Wis. Newlyweds Found Dead in Car Were Shot in Head, as Police Probe Possible Murder-Suicide By Christine Pelisek

A Wisconsin couple found dead in a car died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the coroner’s office preliminary findings, Fox News Digital and the Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported.

McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein said Wednesday, Oct. 15 that autopsies had been performed on Rachel and Brandon Dumovich, per the Scanner.

The couple, both of Sharon, Wis., was found dead in a car on the side of a road on Monday, Oct. 6 in Illinois. They were days away from celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary when their car was discovered stopped with its hazard lights on, police said in an initial press release.

The Harvard Police Department said in an Oct. 14 Facebook post that the department, in conjunction with the McHenry County Major Investigative Assistance Team, “continues to diligently investigate the tragic incident.”

Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman told Fox News Digital that “while a murder-suicide is a potential scenario, no final determination has been made.”

The investigation into the deaths “remains active as investigators await the McHenry County Coroner’s final report and the review and processing of additional evidentiary items,” police said.

Just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 6, a Harvard Police Department officer saw the car stopped on Route 14 northbound near Burbank St. The officer pulled over and discovered a woman in the driver’s seat and a male passenger dead inside, per the initial press release.

Both had sustained a single gunshot wound, according to police, and a firearm was recovered inside the vehicle.

“At this time, this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no evidence to suggest that there is any danger or threat to the public,” police said after briefly issuing a shelter in place order to nearby residents.

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According to an online obituary, Rachel, 29, was a two-sport varsity athlete in cheerleading and track in high school before she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration, Cum Laude, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2018.

She was known “for her drive, ambition, and passion,” the obituary read. “She had a strong sense of empathy, compassion, social justice, and fair play, always championing those who needed a voice.”

“Rachel loved her friends, family, traveling, fashion, decorating, cooking, and especially life at the lake,” the obituary continued.

Brandon, 30, served as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, according to his online obituary.

“His time in the military reflected his deep commitment to service and his enduring passion for helping others—a quality that remained central throughout his life,” the obituary said. “Brandon’s infectious smile and sharp sense of humor had a way of lighting up any room. He had an extraordinary ability to lift spirits and bring people together. Family was always at the heart of everything he did; it was his anchor and greatest source of pride.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harvard Police Department at (815) 943-4431 or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (815) 943-4343 or [email protected].