On October 1, 2016, Ralph Ledet, a 46-year-old male of African American ethnicity from Pembroke Township, IL, was found deceased in his driveway at 6624 South 17250 East Road. The Kankakee County Sheriff's Office received a call about shots fired at approximately 1:11 AM, and upon arrival, they discovered Ledet with a gunshot wound. The Kankakee County Coroner ruled his death a homicide, noting multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
In the days following Ledet's death, the investigation revealed that three other individuals—Reginald Neal , Dangelo Neal , and Davante Hopkins —were also found shot to death in separate incidents in Pembroke Township. The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Technicians processed the crime scenes, and detectives from the Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Illinois State Police, began investigating the incidents.
On March 13, 2017, nearly six months after the murders, James E. Beals, a 55-year-old resident of Pembroke Township, was arrested in Benton Harbor, MI, on an outstanding arrest warrant for homicide. Beals was taken into custody by the US Marshal's Service and awaited extradition to Kankakee for arraignment. Sheriff Mike Downey praised the efforts of the community and law enforcement agencies involved in solving the case.
The investigation into the deaths of Ralph Ledet and the three other victims remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to seek information from the public. CrimeStoppers offered a reward of up to one thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the crimes.
The tragic events of October 1, 2016, and the subsequent investigation highlight the challenges faced by law enforcement in solving multiple homicides and bringing perpetrators to justice.
