A lovely couple residing in Vernon Hills, Illinois, have sadly passed away after a tragic case of murder-suicide.
Victoria Ceja, 67, and Ramiro Ceja, 77, were found shot dead in their home in the 400 block of Cherry Valley Road at about 9:20 am on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024.
The Vernon Hills Police Department and Countryside Fire Protection District were called to the couple’s home in Vernon Hills around 9:20 am Wednesday in regards to a shooting.
When deputies arrived, they found two people dead of gunshot wounds, according to Vernon Hills Deputy Police Chief Shannon Holubetz.
He said the deceased was a married couple who resided in the home, a 67-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man.
Holubetz said they recovered a weapon at the scene and found no signs of forced entry, informing the conclusion of a murder-suicide.
“These and other preliminary indications suggest this is a tragic incident of murder-suicide,” Holubetz said.
“There is not believed to be any threat to the public,”
Autopsies conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s office largely supported the same conclusion.
The autopsy found that Victoria died from multiple gunshot wounds while Ramiro died from a single gunshot wound, indicating he killed her before turning the gun on himself and taking his life.
Neighbors were shocked after hearing of the murder-suicide of Victoria and Ramiro Ceja, with one describing them as a ‘nice and friendly neighbors.’
Murder-suicides have become all too common lately in the United States.
Most at times, they are an outgrowth of domestic violence as a male spouse shoots and kills a female spouse before turning the weapon on themselves.
Other times, they become far worse such as when a Yukon man killed his wife and three of their kids before turning the gun on himself.