A doctor found fatally shot alongside his wife at their ritzy California home over the weekend were both killed by his son, who fled fled the scene, set his car on fire and then fatally shot himself using the same gun, authorities said.
Police in Simi Valley on Sunday responded to reports of gunshots at a home in Ventura County, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, shortly after noon. When they arrived on the scene, officers discovered Dr. Eric Cordes, a radiologist, and his wife, Vicki in their garage, each of them suffering multiple gunshot wounds, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The victims were rushed to an area hospital, where they were both pronounced dead a short time later.
Authorities said a black Honda Civic sedan was seen fleeing the area in the immediate aftermath of the deadly violence. Detectives used license plate recognition cameras to track the vehicle, which was registered to Cordes’ son, Keith, as it traveled southbound on the 210 Freeway before exiting in Chino and parking near Ayala Park.
The charred remains of a deceased person and a gun were later found near the burning car, according to Chino police. On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County medical examiner confirmed the remains were those of 37-year-old Keith Cordes, noting that the severe burns he suffered slowed the identification process. Authorities also believe the firearm discovered near the vehicle was the same one used to kill Cordes, and his wife.
A motive for the grisly double homicide remains under investigation, and the medical examiner’s office is conducting additional forensic testing.
Eric Cordes was remembered as a “beloved physician” and radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley, who served the community “with compassion and excellence for nearly 30 years,” the hospital’s president, Alice Issai, said in a statement to the Times.
“The Adventist Health Simi Valley community is heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our longtime colleague, Dr. Eric Cordes, and his wife, Vicki,” said Issai. “Our hearts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him as we grieve this shocking loss.”