Two people were found dead inside a home in unincorporated Sycamore on Tuesday morning, prompting school lockdowns and a multi-county search for the person responsible, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

The victims were found after a family member asked the sheriff’s office to check their relatives in the 1300 block of Oakland Drive in Sycamore, according to a news release from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

DeKalb County Sheriff Andy Sullivan said his office is still investigating the matter and asked the public to help.

“This is a tragic incident, and the Sheriff’s Office will work diligently to bring justice for the victims and their loved ones,” Sullivan said. “We ask anyone with information to come forward and assist us in this investigation.”

One person is in police custody in Rockford in connection to the deaths, authorities said. That person has not been identified, but authorities said the suspect was found in the Rockford area driving a vehicle that was missing from the victims’ home.

The suspect was detained by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.

Lt. Ryan Pettengell of the sheriff’s office was at the scene Tuesday at around 11:45 a.m. He said about 15 deputies were present. Oakland Drive is closed to thru traffic. Sullivan said he expects his deputies to remain on the scene likely for most of the remainder of Tuesday.

Police tape could be seen roping off the area near the home and deputies were blocking the way to bystanders. Some neighbors gathered to watch.

The Sycamore School District 427 was under a brief soft lockdown on Tuesday as a result of the ongoing investigation nearby. The Oakland home is less than a mile from Sycamore Middle School.

The district returned to normal operations around 11:25 a.m., officials announced.

Interim Sycamore superintendent Nick Reineck announced the lockdown to district families in a 10:42 a.m. email. Less than an hour later, Reineck said the soft lockdown had ended.

“We want to inform you that the districtwide soft lockdown has been lifted,” Reineck wrote at 11:25 a.m. “Normal operations have resumed in all of our schools. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this precautionary measure.”

In both messages he sent to district stakeholders, Reineck said the lockdown was a precautionary measure that stemmed from a Sycamore police investigation.

Sycamore Police Chief Erik Mahan said he decided to act when his department was notified of the sheriff’s investigation.

“As a matter of caution, the Police Department requested that Sycamore School place the schools in a soft lockdown,” Mahan said. “At this time, the sheriff’s office investigation is ongoing, however the lockdown has been lifted. We are working closely with the sheriff’s office and information and updates will be made available when possible.”

This story was updated at 12:49 p.m. Sept. 30, 2025. Check back for updates.