Police in the northern Illinois city of Harvard say they are working to establish the sequence of events that left a young Wisconsin couple dead from gunshot wounds inside their car late on the night of October 6, a case that investigators describe as isolated and potentially a murder-suicide but not yet formally ruled. The victims were identified as Rachel Noel Dumovich, 29, and Brandon Peter Dumovich, 30, of Sharon, Wisconsin, who were found less than a week before the first anniversary of their wedding. Responding to questions about the direction of the inquiry, Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman said that while a murder-suicide is “a potential scenario,” no final determination has been made and the department is awaiting the county coroner’s findings and additional forensic testing before declaring a manner of death.
According to police, an officer on patrol at about 11:52 p.m. noticed a vehicle stopped in the northbound lane of Division Street—also known as U.S. Route 14—with its hazard lights flashing near Burbank Street. When the officer approached to check on what was initially treated as a disabled-vehicle assist, he found the driver and passenger dead in their seats. The Harvard Fire Protection District was summoned and an alert initially warned that one of the occupants may have shot themselves and still had possession of a firearm. Investigators recovered a gun from inside the vehicle and shut a stretch of Route 14 through the early morning while the McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team processed the scene.
Autopsies performed by McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein found that both victims died of gunshot wounds to the head, according to a statement issued Wednesday. The coroner has not yet ruled on manner of death, a separate classification that will follow once toxicology testing and ancillary forensic work are completed. The coroner’s office is working alongside the assistance team and the state’s attorney’s office to assemble a complete timeline, including ballistic analysis of the recovered weapon and examinations of electronic devices.
Chief Bauman said detectives are reviewing physical evidence and canvassing for additional information, but emphasized that the incident appears to be isolated. The department has stated there is no evidence of an ongoing threat to the public. In an update, Harvard police said they are “diligently” investigating and will release additional information as the case allows, while urging anyone with knowledge to contact investigators directly or via the Crime Stoppers line.