Authorities have officially determined the causes of death for a Wisconsin couple found deceased inside their car earlier this fall, while noting the investigation remains active.
Rachel and Brandon Dumovich were discovered just before midnight on Oct. 6 inside their vehicle in Harvard, Illinois — a city about 60 miles north of Chicago. Both had sustained gunshot wounds.
Six weeks later, the Harvard Police Department issued an update after receiving autopsy findings.
According to a police statement, the case is being classified as a homicide-suicide. Investigators believe Brandon fatally shot Rachel before turning the gun on himself. Officials added that the incident appears isolated, and there is no threat to the public.
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Rachel, 29, and Brandon, 30, were just days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Oct. 12. Their wedding website shared that they first met in middle school at age 12. Over the years, they remained close friends, eventually beginning a relationship in 2022. Within two years, they married and settled together in Wisconsin.
Rachel attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and worked in human resources, according to her obituary. Brandon served as a Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy and had recently marked his 30th birthday, his obituary noted. Neither obituary mentioned their marriage.
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A previous report from law enforcement stated that an officer approached the stopped vehicle on Route 14 — its hazard lights flashing — to check whether assistance was needed. Inside, Brandon was located in the passenger seat and Rachel in the driver’s seat, both having suffered gunshot wounds. A firearm was recovered in the car.
The couple resided in Sharon, Wisconsin, a small village near the Illinois border with roughly 1,500 residents.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Harvard Police Department at (815) 943-4431 or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at (815) 943-4343.
