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Community honors Cedar Falls family killed at Maquoketa Caves State Park
Eleven days after three members of a Cedar Falls family were shot to death while camping at the Maquoketa Caves State Park in Eastern Iowa, community members honored them Tuesday night in a “celebration of life” for parents Tyler and Sarah Schmidt, both 42, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula Schmidt. The family’s 9-year-old son, Arlo, survived the attack. A GoFundMe page established to help him had raised nearly $272,000 by Tuesday night. Tyler was an IT specialist and Sarah worked at the Cedar Falls library. Investigators have said they have not found a motive for why 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin of Nebraska, found dead of suicide at the park, shot the three family members.
Friends, family and neighbors gather Tuesday during a celebration of life vigil for Tyler, Sarah and Lula Schmidt held at Overman Park in Cedar Fall. The Schmidt's were shot and killed July 22 at Maquoketa Caves State Park. (Chris Zoeller/Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green speaks Tuesday during a celebration of life vigil for Tyler, Sarah and Lula Schmidt held at Overman Park in Cedar Falls. Their son, Arlo 9, survived a July 22 attack at the Maquoketa Caves State Park the killed the rest of his family. (Chris Zoeller/Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Tyler Schmidt, left, and his wife, Sarah, pose with their son Arlo and daughter Lula, right, while hiking in 2022 near Cedar Falls, (Supplied photo via AP)
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