Illinois Man Kills His Girlfriend and Himself Because He Suspected That They Had Coronavirus, Neither of Them Did

An Illinois man killed his girlfriend, then himself, because he suspected that she might have the coronavirus. 

An autopsy report found that the couple, Patrick Jesernik, 54, and Cheryl Schriefer, 59, both tested negative for the virus.

A press release from the Will County Sheriff’s Office said that someone had called them on Thursday to check on Jesernik because they had not heard from him. When deputies arrived at the home they saw the couple laying on the ground with severe trauma to their heads.

“A loaded revolver, containing two spent shell casings and three live rounds were located near Patrick’s body.  There were no signs of a struggle, and the home was neat and orderly,” the press release said. 

When family members arrived at the scene they explained that Jesernik had feared that both him and Schriefer had contracted the virus. She had been tested two days prior to the murder/suicide, but they had not yet got the results back. The results would have shown them that she was negative.

“Both subjects died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head.  Cheryl Schriefer was shot in the back of the head at close range, and her death is ruled as a homicide.  Patrick died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his death is ruled as a suicide.  Both Cheryl and Patrick tested negative for the COVID-19 virus,” the press release continued.

The sheriff’s office also wrote that “during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of service calls that Deputies have been responding to, involve domestic disputes and crisis intervention calls.  As a reminder, if anyone is a victim of a domestic violence situation, the Will County Courthouse remains open for individuals in need of obtaining an order of protection.”