A married couple in their sixties, described as a beloved radiologist and his wife, have been shot dead in a suspected targeted attack outside their upscale California home.
A Daylight Attack in a Quiet Cul-de-Sac
The victims, identified as Dr. Eric Cordes and his wife, Vicki, were found with gunshot wounds in the driveway of their Simi Valley property just after noon on Sunday. Emergency services rushed the couple to a nearby hospital, but they succumbed to their critical injuries several hours later.
Footage from the scene showed the couple's home, situated at the end of a cul-de-sac in the affluent neighbourhood, cordoned off and surrounded by emergency responders. Simi Valley Police Det. Rick Morton stated that authorities do not believe the shooting was a random act. "We do believe the victims were targeted," he confirmed.
A Community Mourns a Respected Physician
Dr. Cordes was a highly respected figure in the local medical community. Adventist Health Simi Valley, his former employer, released a statement praising his nearly three decades of service. "Dr. Cordes was a highly respected, board-certified radiologist and beloved physician who served this community with compassion and excellence," the statement read.
Neighbours and friends expressed profound shock. Mike Hylton, who attended the couple's wedding, told local media, "Eric was…a figure in the community... He’s known by a lot of people and it’s just really sad." Some neighbours speculated to police that the suspect could be a stepson of one of the victims, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Investigators Probe a Possible Connection to Apparent Suicide
In a potentially significant development, investigators revealed they are examining a possible link to a death approximately 75 miles east in Chino. Police told media that the gunman fled the Cordes' home in a car after the shooting.
Hours later, Chino Police discovered a vehicle matching that description which had been set on fire. Next to it was a deceased person, who died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The identity of this individual has not yet been released, and police are actively investigating to determine if the two incidents are connected.
The investigation into the double murder and the Chino death remains ongoing as authorities work to establish a definitive motive and sequence of events.
