Investigators released new details Monday into the fatal shooting of a married couple gunned down Sunday at their Simi Valley home. Though a suspect has not been identified, police said a burned vehicle — and the charred remains of a man discovered hours later in Chino — appears to be connected to the killings.
Witnesses reported seeing the shooting unfold at the home at about noon Sunday, according to Simi Valley Police Sgt. Rick Morton. An unidentified gunman was seen opening fire into the garage, where officers discovered the bodies of the two victims in their 60s later identified as Eric and Vicki Cordes.
“At that time, a black Honda Civic was seen fleeing the area,” Morton told The Times. “Between 2:30 and 3 p.m, we were able to determine that the vehicle was in the Chino area found fully engulfed with a subject near it also burned.”
Morton said investigators sent to the scene confirmed through law-enforcement databases that the vehicle was “in fact, linked to our double homicide here in Simi Valley.” The man found near the burning car was badly burned, he said, and that incident is being investigated as a suspected suicide.
Police could not immediately identify the man due to the severity of his burns, but the San Bernardino County coroner is set to conduct an autopsy Tuesday. Investigators also recovered a handgun near the vehicle and were conducting ballistics tests to confirm that it was the weapon used in the slayings.
“I don’t know at this time what caliber it was,” Morton said, “and I don’t know if that handgun is related to our crime scene until further investigation is completed.”
Although the motive remains unknown, Morton said investigators believed there was no ongoing threat to the public “due to the condition of the subject that was located in Chino.”
The male victim, Eric Cordes, was a longtime radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley. Hospital leaders issued a statement Monday.
“The Adventist Health Simi Valley community is heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our longtime colleague, Dr. Eric Cordes, and his wife, Vicki,” said Alice Issai, the hospital’s president. “Dr. Cordes was a highly respected, board-certified radiologist and beloved physician who served this community with compassion and excellence for nearly 30 years. Our hearts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him as we grieve this shocking loss.”
Morton said the attack was not gang-related or the result of domestic violence, and that no other residents were inside the home when the shooting occurred. Police have found no history of domestic calls or restraining orders involving the couple.
Instead, detectives believe the Simi Valley victims were “targeted” based on investigative leads and information about the couple and the vehicle at the scene. Morton declined to confirm speculation that the suspect was a family member.
The killings occurred in a quiet residential community in southwest Simi Valley. Morton noted that the city averages roughly one homicide a year. The community “ is very shocked,” he said.
“In Simi Valley, in general, things like this don’t happen,” Morton said.
Simi Valley police said the investigation was ongoing with assistance from the Chino Police Department.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
