The unfolding tragedy continues to grip Southern California after authorities identified the son of longtime radiologist Dr. Eric Cordes as the suspected gunman in a double homicide that left both his father and stepmother dead. Simi Valley police said officers responded shortly before midday on Nov. 30 after multiple 911 calls reported gunfire at the Cordes home. Detectives later determined that the shooter approached the open garage, opened fire and fled in a black sedan.
Officers found Dr. Eric Cordes, 63, and his wife, Vicki Cordes, 66, inside the garage with multiple gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to a trauma center, where they were pronounced dead. Investigators identified the suspect vehicle as belonging to 37-year-old Keith Cordes, who lived in Kentucky. Neighbors told the New York Post that a man matching his description lingered near the house earlier in the day. One neighbor said the suspect appeared to “lie in wait” before gunfire erupted, suggesting a targeted attack. Police confirmed neighbors have shared accounts with detectives, though those statements remain unverified as evidence review continues.
Using license plate cameras and other investigative tools, detectives tracked Keith’s vehicle as it left the neighborhood. The car was later found burned in a different city. A man located nearby with a self-inflicted gunshot wound could not be immediately identified due to severe burns. On Dec. 2, the San Bernardino County Medical Examiner confirmed the deceased man was Keith Cordes. Police believe the firearm recovered at the scene is the same weapon used to kill Eric and Vicki Cordes, pending further forensic testing.
Dr. Cordes spent nearly three decades serving patients as a board-certified radiologist with Adventist Health Simi Valley. In a statement shared with FOX 11, the hospital said it was “heartbroken by the tragic deaths of our longtime colleague, Dr. Eric Cordes, and his wife Vicki,” describing him as a compassionate and committed physician. A family GoFundMe remembered Vicki as “a wonderful mother, daughter, sister and a devoted grandmother whose love, joy, and presence brought light into every room she entered.” Loved ones wrote that she “adored her husband deeply” and that her loss has left the family “heartbroken and forever changed.”
Detectives continue reviewing witness statements, surveillance footage and pending forensic analysis. A motive has not yet been identified.
