The CCTV footage showed two figures, sisters Candice and Kristin Hermeler, approaching the Family Shooting Centre in Denver, Colorado. It was November 15th, and a subtle cheerfulness radiated from their movements, a stark contrast to the tragedy that would unfold within hours. One wore a vibrant magenta sweater, the other a long grey coat, both offering small, clear smiles.
These 29-year-old twins, originally from Australia, had embarked on a journey that culminated in a Denver shooting range. They’d signed up for a shooting session, unaware that it would be their final act. Within two hours, Kristin would be gone, and Candice fighting for her life, both having fired a single, devastating shot.
The aftermath triggered a frantic investigation, a desperate attempt to unravel the secrets held by these seemingly ordinary women. What detectives discovered was far more complex than anticipated – a haunting connection to one of America’s most infamous tragedies: the Columbine massacre.
Candice and Kristin were born in Victoria, Australia, to South African immigrants, Ernest and Kelsay Hermeler. Classmates remembered them as poised and well-mannered, excelling in their studies at Girton Grammar School. Their potential seemed limitless, a bright future stretching before them.
They continued their education at Methodist Ladies’ College, a prestigious school in Kew, before earning university degrees from RMIT in Melbourne. Kristin found work at a school, while Candice pursued a career as a business administrator. Their cousin described a loving upbringing, a childhood free from hardship.
In the days leading up to the shooting, Candice and Kristin had been staying at a La Quinta Inn in Denver. They were on three-month sabbaticals from their jobs, ostensibly planning a trip to Canada. Their routine was simple: breakfast around 10 am, shopping at WholeFoods, and quiet evenings in their room.
On that fateful November afternoon, they arrived at the Family Shooting Centre, a Yellow Cab dropping them off six miles from their hotel. CCTV captured their arrival around 1:30 pm, showing them briefly speaking with other patrons. One twin curiously inquired about a vintage military weapon, a seemingly innocuous question.
For eighty minutes, they practiced with small-caliber pistols and a revolver, renting lane 13 for $20 at a time. They moved to a quieter stall, away from a group of men, leaving behind a borrowed jacket. The atmosphere, witnesses recalled, was surprisingly cheerful.
Then, at 2:52 pm, the silence shattered. Each woman fired a single shot, collapsing to the ground. Chaos erupted. A teenage boy’s frantic cry – “There’s a problem!” – pierced the air as 911 was called. Time seemed to distort, a horrifying moment suspended in disbelief.
Range officers immediately began CPR on Kristin, but it was too late. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Candice, suffering from a head injury, was rushed to Swedish Medical Centre. Investigators, initially unsure which twin had survived, took DNA samples to confirm identities.
Leading the investigation was Captain Louie Perea, a respected figure known for his kindness. He described the case as “bizarre,” twin sisters from another country deliberately ending their lives in Colorado. The questions were overwhelming, the motive shrouded in mystery.
After surgery, Candice confirmed a pre-arranged “suicide pact” with her sister, but refused to explain the reason behind it. Detectives spent hours questioning her, met with emotional outbursts and frustrating silence. She offered no explanation, no glimpse into the darkness that consumed them.
A search of their hotel room revealed suitcases filled with clothes, jewelry, and personal belongings. Birth certificates, diplomas, and tax information lay amongst the items. But it was a single photocopy that sent a chill through the investigation – the cover of a Time magazine featuring the Columbine massacre.
Kristin had reached out to Brooks Brown, a survivor of Columbine, who had been relentlessly bullied by one of the shooters. She confessed to feeling a kinship with him, having experienced rejection and ostracism during her own childhood in Australia. She sought to understand the unimaginable horror of Columbine.
Their correspondence faded over time, and Kristin never planned a visit. Investigators also discovered a letter from the family of Dylan Klebold, one of the Columbine killers, suggesting a further, unsettling connection. The sisters seemed both captivated and deeply disturbed by the tragedy.
Police quickly moved to dispel rumors of a planned “Columbine-style” attack. Captain Perea emphasized that the sisters had not brought weapons, using only those rented at the range. There was no evidence of a broader plot, only the devastating reality of a pre-meditated suicide.
The investigation was closed on November 24th, and Candice was released from the hospital. The story, however, lingered, a haunting puzzle with missing pieces. An autopsy revealed Kristin had no drugs or alcohol in her system, but a history of depression and “periods of despondency.”
Kristin’s will revealed a final act of generosity, leaving her $200,000 estate to her sister, with a provision for the World Society for the Protection of Animals if Candice did not survive. Her family remembered her “generosity of spirit” and “love of animals.”
Former teachers and classmates were left stunned and heartbroken. The tragedy resonated deeply, a stark reminder of the hidden struggles that can consume even the brightest individuals. The Family Shooting Centre, already marked by past tragedies, was left with another haunting memory.
The story of Candice and Kristin Hermeler eventually faded from the headlines, but the questions remain. What drove these sisters to such a desperate act? What darkness lay beneath their seemingly ordinary lives? Only Candice knows the full truth, a secret she carries with her, a heartbreaking testament to a pact made and a life lost.
