Illinois veterinarian Bryan Schmidt reportedly left several suicide notes before killing his elderly parents, his longtime girlfriend and his son, then taking his own life.
Schmidt, 51, who operated Northern Illinois Cat Clinic in Libertyville, left notes in his vehicle and at his parents’ home in Mundelein, a Chicago suburb. Police discovered all five victims dead at the property Sunday night.
Officers had been sent to the Wellington Avenue residence for a welfare check after a concerned relative reported being unable to contact the family.
Inside, police found James Schmidt, 80; Rebecca Schmidt, 77; Maclaine Schmidt, 22; Nicole Heiser, 37; and Bryan Schmidt dead at the scene.
Authorities said the victims appeared to have been shot at close range with a handgun. A preliminary investigation indicated the deaths were likely the result of a murder-suicide.
The local coroner later reported that James and Rebecca Schmidt died from multiple gunshot wounds. Maclaine Schmidt, Bryan’s son, and Heiser, his longtime partner, each died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Bryan Schmidt died from an intraoral gunshot wound to the head, which the Coroner’s Office said appeared consistent with suicide.
Investigators recovered two handguns at the scene, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.
Veterinarian Bryan Schmidt, 51, reportedly left multiple suicide notes before the fatal shootings Sunday. He is pictured with his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Heiser.
Police responding to a welfare check at a Mundelein home discovered five people dead from gunshot wounds. Source: Google
A motive has not been established. The police department said it had no previous contact with Bryan Schmidt or the other victims.
After the deaths were discovered, officers cordoned off a Volkswagen Jetta with crime scene tape and went door-to-door interviewing neighbors.
Investigators are examining evidence gathered at the home, including electronic devices, as they work to reconstruct the events.
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‘The Mundelein Police Department extends its condolences to the victims’ loved ones and recognizes the impact this tragedy has had on our community,’ it said in a statement.
‘We ask the public to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time.’
Paul Delfeld, Heiser’s brother-in-law, said his wife and mother-in-law were “in pieces, trying to make sense of everything.”
Delfeld said Heiser had been “betrayed, shot and killed by her boyfriend of 11 years.”
He remembered Heiser as “a caring, beautiful soul” who was deeply devoted to her family.
“One would be hard-pressed to find another person more loyal than Nicole,” Delfeld wrote in an online fundraiser for her funeral expenses. “She had an unparalleled love for animals and dedicated her life to caring for them as a veterinary technician.”
Bryan Schmidt’s mother, Rebecca Schmidt, 77, was among those killed. Neighbors remembered her as friendly and welcoming.
Bryan also allegedly gunned down his longtime girlfriend, Nicole Heiser, 37, and his son, Maclaine Schmidt, 22
Neighbors have also shared how Rebecca would take regular walks across the neighborhood, and said she was beloved by those who knew her.
‘She was a friendly person. She’d wave to people. She’d have conversations with all kinds of neighbors,’ one resident told ABC 7.
‘I’m horrified,’ the neighbor added. ‘I’m horrified that this would happen to somebody and somebody that I know.’
Rosa Bernel also told the outlet how she works at the clinic the couple once owned, describing the family as ‘very nice people; the best bosses I had in my whole life.’
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.