Midwest veterinarian wrote multiple suicide notes then killed his elderly parents, girlfriend, son and himself at home, cops say

Police say Illinois veterinarian Bryan Schmidt, 51, killed his parents, his longtime girlfriend and his son at his parents’ home in Mundelein, then died by suicide. The five were found on Sunday night after a family member requested a welfare check; investigators have described the deaths as a likely murder-suicide.

Police said the victims appeared to have been shot with a handgun, and two handguns were found at the scene. The coroner determined that Schmidt’s parents, James, 80, and Rebecca, 77, died from multiple gunshot wounds; his son Maclaine, 22, and girlfriend Nicole Heiser, 37, died from gunshot wounds to the head, as did Schmidt. He reportedly left several suicide notes, but investigators have not established a motive and say they had no prior contact with the family.