Causes of Death Revealed for Wisc. Newlyweds Found Dead in Car a Week Shy of First Anniversary

The investigation into the case of the Wisconsin newlyweds found dead in their car is ongoing, but officials have now released their official causes of death.

Rachel and Brandon Dumovich were found dead in their car from apparent gunshot wounds just before midnight on Oct. 6 in Harvard — a city located approximately 60 miles north of Chicago in Illinois.

Six weeks after the discovery of the bodies, the Harvard Police Department provided an update on the case after learning the results of the couple’s autopsy reports.

“Based on the ongoing joint investigation and the findings of the McHenry County Coroner’s Office, the incident is being deemed a homicide-suicide,” police said in a media release. “The investigation indicates that Brandon Dumovich fatally shot Rachel Dumovich before taking his own life,” the release continued.

Police also said that while investigators are still at work reviewing evidence and reports in the case, these deaths were an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Rachel, 29, and Brandon, 30, were just days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Oct. 12 at the time of their death.

They appeared to be the perfect couple, with their wedding website revealing they met at the age of 12 in middle school. High school photos of the pair show Brandon in his football uniform posing with Rachel, a member of the cheerleading squad.

They were close friends for 15 years before they started dating. Once they did start dating in 2022, things moved relatively quickly; within two years they were married and living together in Wisconsin.

Rachel, who attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee worked in human resources, according to her obituary.

Brandon had served as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, his obituary said, adding that he had just celebrated his 30th birthday that weekend.

There is no mention of their marriage in either obituary.

An officer discovered Brandon dead in the passenger seat and Rachel dead in the driver’s seat of the car after approaching the vehicle to see if they needed motorist assistance, according to a previous police release on Oct. 8. The car was stopped on Route 14 with its “hazard lights activated,” per the release.

Both Brandon and Rachel had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and police later located a gun inside the vehicle.

At the time of their deaths, the couple was living just a few miles away in Sharon, Wisc., a village with just 1,500 residents located on the state’s border with Illinois.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Harvard Police Department at (815) 943-4431 or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (815) 943-4343.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

The investigation into the case of the Wisconsin newlyweds found dead in their car is ongoing, but officials have now released their official causes of death.

Rachel and Brandon Dumovich were found dead in their car from apparent gunshot wounds just before midnight on Oct. 6 in Harvard — a city located approximately 60 miles north of Chicago in Illinois.

Six weeks after the discovery of the bodies, the Harvard Police Department provided an update on the case after learning the results of the couple’s autopsy reports.

“Based on the ongoing joint investigation and the findings of the McHenry County Coroner’s Office, the incident is being deemed a homicide-suicide,” police said in a media release. “The investigation indicates that Brandon Dumovich fatally shot Rachel Dumovich before taking his own life,” the release continued.

Police also said that while investigators are still at work reviewing evidence and reports in the case, these deaths were an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Rachel, 29, and Brandon, 30, were just days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Oct. 12 at the time of their death.

They appeared to be the perfect couple, with their wedding website revealing they met at the age of 12 in middle school. High school photos of the pair show Brandon in his football uniform posing with Rachel, a member of the cheerleading squad.

They were close friends for 15 years before they started dating. Once they did start dating in 2022, things moved relatively quickly; within two years they were married and living together in Wisconsin.

Rachel, who attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee worked in human resources, according to her obituary.

Brandon had served as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, his obituary said, adding that he had just celebrated his 30th birthday that weekend.

There is no mention of their marriage in either obituary.

An officer discovered Brandon dead in the passenger seat and Rachel dead in the driver’s seat of the car after approaching the vehicle to see if they needed motorist assistance, according to a previous police release on Oct. 8. The car was stopped on Route 14 with its “hazard lights activated,” per the release.

Both Brandon and Rachel had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and police later located a gun inside the vehicle.

At the time of their deaths, the couple was living just a few miles away in Sharon, Wisc., a village with just 1,500 residents located on the state’s border with Illinois.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Harvard Police Department at (815) 943-4431 or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (815) 943-4343.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.