there were no signs of struggle.

“Triple homicides are not something that happen in Kankakee County,” Downey said. “I would just let the community know in Pembroke that we are here. We are available. If they see something, say something.”

Pembroke Township is about 65 miles south of Chicago along the Indiana border.

Illinois State Police crime scene technicians processed both scenes.