Antioch man killed parents, son and girlfriend in Mundelein house, police say

An Antioch man left several suicide notes before fatally shooting his parents, his son, his girlfriend and finally himself in his parents’ Mundelein home Sunday, authorities revealed Tuesday.

What moved 51-year-old Bryan Schmidt to violence remains a mystery, however, as police continued investigating the slayings and searching for a motive.

Schmidt killed his parents — James Schmidt, 80, and Rebecca Schmidt, 77 — his 22-year-old son, Maclaine, and 37-year-old Nicole Heiser in the house on the 200 block of Wellington Avenue, police said.

The shootings likely occurred between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The five bodies were discovered late Sunday night by Mundelein police after a concerned relative who was unable to reach one of the victims requested a well-being check at the house. The four victims were shot near each other, police said Tuesday.

Suicide notes were found in the house and in Bryan Schmidt’s vehicle, police said.

Detectives also recovered two handguns and electronic devices that will be analyzed, authorities said. Police believe both weapons were used in the shootings.

The elder Schmidts died of multiple gunshot wounds, autopsies conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s Office revealed.

Maclaine Schmidt, of Lake Bluff, died of a gunshot to the head. Heiser, of Antioch, also died of a single head wound.

Bryan Schmidt died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot to the head, authorities said.

Mundelein police had no history of emergency calls at the Schmidt home nor recorded encounters of any kind with Bryan Schmidt.

A small memorial consisting of flowers and a candle sat outside the home Tuesday. While the house was the focus of police activity Monday, only a lone police vehicle was parked down the block Tuesday.

James and Rebecca Schmidt were retired veterinarians; Rebecca founded the now-closed Northern Illinois Cat Clinic on Peterson Road in Libertyville, according to an archived version of the business’ website.

Bryan Schmidt managed the clinic, the website indicated.

Rebecca Schmidt graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1973 and was the first female veterinarian to complete a postgraduate internship in 1975, the website said.

She also was a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, according to the site.

Workers at current businesses on Peterson Road said the clinic closed about two years ago. According to Illinois business data, the business was dissolved earlier this year.

Mundelein police, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, and the Lake County Coroner’s Office are investigating the killings. Anyone with information can call police at (847) 968-4600.

jstates@chicagotribune.com; rlissau@dailyherald.com

Madeline Buckley contributed to this report.