David Zincke, 57, a white male, was found dead on the night of October 24, 2025, inside an apartment in the 1000 block of North Sterling Avenue in Palatine, Illinois. Officers were dispatched around 9:26 p.m. for an ambulance assist and discovered David and his mother, 84-year-old Karen Zincke, deceased at the scene. Authorities quickly identified the pair and emphasized there was no immediate threat to the broader community as the investigation began.
Early indications pointed to gunfire inside the residence. Police later confirmed both victims had sustained gunshot wounds and that a firearm was recovered in the apartment. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office awaited toxicology to finalize the official cause and manner of death, while investigators continued processing the scene and interviewing those who might shed light on what happened inside the unit that night.
In the days following the discovery, no arrests were announced and no suspect or suspects were publicly identified. Officials reiterated there was no indication of an ongoing danger to the public, a message repeated across local outlets as the case remained open. Listings maintained by gun-violence tracking sites recorded David's death on October 24 in Palatine alongside his mother's, reflecting the unresolved status of the case while formal determinations were pending.
