On the afternoon of Sunday, November 30, 2025, the quiet residential atmosphere of the Wood Ranch neighborhood in Simi Valley, California, was shattered by a targeted act of violence. Authorities responded to multiple emergency calls reporting gunfire on the 500 block of Hawks Bill Place shortly after 12:00 p.m. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered Dr.
Eric Glenn Cordes, a 63-year-old White male, and his wife, Vicki Cordes, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside the open garage of their home. First responders provided immediate medical aid and rushed the couple to a nearby trauma center, but despite life-saving efforts, both victims succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead.
Dr. Cordes was a prominent figure in the local medical community, having served as a board-certified radiologist at Adventist Health Simi Valley for nearly three decades. Colleagues and community members remembered him as a compassionate physician and a dedicated professional who had spent his entire career serving the area. His wife, Vicki, was a well-known fitness instructor and former bookkeeper, remembered for her vibrant spirit and dedication to health. The sudden brutality of the attack left the neighborhood and the hospital staff in a state of shock and mourning.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a man approach the garage and open fire before fleeing in a black sedan bearing out-of-state license plates. Utilizing license plate reader technology, detectives tracked the vehicle as it traveled southbound on the 210 Freeway. The investigation quickly identified the car as a black Honda Civic registered to Keith Cordes, a 37-year-old resident of Kentucky. The suspect was identified as the biological son of Eric Cordes and the stepson of Vicki Cordes.
Approximately 70 miles away from the crime scene, the suspect’s vehicle was located in Chino, California, near Ayala Park. When authorities arrived, they found the car engulfed in flames. Inside the burning wreckage, police discovered human remains and a firearm believed to be the weapon used in the double homicide. The San Bernardino County Medical Examiner later confirmed the identity of the deceased as Keith Cordes, determining that he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. While police initially described the motive as a financial dispute, the case was classified as a murder-suicide, bringing a tragic end to the investigation.
