Investigators say the suspect secretly rented the home next door before the fatal shooting and fire.
SANTA CLARA, CA — An Indiana man traveled to Santa Clara, secretly rented a home next to his estranged brother and fatally shot him outside his residence before setting the rental house on fire and dying by suicide, police said.
Santa Clara police identified the suspect as Matthew Heflin, 49, of Bloomington, Indiana, and the victim as Mark Heflin, 52, of Santa Clara. Police Chief Cory Morgan described the May 8 violence on Enright Avenue as a targeted homicide followed by suicide. Investigators said the brothers had been estranged for about three years, but they have not determined why Matthew Heflin carried out the attack.
The case began as a report of gunfire and a house fire in the 600 block of Enright Avenue, a residential street in Santa Clara. Police said callers reported numerous gunshots and an armed man near homes at 12:24 p.m. May 8. Officers arrived about three minutes later and found Mark Heflin outside his home with multiple gunshot wounds. Morgan said officers tried to help him while gunfire continued nearby. Mark Heflin was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later said Matthew Heflin had traveled more than 2,000 miles from Indiana in a rental vehicle while carrying firearms and ammunition. He arrived in the greater San Jose area around April 14 and did not tell family members where he was, Morgan said.
Police said Matthew Heflin began staying in a short-term rental next to his brother’s home about three days before the shooting. Family members did not know he was there, and police said Mark Heflin did not know his brother was living next door. Investigators believe Mark Heflin was removing items from his vehicle when Matthew Heflin approached him while concealing a firearm inside a paper bag. “After a brief verbal exchange, the suspect, who was concealing a firearm inside of a paper bag, opened fire,” Morgan said. Crime scene investigators recovered 12 spent shell casings from the area in front of the residence. Police said Matthew Heflin then went through a side yard of the rental property, fired additional rounds toward the victim’s vehicle and home, returned inside the rental house and intentionally set a fire in a rear bedroom.
The fire added danger for officers, firefighters and nearby residents. As smoke and flames spread, police evacuated homes in the area while firefighters worked around the threat of more gunfire. Morgan said officers used drones, armored rescue vehicles, tactical officers and help from other agencies to clear the neighborhood and protect fire crews. Later that evening, police located a body inside the burned rental home. Investigators recovered the body the next day after the building was deemed safe. Authorities confirmed through dental records that the body was Matthew Heflin. The Santa Clara County coroner identified both men, and police said Mark Heflin died from gunshot wounds.
Inside the burned residence, investigators found Matthew Heflin’s passport, ammunition, manufactured fire logs, about $95,000 in U.S. currency and four pistols, Morgan said. Police have not said whether the money was tied to the shooting, the trip from Indiana or any possible motive. Investigators also searched Matthew Heflin’s home in Bloomington but did not find a note, manifesto or other document explaining the attack. The lack of a written explanation has left the central question unresolved. Police said the brothers’ estrangement is part of the investigation, but they have not released details about what caused it or whether there had been recent contact between them.
The shooting stunned city officials and neighbors after an emergency response that tied up the area for hours. Mayor Lisa Gillmor offered condolences to Mark Heflin’s family during the police update, saying the loss reached beyond one household. “Santa Clara mourns with you,” Gillmor said. “A husband is gone, a father is gone, and no words from any of us can fill that absence.” Police said the attack appeared planned because Matthew Heflin traveled across the country, stayed in the region for weeks, rented the property next door and concealed his presence from relatives. Investigators have not said how he chose the rental home or whether anyone helped him arrange it.
No charges will be filed against Matthew Heflin because he died at the scene, but police said the investigation remains open. Detectives are still reviewing evidence from the rental home, the shooting scene, the burned structure, the rental vehicle and Matthew Heflin’s Indiana residence. They are also working to determine whether the cash, firearms, ammunition and fire logs show planning beyond what has already been described publicly. Police have not announced a new briefing date. The next step is a final investigative review and any additional findings from coroner and forensic reports.
The 600 block of Enright Avenue was no longer an active emergency scene after investigators recovered the body and processed the burned home, but police said the case remains under review. As of May 17, officials had not released a motive or any document explaining why Matthew Heflin targeted his brother.
Author note: Last updated May 17, 2026.