Police say the suspect rented a neighboring home weeks before the fatal Santa Clara shooting.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A 49-year-old Indiana man traveled across the country, secretly rented a home beside his estranged brother and fatally shot him outside a Santa Clara residence before setting the rental property on fire and dying by suicide, police said Thursday.
Authorities identified the men as Matthew Heflin of Bloomington, Indiana, and his older brother, Mark Heflin, 52, of Santa Clara. Investigators described the violence as a targeted attack that unfolded after weeks of planning. Police said Matthew Heflin arrived in the Bay Area in April and spent time in the region before renting the house directly next to his brother’s home. Officials said they are still trying to determine a motive and have not found any writings explaining the attack.
Police said officers were called to the 600 block of Enright Avenue shortly after 12:24 p.m. on May 8 after multiple neighbors reported hearing gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Mark Heflin outside his home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities said he had been removing items from his vehicle when his brother approached him carrying a firearm hidden inside a paper bag. Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan said investigators believe the brothers briefly spoke before the shooting began. Officers attempted lifesaving measures while additional shots rang out nearby. Mark Heflin was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later recovered 12 spent shell casings near the driveway and sidewalk area.
According to investigators, Matthew Heflin retreated into the neighboring rental home immediately after the shooting. Police said he fired additional rounds inside the house before setting a fire in the rear of the property using manufactured fire logs that had been delivered earlier. Thick smoke quickly spread through the neighborhood as firefighters and tactical officers evacuated nearby homes. Authorities used armored rescue vehicles and drones during the response because they were uncertain whether the suspect remained armed inside the burning structure. A body was discovered inside the damaged home later that evening after firefighters gained partial control of the blaze. The Santa Clara County medical examiner later confirmed through dental records that the body belonged to Matthew Heflin.
Police said the brothers had reportedly been estranged for about three years before the killing. Family members told investigators they did not know Matthew Heflin had traveled to California or rented the neighboring property. Authorities believe he drove more than 2,000 miles from Indiana in a rental vehicle while carrying firearms and ammunition. During a search of the burned home, investigators recovered four pistols, ammunition, nearly $95,000 in cash, a passport and several fire-starting materials. Detectives later searched Matthew Heflin’s residence in Indiana but said they found no note, manifesto or written explanation for the attack. Officials have not determined whether the recovered cash had any connection to the shooting.
Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor addressed grieving relatives during a public briefing and described the incident as a devastating loss for the family and neighborhood. Residents in the normally quiet suburban block said the sound of repeated gunfire and the growing fire created confusion and fear as police moved door to door ordering evacuations. Some neighbors sheltered inside garages or behind parked vehicles while emergency crews worked through the afternoon. Police said the quick evacuation likely prevented additional injuries as flames spread through the rental home. Authorities also confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the public, though investigators continue reviewing surveillance video, phone records and travel history connected to the suspect.
Detectives are continuing to reconstruct the timeline leading up to the attack and are expected to release additional findings after forensic testing is completed. Officials said the investigation remains open while authorities analyze firearms evidence and digital records collected in both California and Indiana. The Santa Clara County coroner confirmed Mark Heflin died from multiple gunshot wounds, while the exact cause of Matthew Heflin’s death remains pending. Police said no additional suspects are being sought and future updates are expected during upcoming public briefings.
Author note: Last updated May 15, 2026.