Local
Lake County identifies five people found dead in Mundelein home
A couple, their adult son and grandson, and the son’s longtime partner were found dead after a relative requested a welfare check. Authorities are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.
Five people found dead Sunday night inside a Mundelein home were identified Tuesday as members of one family and the adult son’s longtime partner, the Lake County Coroner’s Office said.
The victims were James Schmidt, 80, and Rebecca Schmidt, 77, who lived at the home in the 200 block of Wellington Avenue; their son Bryan Schmidt, 51, recently of Antioch; Bryan’s son Maclaine Schmidt, 22, of Lake Bluff; and Nicole Heiser, 37, of Antioch. Heiser was in a long-term relationship with Bryan, according to the coroner’s office.
All five died from gunshot wounds. Police recovered a handgun at the scene. Authorities have described the case as a murder-suicide but have not publicly identified who fired the shots.
Officers went to the home for a welfare check after a relative was unable to reach one of the people inside. They found three men and two women dead. Mundelein police, the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and the coroner’s office are investigating.
The deaths brought a large law enforcement response to the neighborhood near Prairie and Wellington avenues. Investigators have not released further details about what led to the shootings.