LAKE FOREST — An autopsy of the two people involved in a shooting January 3 in downtown Lake Forest answered some questions but left others unresolved as the investigation by the Lake Forest Police Department and Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper continues.
Dead are Claire Vanlandingham, 27, of Lake Forest, and Ryan Zike, 33, of Louisville, Ky., according to a news release containing the partial autopsy report released January 4 from Cooper’s office.
As reported January 3 by DailyNorthShore.com, Vanlandingham died from injuries related to multiple gunshot wounds incurred in a parking lot behind 620 North Western Avenue in Lake Forest. No cause of death for Zike was reported at the time by Cooper.
After the January 4 autopsy of Zike, Cooper said he died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Cooper said it is possible Zike shot himself but further study is needed before a final conclusion is made.
“We don’t have all the information yet,” said Cooper. “We still have some things to study. We’re doing our best to make sure our investigation is thorough.”
The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force determined Vanlandingham and Zike were involved in a relationship that ended in late September or early October, according to the release. Toxicology reports are pending.
Vanlandingham was a dentist who was on active duty with the United States Navy, according to Cooper. He said she was attached to the James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center next to Naval Station Great Lakes. He did not have more personal details about Zike.
Lake Forest police officers responded to a call about gun shots in the 600 block of North Western Avenue at 6:20 a.m. January 3.
Officers located Zike, who was already dead, in the parking lot behind Dunkin Donuts. They also found Vanlandingham suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital where she died, according to Deputy Chief R.D. Copeland of the Lake Forest Police Department.
Click here to read the DNS initial report.
Click here to read the shocked reactions of Lake Forest residents.
Click here to read about Cooper’s initial reaction.
Scenes from downtown Lake Forest about an hour after police arrived for a report of a shooting, which they said was related to a “domestic incident.” PHOTOGRAPHY BY TING SHEN/JWC MEDIA
