The deaths of a newlywed couple who were discovered in their car days just days before their first anniversary is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide.
Brandon Dumovich, 30, and his wife, Rachel, 29, were found dead in Harvard, Illinois, on the night of October 6.
The couple’s vehicle was spotted by police officers, which was parked on the street with its hazard lights on.
Law enforcement checked inside the car and discovered the couple’s bodies. Each victim had a single gunshot wound. A firearm was also recovered in the car.
The couple tied the knot on October 12 last year in Wisconsin, according to an online wedding profile, indicating their one-year anniversary was less than a week away at the time of their deaths.
Harvard Police chief Tyson Bauman said murder-suicide is a potential scenario, but no final determination has been made.
Brandon Dumovich, 30, and his wife, Rachel, 29, were found dead in Harvard, Illinois, on October 6
The middle school sweethearts were discovered by police officers – who originally thought they were experiencing car trouble
The couple’s wedding page said they had met in middle school when they were 12 years old.
Rachel wrote: ‘I caught Brandon’s attention by stealing cologne from his locker and running away with it.
‘After keeping in touch through many life stages and 15 years of friendship, we started dating in 2022.’
Their wedding was in Slinger, Wisconsin, on Big Cedar Lake.
On the same day that the couple was found dead, Rachel updated her Facebook profile picture with a selfie alongside Brandon.
Minutes later, she uploaded a picture the couple took during a trip to Greece, captioned: ‘Forever chasing sunsets. Wishing we were back in Greece!’
The couple were found dead by police that night at 11.52pm.
They were identified by the McHenry County coroner Wednesday, the Lake and McHenry County Scanner reported.
The Dumoviches met in middle school at the age of 12
The couple lived in Crystal Lake, Illinois, about 30 minutes from where they died in Harvard
A public obituary for Brandon said he was born in Barrington, Illinois, and had served in the US Navy as a petty officer.
He was remembered for his ‘extraordinary ability to lift spirits and bring people together.’
There was no mention of his wife.
Brandon was also not mentioned in Rachel’s public obituary, which recalled her as a ‘natural connector, advocate, and loyal friend’ with a ‘strong sense of empathy, compassion, social justice, and fair play, always championing those who needed a voice.’
The Highland Park, Illinois, native was listed as a 2018 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She had last worked as a human resources manager.
Police initially told residents to shelter in place, although it was soon determined that there was no threat to the public.
The block where the dead couple was discovered and its surrounding streets were closed for the night but reopened the following morning at 7.30am.
The Daily Mail reached out to the Harvard Police Department and the McHenry County coroner for further comment.
