Shocking: the bodies of Sarah and Tyler Schmidt, both 42 years old, and their little daughter Lola, were found in their tent at a national camping park in the American state of Iowa. Lola’s nine-year-old brother survived the murder attack, according to a witness who was there.
The dramatic testimony of Liana’s mother who was murdered by her father: “In hindsight I realized that my son was saved”
The police believe that the suspect in the shooting, a man in his 20s, committed suicide after the murder since his body was also found in the park. The investigation is ongoing while the state park is being treated as a crime scene, according to Iowa Department of Investigation Assistant Director Mitch Mortbedt. He claimed that there were no reports of an early confrontation between the suspect and the victims.
The suspect in the murder is Anthony Orlando Sherwin, who was also staying at the campsite. The bodies of the victims were located on Friday morning and the emergency services were called to the scene. The park was evacuated and Sherwin, the suspect in the murder, was declared missing. After a helicopter was launched to the area, his body was found in the woods not far from the scene.
Mayor Rob Green wrote in a post on his Facebook account that just this week he worked with the murdered Schmidt at the local library. “Like many of you who have heard the news, I am devastated. I knew Sarah well, and she and her family were regular hikers here in the park,” he said. The post received many reactions from surfers who expressed great sadness and shock, as well as empathy for the boy who survived.
A Facebook page under the title GoFundMe, was set up to collect donations to help the nine-year-old, and managed to raise about 150 thousand dollars by Sunday evening (yesterday). The founders of the page said that the boy is “surrounded by family and friends who support him as best they can”.
The park is expected to remain closed until at least Thursday.