A quiet Simi Valley cul-de-sac has been left shaken after brutal double shooting unfolded inside an open garage, marking one of the most disturbing cases the community has ever seen.
Authorities say the son of a respected Southern California radiologist is believed to be the gunman responsible for killing both his father and stepmother before fleeing the area.
Police reported that the violence occurred around midday on Nov. 30 after several 911 callers alerted dispatchers to gunfire coming from a home in the neighborhood.
When Simi Valley officers reached the residence, they discovered Dr. Eric Cordes, 63, and his wife, 66-year-old Vicki Cordes, lying inside their garage with several gunshot wounds.
Paramedics rushed the couple to a trauma center, though officials later confirmed that both victims died from their injuries.
Investigators said the shooter approached the open garage, fired at the couple at close range, and quickly left the scene in a dark sedan with out-of-state license plates.
Authorities later identified the vehicle as belonging to 37-year-old Keith Cordes, Eric’s son who lived in Kentucky.
Neighbors told reporters they had noticed a man who resembled the suspect hanging around in the area of their home the same day.
One resident described hearing shots just after noon and believed the individual was lying “in wait” prior to the attack.
Another neighbor, Mike Hylton, rushed outside after learning what had taken place.
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His son, who was upstairs with a window open, alerted him when he saw a small black Honda Civic speeding away from the property.
“I didn’t hear the gunshots, my son did. He was upstairs and the window was open so he heard the gunshots and then looked out the window and saw the car speeding away, a black little Honda Civic,” Hylton told KABC.
He added that when he reached the garage, “There wasn’t a whole lot anybody could do. I think the shooter did what he set out to do very quickly.”
Detectives immediately began tracking the vehicle through license plate recognition technology and other surveillance tools.
Officials said the car was eventually located burned in a different city. Nearby, officers discovered a man suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The severity of his burns initially made it impossible to confirm his identity, but by Dec. 2, the San Bernardino County Medical Examiner verified that the deceased man was Keith Cordes.
Authorities said a firearm recovered at the scene appeared to match the weapon used to kill Eric and Vicki Cordes, though additional ballistic and forensic analysis is still pending.
The deaths have left both the local medical community and longtime residents shaken.
Dr. Cordes spent nearly three decades as a board-certified radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley, where colleagues described him as a deeply committed physician.
In a statement shared with FOX 11, the hospital said it was “heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our longtime colleague, Dr. Eric Cordes, and his wife Vicki.”
Alice Issai, the hospital’s president, called him a “beloved” member of the staff and said he served the community with “compassion and excellence.”
Detectives continue reviewing witness statements, collecting video footage from the surrounding area, and analyzing evidence as they attempt to determine what may have led to the deadly confrontation. So far, investigators have not identified a motive.
As authorities in California piece together the case, another grim family tragedy has unfolded on the opposite side of the country, where a Massachusetts man is facing charges after officials say he killed his parents and intentionally set their home on fire.
Police said the incident occurred early on a Monday morning in North Adams.
According to the North Adams Police Department, 44-year-old Darius Hazard “physically assaulted” his parents, 76-year-old Venture Hazard and 83-year-old Donald Hazard, inside their home before pouring gasoline throughout the first floor and igniting the house.
Hazard allegedly left the residence sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. Neighbors heading out of their own home just after sunrise noticed smoke pouring from a vent and immediately approached the house. One of them knocked on the door while another dialed 911.
First responders arrived to find intense heat radiating from the building. Fire crews forced their way inside, eventually locating both victims in the living room.
The chief medical examiner later determined that smoke inhalation was the preliminary cause of death for each parent.
An autopsy found that Venture Hazard suffered a fractured rib, leg bruising, and head trauma.
Donald Hazard sustained injuries to his throat, face, and back, along with burns and smoke inhalation.
Authorities learned that Hazard lived at the home but had vanished. The driveway offered an additional clue, as investigators noticed a dry spot where his vehicle was usually parked despite the previous evening’s rain.
Hours later, officials discovered that he had not appeared for his shift at Stop & Shop, something colleagues described as highly unusual because he was typically punctual.
By mid-afternoon, a state police detective spotted a vehicle resembling Hazard’s in a Walmart parking lot. Officers confirmed his identity and took him into custody.
During questioning, Hazard allegedly acknowledged what had occurred. When asked if he knew what had happened at his parents’ home, he said yes.
When pressed about his own well-being, he reportedly admitted, “truthfully, no,” later adding, “I guess I snapped.”
Hazard told investigators that his mother had been struggling with mobility issues and that his father had been caring for her.
He said she had suffered falls, including one earlier that morning, and that he had become increasingly upset.
Court records indicate he shoved both parents to the floor and struck them. He also admitted to throwing a small fan at his father after the elder man begged him to stop.
Although he reportedly ceased the physical assault, investigators said he then poured gasoline on both the upper floor and the living room before lighting a match.
He later drove north to Clinton, Massachusetts, where he attempted to stab himself.
Hazard is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 29 as the investigation continues.
