Pastor's son, friend killed in apparent double homicide

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- Gary police began investigating an alleged double homicide Sunday, authorities said.

According to police, officers responded at approximately 1:56 a.m. to a report of shots fired and a man with a gun.

A 29-year-old man and 44-year-old woman were found in an apartment building on the 2000-block of Carolina Street. Both victims had multiple gunshot wounds and were declared dead on the scene, authorities said.

The male victim was identified as Van Dyke Cason of Gary. Cason's family said he was a certified nursing assistant and was excited about a new job he had just started.

Cason's sister, Ashley, Cason, said she spoke with her brother just hours before his death.

"We were just playing around," Ashley Cason said. "'Hey, I just realized you're going to be 30 this year.' He was like, 'I know, don't remind me.'"

"He was a good person," Ashley Cason said. "Loving. Everybody loved him...He just said 'I just want to treat people like I want to be treated.'"

Cason's father, Pastor Sylvester Cason, said that he has buried many people in his 47 years as a preacher, but his son's funeral would be difficult.

"The Lord give and the Lord taketh away," Sylvester Cason said. "I pray for the individual that pulled that trigger, that God may have mercy on their soul."

The Lake County, Ind. Coroner identified the female victim as Freddie Howard, of Gary. The victims were found in Howard's apartment.