A six-year-old girl has been slain along with her parents while on a camping trip in a US state park. Tyler Schmidt and Sarah Schmidt, both 42, and their daughter Lula, six, were found dead at Maquoketa Caves State Park in Iowa at around 6.23am on Friday.
The body of 23-year-old suspect Anthony Orlando Sherwin was discovered with apparent self-inflicted gun wounds following a search of the area. The park has been closed is now an active crime scene.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) said the incident is being treated as a triple homicide. Autopsies for the Cedar Falls family will be carried out by The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, as well as that of Sherwin, reports the Mirror.
A DCI statement said: “At about 6.23am on Friday morning, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and DCI were notified of a triple homicide at the Maquoketa Caves State Park campground.
“Officers located three deceased bodies. Officers later found that a camper was unaccounted for.
“Following a search of the area, officers found the deceased body of Anthony Orlando Sherwin, 23, west of the park. Sherwin appears to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and there is no danger to the public.
“At this time, the Maquoketa Caves State Park is an active crime scene and is closed until further notice.”
Law enforcement thanked the public for their assistance with the investigation and their concern for the Schmidt family.
Investigators don’t believe there is an ongoing risk to the public.
