On a summer morning at Maquoketa Caves State Park in Iowa, a horrifying event cut short the life of Sarah Schmidt, a 42-year-old White/Caucasian female. On July 22, 2022, Sarah, her husband Tyler Schmidt, also 42, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula, were camping in the park when they were attacked inside their tent. The couple's nine-year-old son, Arlo, was the sole survivor of the brutal assault.
Authorities were alerted to the tragedy around 6:23 a.m. when they received a call about a shooting at the campground. Upon arrival, officers discovered the bodies of Sarah, Tyler, and Lula. Autopsies later revealed that Sarah Schmidt died from multiple sharp force injuries. Her husband, Tyler, died from a combination of a gunshot wound and multiple sharp force injuries, while their daughter Lula died from a gunshot wound and strangulation.
The investigation quickly led police to identify a suspect, 23-year-old Anthony Orlando Sherwin from La Vista, Nebraska, who was also a registered camper at the park. Sherwin was the only camper who was unaccounted for after the incident. A search of the area was conducted, and later that morning, Sherwin was found deceased west of the park from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Law enforcement officials have stated that they believe Sherwin acted alone and that the attack appeared to be random, as there was no known connection between him and the Schmidt family. Due to the suspect's death, no arrests were made. The Iowa Department of Public Safety concluded that all evidence indicated Sherwin was the perpetrator and that he had died by suicide. Despite the official conclusion, the suspect's parents have publicly expressed doubts about their son's involvement in the horrific crime.
