Authorities identified a veterinarian as the killer in a murder-suicide after he fatally shot his elderly parents, his son and his girlfriend and he left “multiple suicide notes.”
Bryan Schmidt shot his parents, Rebecca Schmidt and James Schmidt, his son, Maclaine Schmidt, and his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Heiser, at the home he shared with his parents in Mundelein, Illinois, on Sunday, October 18.
After killing his victims, Bryan, 51, then died by suicide, according to the coroner’s report viewed by CBS News.
Police said that “multiple suicide notes” were “left by Bryan on scene and in his vehicle.”
Authorities have not revealed what the notes said or whether there was a possible motive in the killings, though they did say they are combing through a “significant amount” of evidence as they work to determine what happened.
Bryan, who ran the Northern Illinois Cat Clinic in Libertyville, did not have a criminal history and police had never been called to the house prior to the murder-suicide.
Authorities said they believe the killings took place sometime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Neighbors previously said that they heard gunshots, which they believed were firecrackers that were set off ahead of the Chicago Bears game that day.
The bodies of Rebecca, 77, James, 80, Maclaine, 22, Heiser, 37, and Bryan were found just before midnight on Sunday after the killer’s sister, Kimberly Schmidt, called police to request a welfare check when she had not heard from her parents.
Following the tragedy, police offered their condolences to the victims’ relatives and all those impacted by the murder-suicide.
“The Mundelein Police Department extends its condolences to the victims’ loved ones and recognizes the impact this tragedy has had on our community. We ask the public to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time,” the department said in a statement.
Several neighbors were left in shock over the killings, as the neighborhood is known for being generally safe.
“It’s a really safe, small town, so hearing this, five people dying, it’s kind of concerning,” neighbor Pavli Ibarra told WLS.
Meanwhile, other neighbors remembered Rebecca and James as “very quiet people” who were always kind to others.
“She was a spry, retired veterinarian,” one neighbor told NBC5 of Rebecca. “She was a friendly person. She’d wave to people. She’d have conversations with all kinds of neighbors.”
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