Coroner rules Deerfield woman's death a homicide

Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said the October shooting death of a Deerfield woman and her unborn child have been ruled homicides.

Keller said the fatal shooting of 42-year-old Rhoni Reuter also resulted in the death of her unborn infant, named Skylar Reuter-Gayle.

Keller ruled Reuter died of multiple gunshot wounds. The baby's death was attributed to the blood loss her mother suffered.

Because the infant would have been able to survive outside of the mother, Keller said a second homicide charge is warranted.

"The baby was six to seven months and would have been able to survive on its own," Keller said. "So, we feel it should be ruled a second homicide."

Police are still searching for a suspect in the shooting. A police spokesman said Tuesday there are no updates in the investigation.

Police most recently said they were looking for a male teenager a witness reported seeing nearby.

Anyone with information is asked to call Deerfield police at (847) 945-8636 or the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force at (847) 377-4178.

Keller said the paperwork asking for a double homicide charge will be sent over to the Lake County state's attorney's office later this week.

Reuter, the girlfriend of former Chicago Bears all-pro safety Shaun Gayle, was pregnant with the couple's child. Police said Gayle is not considered a suspect.

Reuter's body was found at about 8 a.m. on Oct. 4 outside of her home at the Deerfield Crossings condo complex, on the 400 block of Elm Street. Police discovered the murder after responding to a 911 call from a neighbor who reported hearing screams.

There were no signs of forced entry, police said, and it appeared nothing was missing from the condo.

Reuter held onto her small-town roots and wanted to become a mother more than anything, according to a family statement made shortly after her death.

She had a marketing degree from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, and had worked for many years at the former Marshall Field's store. She also worked at U.S. Foodservice in Rosemont and part time at Macy's.

According to a family spokesman, Reuter and Gayle had been involved in a relationship for 17 or 18 years.