A California community is reeling after a well-known local doctor and his wife were gunned down outside their Simi Valley home on Sunday, in what police believe was a targeted attack.
According to Fox News, Eric and Vicki Cordes were discovered in their driveway around midday. Both had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders rushed them to a nearby hospital, but they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Eric Cordes was a board-certified radiologist affiliated with Adventist Health Simi Valley, where colleagues described him as a dedicated and widely respected physician.
Witnesses told FOX 11 the shooting happened quickly, with a suspect firing multiple rounds before speeding away from the neighborhood. Residents reported hearing a rapid series of shots followed by the sound of a vehicle fleeing the scene.
Just hours later, authorities uncovered what may be a major break in the case: a burned vehicle and a body in Ruben S. Ayala Park in Chino, more than 60 miles from the Cordes’ home.
Investigators believe the person in the charred car died by suicide and may be connected to the Simi Valley killings.
Sgt. Rick Morton of the Simi Valley Police Department said incidents like this are extremely rare in the city, emphasizing that investigators are treating the attack as deliberate.
“We do believe the victims were targeted,” Morton said. “We’ll have more information on that as the investigation proceeds further.”
The discovery of the burned vehicle added another layer of complexity to the unfolding investigation, but officials cautioned that it may take time to fully determine the connection between the two scenes.
Adventist Health Simi Valley released a statement saying the organization was “heartbroken by the tragic deaths,” calling Eric Cordes a “highly respected” and “beloved” physician whose loss will be deeply felt throughout the hospital and the broader community.
Police continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses as they work to piece together the motive behind the deadly attack.
