Eric Cordes and Vicki Schiller Executed in $1.3M California Home by His Son, Who Later Died in Burning Car, Police Say

A California doctor and his spin-instructor wife were shot to death in the garage of their Simi Valley home in what police describe as a horrific murder-suicide carried out by the doctor’s son.

Authorities say Eric Cordes, 63, and his wife Vicki Schiller, 66, were found Sunday with multiple gunshot wounds inside their $1.3 million cul-de-sac residence. Investigators believe Cordes’ 37-year-old son, Keith Cordes, opened fire on the couple before fleeing the scene.

Keith Cordes, who reportedly lived in Kentucky, then drove roughly 70 miles to Chino, where he set his vehicle on fire and fatally shot himself, according to police. His identity remained unconfirmed until Tuesday, when the San Bernardino County Medical Examiner identified the severely burned body found in the car as his.

Detectives say they are still working to determine a motive behind the killings. A handgun believed to be the weapon used in the double homicide was recovered inside the burned vehicle. Investigators were able to trace the suspect’s movements using license-plate recognition cameras, confirming the car was registered to him.

Vicki Schiller, 66, was a beloved spin instructor.

News of the tragedy has shaken the Simi Valley community.

Eric Cordes, a veteran physician and radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley Hospital, was remembered as a “beloved” and respected member of the medical staff. Hospital president Alice Issai said he had served local patients for nearly 30 years “with compassion and excellence,” adding that the community was “heartbroken” by his death.

Friends and neighbors also shared grief and disbelief. One neighbor, Mike Hylton, said his son heard gunshots and saw a black Honda Civic speeding away. “There wasn’t a whole lot anybody could do,” Hylton told KABC. “I think the shooter did what he set out to do very quickly.”

Dr. Eric Cordes, 63, was a well-respected radiologist.

 

The pair is seen in a loved-up and playful picture together. They were both previously married and have children

Tributes continued online, including a moving message from Raul Gomez, who wrote that both Eric and Vicki had been close friends. Gomez recalled teaching a spin class with Schiller earlier this year and said she had recently become a grandmother. “Our hearts are beyond broken,” he wrote.

Another neighbor, Joel Lemons, said the double homicide has rattled a community once known for its safety. “Back in the day, Simi Valley was one of the safest places to live… that’s not the case anymore — it’s gotten a little crazy,” he said. A local resident echoed him, noting that such violence is “very rare” for the area.

Police say the investigation remains active as they piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.