Brother traveled from Indiana to kill estranged sibling in Santa Clara, police say
Santa Clara police probing shooting, fire that left 2 dead
A man was shot and killed in Santa Clara, and house fire nearby leads to discovery of second body.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - As investigators uncover new details into a fatal shooting and subsequent house fire in Santa Clara last week, authorities say the two deceased men were brothers, and that one traveled from out of state to kill the other before taking his own life.
Santa Clara police said Thursday that Matthew Heflin, 49, traveled from Bloomington, Indiana, and secretly rented a home next door to his estranged brother, 52-year-old Mark Heflin. According to investigators, Mark Heflin had no idea his brother was living in the neighboring home.
Targeted killing, police say
Dig deeper:
The violence unfolded last Friday in the 600 block of Enright Avenue. Authorities said Matthew Heflin fatally shot his brother as Mark Heflin was retrieving items from his car. After the shooting, Matthew set the rental home on fire and killed himself.
Officers initially responded to the scene on Friday afternoon and found Mark Heflin suffering from gunshot wounds in front of his residence. He died at the scene. Shortly after the shooting, a fire broke out at the neighboring house.
The following day, investigators discovered Matthew Heflin's body in the rear of the charred remains of the home.
"Santa Clara mourns with you," said Mayor Lisa Gillmor, addressing the family. "A husband is gone, a father is gone, and no words from any of us can fill that absence."
Santa Clara police investigating deadly shooting, house fire
Police are investigating a fatal shooting near a Santa Clara home that caught fire on Friday.
Investigation into motive
While police characterized the incident early on as a targeted attack, a specific motive remains under investigation. Both men were publicly identified by the Santa Clara medical examiner on Wednesday.
The medical examiner confirmed that Mark Heflin died of multiple gunshot wounds. A cause of death for Matthew Heflin has not yet been released.
The Source: This report is based on information from a May 14,2026 press conference held by the Santa Clara Police Department, along with prior reporting.