DEKALB COUNTY, Ill. – A man is in custody after two people were found dead at a Sycamore home, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Kevin Schmidt, 35, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and is being held at the DeKalb County Jail pending a court hearing.
Authorities said a family member requested a welfare check around 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 30 at a home on the 1300 block of Oakland Drive. Deputies found Gary Schmidt, 60, and Holly Schmidt, 59, dead inside. Sheriff Andrew Sullivan confirmed that Kevin Schmidt is the couple’s son and also lived at the home.
During the investigation, deputies noticed a vehicle was missing from the property. A license plate reader later tracked the vehicle in the Rockford area, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office pulled it over. The driver was detained as part of the investigation, though it is unclear if Schmidt was driving.
As a precaution, local schools were placed on lockdown while authorities investigated.
Neighbor Tim Pieroni described the scene as unsettling. “I opened the drapes and I saw 10 to 12 police vehicles here and I saw the crime scene tape and the road is blocked off,” he said. “I knew it was more than what had happened in the past and I feared for the worst.”
Pieroni remembered the couple fondly. “They were great people, they would give you the shirt off their back and they will be missed. I feel sorry for the two daughters that are still having to cope with this.”
The sheriff’s office called the incident a “tragic domestic-related” crime and extended its condolences to the family.
Anyone with information is asked to call the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office at 815-895-2155 to speak to a detective, submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272, or email [email protected]
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