A quiet Simi Valley neighborhood is reeling after police revealed that a well-known local physician and his wife were fatally shot in their home — and that the couple’s son was responsible for the attack before killing himself hours later.
According to the New York Post, authorities identified the victims as 63-year-old Dr. Eric Cordes and his wife, 66-year-old Vicki Cordes.
The couple was found dead Sunday around noon inside the garage of their $1.3 million home, both having suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators spent two days working to piece together what happened. By Tuesday, police confirmed that the shooter was the couple’s 37-year-old son, Keith Cordes, who lived in Kentucky.
Detectives say he fled the scene immediately after the killings.
Roughly 65 miles away, in the city of Chino, officers discovered a burned-out vehicle near Ayala Park. Inside the car was a body that had been badly damaged in the fire.
License plate recognition cameras that had tracked a black Honda Civic from the Simi Valley neighborhood to Chino allowed detectives to identify the remains as belonging to Keith.
A handgun located in the destroyed vehicle is believed to be the same weapon used in the killings, according to police.
Detectives have not publicly discussed a possible motive, and they are continuing to review evidence to determine what led to the deadly confrontation.
The violent episode has shocked residents of Simi Valley, a community that averages only one homicide per year. Eric Cordes, a radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley, was widely known and respected throughout the region.
In a statement, hospital president Alice Issai remembered the longtime physician as a “beloved” colleague who served patients “with compassion and excellence for nearly 30 years.”
“The community is heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our longtime colleague, Dr. Eric Cordes, and his wife, Vicki,” Issai said. “Our hearts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him as we grieve this shocking loss.”
Police say the investigation remains active as they work to finalize the timeline and confirm all remaining details surrounding the tragedy.
