Investigators are reviewing video and ballistics while probing a possible link to a burned car found in Chino.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — A California radiologist and his wife were shot multiple times in the driveway of their Simi Valley home around midday Sunday and later died at a hospital, authorities said, calling the ambush a targeted attack and not a random crime.
Police identified the victims as Dr. Eric Cordes, a longtime radiologist in the community, and his wife, Vicki. Detectives said there is no active threat to residents as they search for whoever opened fire and fled. The case widened hours after the killings, when a burned vehicle with a body inside was discovered in Chino, about 70 to 75 miles away, and a firearm was recovered nearby. Investigators are testing whether that scene is connected to the Simi Valley murders. No arrests have been announced, and officials have not released a motive.
Officers and paramedics were called just after noon Sunday to a quiet cul-de-sac in the eastern end of the city, where neighbors reported rapid gunfire and a car speeding away. Responders found the couple wounded in or near an open garage and began lifesaving efforts before transporting them to a local hospital, where both were pronounced dead. “We don’t believe this is a random act; we believe the victims were targeted,” Sgt. Rick Morton of the Simi Valley Police Department said. Detectives canvassed the block into the evening, collecting shell casings and knocking on doors for home security footage while crime scene tape sealed the short street.
By midafternoon Sunday, Chino officers and firefighters were investigating a separate scene at a city park where a black sedan was burning. After the fire was extinguished, a deceased person was found in the car and a gun was located nearby, authorities said. The person’s identity remained unknown as of Tuesday pending autopsy and dental records. Investigators are comparing ballistics from the Simi Valley shell casings with the weapon recovered in Chino, and license plate remnants from the burned vehicle are being examined to determine ownership. Police said they are also pulling data from automated license plate readers and reviewing freeway cameras between Ventura and San Bernardino counties to map any overlapping timelines.
Dr. Cordes practiced in Simi Valley for nearly three decades, colleagues said, working with Adventist Health Simi Valley and at a local imaging center. Friends described the couple as steady fixtures at neighborhood gatherings and community classes. The killings rattled a city that records few homicides in a typical year and even fewer double slayings. Neighbors said the block is usually quiet on Sunday afternoons, with garage doors open and families returning from errands. Several residents who asked not to be named said they heard a burst of shots and then silence before a dark car accelerated away. Police have not confirmed the make and model publicly and declined to discuss any persons of interest.
Investigators are pursuing several tracks: forensic results from the bullets and casings, enhanced images from doorbell cameras along the cul-de-sac, and digital warrants for cell tower pings in the minutes before and after the shooting. The Ventura County Medical Examiner is handling autopsies for the couple, while San Bernardino County authorities are leading the examination of the body found in Chino. Detectives plan to release the burned vehicle’s registered owner once confirmed by records. Officials said any formal briefing will follow laboratory findings and next-of-kin notifications related to the Chino death. Police emphasized that patrols have been stepped up in the neighborhood while the homicide unit continues interviews.
On Monday evening, bouquets and candles appeared at the end of the driveway as friends stopped by in small groups, some clasping hands and others leaving cards that referenced the couple’s new grandchild and their long ties to local schools. “It was always smiles and a wave from the garage,” said a neighbor who has lived on the street for 20 years. A hospital colleague described Cordes as methodical and unflappable during stressful cases. “He knew every patient by name and treated the techs with respect,” the colleague said. A gym instructor who knew Vicki from spin classes called her “the voice of encouragement” for newcomers.
As of Wednesday morning, police had announced no arrests, the Chino coroner had not publicly identified the person found in the burned car, and the motive in the double killing remained unknown. Detectives expect preliminary lab updates on ballistics and vehicle identification later this week.
Author note: Last updated December 3, 2025.