Marjory R. Kreda, a 76-year-old woman from Malta, Illinois, tragically died on May 6, 2018. She was found deceased alongside her husband, William M. Kreda, 75, in their home, which was engulfed in flames. The fire was reported by a passerby on Interstate 88 who noticed significant flames coming from the property. Firefighters from the Malta Fire Department responded to the scene and discovered the couple's bodies inside their residence.
Initial reports indicated that the fire consumed both the house and a nearby barn. However, further investigation revealed a more sinister cause behind the deaths. Autopsies conducted on Marjory R. Kreda and her husband determined that both had died from gunshot wounds to the head. Authorities concluded that William Kreda had shot his wife, Marjory, in an upstairs bedroom before setting fire to their barn and shed. He then returned to the house, started another fire, and took his own life with a .45 handgun.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, along with the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office and the DeKalb County Coroner's Office, conducted a thorough investigation into the incident. They determined that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide, with no other suspects involved. The investigation concluded that William Kreda's actions were premeditated, as he deliberately set the fires after killing his wife.
This tragic event shocked the small community of Malta, Illinois, where the couple had lived for several years. The investigation did not lead to any arrests or further litigation, as the primary suspect, William Kreda, was also deceased. The case was closed following the determination of the murder-suicide, leaving the community to mourn the loss of Marjory R. Kreda and her husband.
