Officials Believe Kankakee County Killings May Be Connected
(CBS) -- A murder mystery in Kankakee County shook the community over the weekend.
Four men are dead at two different crime scenes.
But police now think they're related, CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.
Some locals say it's a mystery to them, why anyone would want to do this, to the family affected; a man, his two sons and an apparent family friend.
"Yes. He was a hardworking man, like many of the people in that community," said James Taylor, publisher of the Kankakee City News. Taylor says he met Reginald Neal, one of the victims, for the first time about eight months ago.
"I cannot figure out any reason why anyone would want to hurt this family," he added.
Kankakee County Sheriff's Police say Neal and his two sons Dangelo Neal and Davante Hopkins, both in their 20's, were found shot to death, here in their Pembroke Township home, Sunday afternoon. Police say they are looking into many scenarios, among them the families prior criminal records with drug dealing and dog fighting.
All victims were shot multiple times in the head.
And now, officials say they believe someone may have been after the victims."We think this was something that was targeted, because of the way they were killed," Sheriff Mike Downey of the Kankakee County Sheriff's Police said.
Police say a day before the father and his sons were found dead, family friend, 46 year-old Ralph Ledet, was found shot to death in this driveway, just a few miles away. Ledet lived at the Neal family home. Police say it appears the shootings may be connected.
"The autopsy was done on Saturday. He had multiple gunshot wounds to the head," said Kankakee County Coroner Robert Gessner.
Taylor says Ledet helped to care for the older Neal's dogs.
"I had observed him many times, walking the dogs, like he may have been exercising the dogs. He was a friendly guy also," he said.
Downey said it appeared to be an isolated incident, since there were no signs of forced-entry into the family home.
Area Crime Stoppers is now offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.
