A young Wisconsin couple were tragically found dead inside a car in northern Illinois on October 6 — just days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary.

Authorities are now investigating the shocking circumstances behind their deaths.

Middle-school sweethearts

Rachel and Brandon Dumovich’s love story began long before their wedding day.

The Wisconsin couple met as middle school classmates, and Rachel recalled on their wedding page on The Knot: “I caught Brandon’s attention by stealing cologne from his locker and running away with it.”The couple remained friends for 15 years before reconnecting and starting to date in 2022. Brandon proposed in the summer of 2023 at Big Cedar Lake in Slinger, Wisconsin — a place with special meaning for Rachel and her family. The following year, on October 12, 2024, they exchanged vows surrounded by loved ones.”We can’t wait to share the next chapter of our love story surrounded by our friends and family!” Rachel wrote when she announced the wedding.

Friends and relatives described them as inseparable, sharing a love for travel, the outdoors, and quiet evenings with their two dogs, Dash and Cedar.Hazard lights flashing

Just before midnight on October 6, a officer approached their stopped vehicle in Harvard, Illinois, after noticing hazard lights flashing. A couple was found inside, both deceased. Police initially issued an alert, asking residents to remain sheltered in place due to the heavy police presence. They later confirmed there was no ongoing threat to the community.