Two dead, including former cop, in Plainfield murder-suicide

A woman was killed and her ex-husband, a former Chicago Police officer, was found dead later Saturday in an apparent murder-suicide in southwest suburban Plainfield.

About 12:30 p.m., officers were called when Elaine M. Zene, 65, was shot in the parking lot of a Jewel-Osco at 1340 S. Route 59 in Plainfield, according to Plainfield Police Chief John Konopek and the Will County coroner’s office.

Zene, who lived in Woodridge, was taken to Bolingbrook Hospital, where she died at 1:08 p.m., according to the coroner’s office. Preliminary autopsy results found she suffered multiple gunshot wounds, but it did not rule on final cause and manner of death pending further reports.

A short time later, investigators identified a suspect and went to a home on Walnut Circuit near 119th Street in Plainfield, Konopek said. When officers arrived, they heard a gunshot, and a SWAT team and other police agencies were called to set up a perimeter.

When officers were unable to make contact with a person inside, a SWAT team was sent in and found Raymond T. Zene, 72, dead inside a vehicle in the garage, authorities said. The Plainfield resident is believed to have shot himself in the chest.

Raymond Zene was a Chicago Police officer from 1966-96.

Preliminary autopsy results found he suffered a gunshot wound, but did not rule on final cause and manner of death pending further reports, the coroner’s office said.

The two incidents are being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide, Konopek said. He said the victims were once married.

“There is no lingering threat to the community,” he said.