Deaths of Illinois man, 2 sons deemed a triple homicide

Police in northern Illinois are investigating the apparent shooting deaths of a man and his two young sons as a triple homicide and are searching for the man’s missing vehicle.

Officers found the bodies of Andrew Hintt, 31, and his two sons, 5 and 7, at their home in Belvidere on Sunday night, police said Monday. Autopsies are pending.

Four shell casings were found at the scene, but no weapons have been recovered, police said.

The bodies were found after the boys’ mother contacted the landlord to say she had not heard from anyone in the family. The landlord called 911 and officers responded, police said.

Belvidere Police Chief Shane Woody said the deaths are being investigated as a triple homicide.

“Whoever did this horrific act is truly evil,” he said Monday during a news conference. Belvidere is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Chicago.

Officers are searching for Hintt’s vehicle, a silver or gray 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with Illinois registration: CT92923.

An online effort to pay for memorial services had raised more than $24,000 by Tuesday night.

“These boys were energetic, loving, and they brought a smile to those around them," the GoFundMe page says. “Their passing has left their friends and families with a void that will never heal.”

Police asked anyone who knows anything about the vehicle’s whereabouts or anything else regarding the case to contact the Belvidere Police Department at 815-544-2135 or Boone County Crime Stoppers at 815-547-7867.