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News Crime

Former NIU instructor, 2 sons died in apparent murder-suicide: coroner

By  Associated Press
   
SHARE Former NIU instructor, 2 sons died in apparent murder-suicide: coroner
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Peter Ruckman was a political science professor at Rock Valley College and an instructor at Northern Illinois University.

Authorities in northern Illinois say a college professor and his two sons are those who died in an apparent murder-suicide this weekend.

The Winnebago County coroner says 58-year-old Peter S. Ruckman died of gunshot wounds along with 12-year-old John Ruckman and 14-year-old Christopher Ruckman.

Sheriff’s deputies responded Saturday morning to the home near Rockford after Ruckman’s ex-wife reported she wasn’t able to contact him. They found the two boys shot in separate bedrooms, while the man was in a third bedroom

The Rockford Register Star reports Ruckman was a long-time political science professor at Rock Valley College and an instructor at Northern Illinois University. Ruckman last taught a course at NIU in spring 2017, said Lisa Miner, senior director of communications for the university.

The boys were both students at Rockford Christian schools.

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