A late-night patrol in Harvard, Illinois on October 6, 2025, led police to a stalled vehicle whose flashing hazards revealed a tragic scene. Inside, officers found Rachel and Brandon Dumovich of Sharon, Wisconsin, both dead from gunshot wounds, with a firearm recovered in the car. Authorities determined the incident to be a murder-suicide, concluding that Brandon shot Rachel before taking his own life. Investigators emphasized that the event was isolated and posed no ongoing threat to the public.

In the days that followed, family and friends mourned the couple, remembering Brandon — a U.S. Navy veteran who had just turned 30 — for his humor, loyalty, and love of the outdoors, and Rachel for her academic accomplishments, leadership in human resources, and the warmth she brought to others. Tributes poured in online, including emotional reactions to Rachel’s final Facebook post from a recent trip to Greece, as loved ones across Illinois and Wisconsin shared memories and grieved the loss of both lives.