A woman and a man found shot to death inside a West Side home on Tuesday evening have been identified as the widow and son of late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer.
Around 5:50 p.m., police officers responded to a property in the 3500 block of West Arthington Street in the North Lawndale area, where they discovered a 51-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man unresponsive inside.
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Barbara Deer died at the site after suffering several gunshot wounds to the chest, and Kaleb Deer, who had been hit in the head, was also pronounced dead.
A weapon was found at the scene, and authorities are investigating the deaths as homicides. There have been no arrests announced.
Barbara Deer was born and reared in North Lawndale. She married her high school boyfriend, Dennis Deer, who was a Cook County commissioner until his death in 2024.
She received a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders from Jackson State University and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
She was a member of a social justice committee, volunteered for Friends of Dennis Deer, and contributed to the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council’s arts and culture committee.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle issued the following statement regarding the deaths:
“Today, we mourn alongside the Deer family as they endure another heartbreaking and unimaginable loss with the passing of former Commissioner Dennis Deer’s beloved wife and son.
“The Deer family has long been well known in the community for their compassion and steadfast commitment to others. Their presence and service touched countless lives. There are no words that can make sense of such pain, but I hope the surviving family members find strength in the love that surrounds them.
“I extend my deepest condolences to all who loved them. We hold the Deer family in our hearts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
Area cops are still looking into the shooting.
