A California radiologist and his wife were shot dead in their Simi Valley home in what police now say was a murder–suicide carried out by the couple’s adult son, who fled the scene and killed himself hours later. Authorities confirmed that Dr. Eric Cordes, 63, and his wife, Vicki Cordes, 66, were found fatally wounded in the garage of their home shortly after midday on Sunday. Both had been shot multiple times.
Detectives initially had no suspect and no clear motive. But by Tuesday, investigators linked the killings to the couple’s 37-year-old son, Keith Cordes, after his burned remains were discovered inside a charred Honda Civic about 65 miles away in Chino. The vehicle, abandoned near Ayala Park, had been so severely damaged by fire that the body inside could not be immediately identified. Police said automated license plate recognition cameras traced the Honda from the Simi Valley neighbourhood to Chino, allowing them to confirm that the driver was the couple’s son.
Officers found a handgun in the burned vehicle, which investigators believe was used in both the double homicide and Keith Cordes’s suicide. Forensic testing is ongoing, but police said there is no indication that anyone else was involved. Keith, who lived in Kentucky, is not known to have had prior criminal issues in California. Investigators have not yet identified a motive for the killings, and authorities have said there were no earlier reports of trouble at the family home.
The deaths have shaken the quiet Simi Valley community, which typically records about one homicide a year. Police responded to the family’s residence after receiving reports of gunfire and discovered the couple in the garage. Detectives believe the attack occurred rapidly and without warning. After the shootings, the suspect drove east through multiple counties before stopping in Chino, where the car was set alight and the gun was used a final time.