Five people were found dead with gunshot wounds inside a residence on the 200 block of Wellington Avenue in Mundelein, Illinois, following a well-being check late Sunday night, police said. Mundelein officers responded to the home at approximately 11:45 p.m. after a concerned family member reported being unable to reach their relatives.
Wellington Avenue Well-Being Check Reveals Five Fatalities
Inside the one-story, maroon-shingled house, officers discovered three men and two women dead across several rooms after entering through an unlocked door, according to Deputy Police Chief Rick Wilfenger. All five victims appeared to have been shot at close range with a handgun, and two handguns were recovered at the scene. A preliminary investigation determined the incident was an apparent murder-suicide, police said. Authorities stated that four of the victims were family members, while the fifth was in a domestic relationship with the suspected shooter.
Property records indicate the home is owned by 80-year-old James Schmidt, his 77-year-old wife Rebecca, and their 51-year-old son Bryan, according to NBC 5 Investigates. Neighbors identified the older couple as retired veterinarians who previously operated the Northern Illinois Cat Clinic in nearby Libertyville. The Lake County Coroner’s Office conducted autopsies on Monday, while Mundelein police, the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, and the coroner’s office continue their joint investigation. Officials have not yet publicly released the identities of the deceased pending post-mortem confirmations and notifications to relatives outside of Illinois.
Did You Know? Mundelein is a village of 30,000 residents named a century ago for Cardinal George Mundelein, a Chicago Catholic archbishop, and local authorities noted the department had no prior history of emergency calls or police interactions at the Wellington Avenue address.
Neighborhood Shock and Unclear Evidence in Funeral Home Parking Lot
Residents up and down Wellington Avenue expressed deep shock and disbelief following the discovery. Sam Escobedo told ABC7 Chicago that he heard sounds resembling firecrackers around noon on Sunday, paying little attention at the time, while other neighbors reported police helicopters flying overhead by 5 a.m. Monday. Rosa Berneo, who worked with the family for years, described them as exceptionally kind employers, and neighbor Dave Cameron called the tragedy horrible for the quiet community.
During the morning hours on Monday, investigators focused attention outside the residence, temporarily taping off and inspecting a gray Volkswagen sedan parked in the adjacent lot of the Kristan Funeral Home. NBC 5 Investigates reported that the vehicle is registered to 22-year-old Maclaine Schmidt, a grandchild of the homeowners who is believed to have been inside the house during the shooting. Detectives were seen leaving the home with bags of presumed evidence on Monday afternoon before removing the crime scene tape.
Ongoing Investigation Into Mundelein Shooting Motives
Police have not yet released a motive for the shooting or specified which individual pulled the trigger. Authorities confirmed that the incident appears to be isolated and emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public. Because the suspected shooter died at the scene, prosecutors face no trial for the primary killings, though officials are examining whether the perpetrator received any help acquiring the firearms and ammunition.
Investigators are urging anyone with relevant information regarding the incident to contact the Mundelein Police Department at 847-968-4600.
Police Investigate Wellington Avenue Home After Wellness Check
When did Mundelein police respond to the Wellington Avenue home?
Officers arrived at the residence at approximately 11:45 p.m. Sunday to perform a well-being check requested by a concerned family member.
What weapons and evidence did authorities recover at the scene?
Police recovered two handguns inside the home and later inspected a gray Volkswagen parked in the adjacent funeral home parking lot.
Have the identities of the five victims been officially released?
The Lake County Coroner’s Office was conducting autopsies on Monday and has not yet publicly released the names of the deceased while working to notify out-of-state relatives.
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