An Illinois mother and her husband were found dead in the backyard of their home in what police are investigating as a possible murder-suicide, just a week after the woman filed for divorce. The victims, Kimberly Hurley, 56, and Robert Hurley, 58, were discovered outside their home in Sycamore early Friday morning.
Sycamore police issued a statement detailing the events. “Sycamore Police Officers and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Kimberly Hurley, 56, and Robert Hurley, 58, both deceased outside the rear of the residence.” the statement read. “Both were shot and a firearm was located on Robert Hurley.”
The couple, married for 22 years, share two children. Court records revealed that Kimberly filed for divorce on November 12, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of the breakdown of their marriage. She was represented by Riley Oncken, the incoming DeKalb County State’s Attorney.
According to Sycamore Police Chief Jim Winters, investigators are treating the case as a domestic violence-related incident. “We are still reconstructing the crime scene, but we are investigating it as a domestic-related incident,” Winters said, adding that Robert had no prior arrests for domestic violence.
Preliminary evidence indicates that Robert was the legal owner of the firearm found at the scene. “There were multiple gunshots (shot), but once we have the autopsy results, we will confirm the number of shots each of them received,” Winters explained. “At this point, we believe Robert was only shot once.”
The couple was found outside their home on Maplewood Drive, located just two blocks from Sycamore High School. Police immediately notified Sycamore School District 427 to ensure safety precautions were in place. “Within minutes of the call, we contacted the school district to inform them that this was an isolated incident, not a threat to the public and that it should not interfere with normal school operations,” Winters said.
The DeKalb County Coroner’s Office performed autopsies, but results are pending. Police stressed there is no evidence of involvement by anyone other than the deceased and no threat to the community.
The investigation continues and police urge anyone with information to come forward. Chief Winters highlighted the devastating impact of the tragedy, stating, “This is a difficult situation for the family and the community as we continue to gather more information.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.