The “Middle School Sweethearts” were found dead in their car in Harvard, Illinois just days before their one-year wedding anniversary — though neither obituary mentions the other.
Police are looking for answers after an officer noticed a parked car in a northbound lane with its hazard lights flashing on October 6.
When approaching the vehicle, the officer discovered the bodies of a man and a woman, both deceased and later identified as newlyweds Rachel Dumovich, 29, and Brandon Dumovich, 30.
In a press release cited by Fox News, the department stated that both appeared to have been shot and that a gun was found inside the car. Rachel was behind the wheel with Brandon in the passenger seat.
There were no additional details released about their deaths, but police did say there was “no ongoing threat to the community” after investigating the case. It was the McHenry County Coroner’s office that ID’d the couple, per NBC 5 Chicago, who both hailed from Sharon, Wisconsin.
Rachel had posted to Facebook just hours before the couple’s death, sharing a beautiful sunset picture she captioned, “Forever chasing sunsets. Wishing we were back in Greece!” The post appeared to be a reference to their honeymoon, according to Fox News.
According to The Knot, the couple was less than a week from their one-year wedding anniversary, which would have been on October 12.
Rachel shared in their “Story” on the page that she and Brandon first met in middle school when she stole cologne from his locker and ran away with it.
Man Thought Longtime Friend Was Playing ‘Cruel F–ked Up Joke’ When She Handed Him Cooler, ‘Here’s Your Kid’
View Story
They started dating officially in 2022 before Brandon proposed in 2023 at her beloved Big Cedar Lake in Slinger, Wisconsin, before they ultimately tied the knot in the same place last year.
Rachel’s obituary at DeFiore Funeral & Cremation Service does not mention her husband or that she was married. She is described as a “beloved daughter … and cherished sister.”
Rachel is described as someone who had “drive, ambition, and passion,” as well as “a strong sense of empathy, compassion, social justice, and fair play, always championing those who needed a voice.”
The obituary concluded with a reflection on her passion for Linda Dash’s poem “The Dash,” stating that Rachel “lived her dash with as much love, courage, and passion as any person ever could.”
Father Who Killed Man, 67, Alone in Car with Daughter, 14, Running for Sheriff Because ‘System Failed’
View Story
Brandon’s obituary with Davenport Family Funeral Homes and Crematory also did not mention his spouse, instead focusing on his service as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, which it stated “reflected his deep commitment to service and his enduring passion for helping others — a quality that remained central throughout his life.”
His passion for “all things motorized” was also spotlighted, as was his love for the outdoors and adventure.
He was said to have “had an extraordinary ability to lift spirits and bring people together” with family “always at the heart of everything he did; it was his anchor and greatest source of pride.”
The Harvard Police Department is asking that anyone with any information on this case contact them at 815-943-4431, anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 815-943-4343, or by email at crimestoppers(at)cityofharvard.org.
Former Playboy Model Accused of Targeting ‘Older’ Men to Date Before Robbing Them: Police
View Story
