A prominent Chicago family is at the center of a double homicide investigation after the widow and son of late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer were found shot to death Tuesday inside a West Side home.
Chicago police responded to a residence in the North Lawndale neighborhood just before 6 p.m. Tuesday, where officers discovered Barbara Deer, 51, and her son, Kaleb Deer, 23, both deceased from gunshot wounds, according to local reports.
Barbara Deer sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, while Kaleb Deer suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head, authorities said. A weapon was recovered at the scene, though police have not released additional details.
It remains unclear what led to the discovery of the victims.
Neighbor Rev. Chris Griffin told WGN-TV that unusual activity at the home prompted concern prior to the police response. He said he received a call asking him to check on someone inside the residence.
“We didn’t know what was going on,” Griffin said. “When we got here, the house was locked, both doors were closed, their dog was outside barking, which is not normal.… The dog had been out for over an hour, and that was a little bit of a red flag.”
The deaths are being investigated as a homicide. No arrests have been announced.
Barbara Deer, a North Lawndale native, was married to Dennis Deer, a Cook County commissioner who died in 2024 following a double lung transplant. She was active in the community, volunteering and serving on several local committees.
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Mother murdered … son shot in the head … gun found at the site … sounds obvious to me!