DURAND, Ill. (WTVO) — A suspected murder-suicide claimed the life of Ron Reed, 53, of Durand, after authorities believe a Chicago-area man killed his girlfriend and may have deliberately crashed into Reed near Rockton on Monday, killing them both.

Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Chris Covelli says it was a “strong theory” of investigators that Kevin Williams, 25, killed Kelly Hedmark, 25, with a blunt object in his home in the Lake County community of Lindenhurst and then killed himself in Monday’s head-on crash with Reed at Bates Road and Freeport Road near Rockton on Valentine’s Day.

Reed was an Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm, and worked at the Belvidere Chrysler assembly plant for over 10 years. He was a member of the Zoning Board for the Village of Durand.

“He was the funnest (sic) dad ever. I literally could not ask for a more fun dad,” said Reed’s son, Kobe.

“He always wanted to be there for me, always pushed me to do my best,” said his daughter, Kayla Sessler.

Staci Shickles dated Reed for the past seven years. “He was always telling me he loved me, always. We were always together.”

Reed was driving his Dodge Ram Monday morning when the grey Ford Focus collided with him near the Bates Road and Freeport Road intersection.

Reed’s friends say they don’t understand why he died.

“It’s already an open wound for all of us,” said Chris Puckett. “This just adds an element of anger and helplessness to it. [It was] completely senseless.”

“Everybody loved Ron. He was an amazing man,” his friend, Lisa Estes said.

Friends said Reed was an amazing father and friend. A GoFundMe has been set up to help Reed’s family with their immediate needs.