Police in the Southern California city of Orange say a man and a woman have been found dead inside a home, and the county coroner says the man was the father of former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon.
Advertisement
The father of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Robby Gordon, and the elder Gordon’s wife, died Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide at their home in Orange, Calif. near Anaheim, multiple news sources report.
According to ABC News, both bodies were found lying in the house after Orange County police received a 911 call from a neighbor checking-in on the husband and wife. “The truth will come out, what went down there”, he told the Associated Press.
The neighbor entered the home and discovered the bodies.
“I’m sad and I can’t believe it”, a grief-stricken Robby Gordon told reporters outside his dad’s and stepmother’s home.
For those unfamiliar, Robert was a star off-road racer in his younger days and inspired his son to get into the world of racing in the first place.
The police say the horrifying incident happened Wednesday afternoon in the Southern California home of the couple.
The younger Gordon now races in an off-road series he created in 2013 called Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, following the path of his father.
A police spokesman said the cause of the deaths have not been determined.
“I want to thank all of our friends in the racing community, not only the auto racing community but the horse racing community, and their incredible outpouring of support and prayers”.
Racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted that he was praying for the Gordon family. “Hope they find strength and support”.
Her husband, Ryan Hunter-Reay, is a professional race vehicle driver and won the Indianapolis 500 in 2014.
“Heartbreaking news this morning”.
He won three Sprint Cup races in a career that spanned parts of 19 seasons. “Thinking of the Gordon family and friends”, NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson said on Twitter.
Robby Gordon, 47, is scheduled to run a race at an event in nearby Costa Mesa this weekend.
Gordon is one of only four drivers, joining John Andretti, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
Advertisement
Robby Gordon’s off-road racing team will be in Orange County this weekend. He almost won the 1999 Indy 500 before running out of fuel in the closing laps.
