The tiny town of Gilbert is in shock after an apparent murder/suicide involving an Iowa State student and her husband Tuesday morning.

The Story County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident that took place about 7:40 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The two victims have been identified as Daniel Hillock, 44, and Krista Rankin, 34. Rankin is an ISU veterinary medicine student.

According to the Story County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to Gilbert to look into a domestic dispute with shots fired.

Upon their arrival, deputies spoke with Rankin’s 12-year-old daughter who said she had been present in the residence at 201 Rothmoor during the dispute. She had gone to a neighbor’s house to call for help.

Deputies entered the home to investigate and discovered the girl’s mother and stepfather dead in an upstairs bedroom. It isn’t clear who shot whom.

Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said a handgun, believed to be the murder weapon, was recovered in the room near the two bodies.

Hillock was an employee at Martin Marietta Aggregates in Ames.

The couple moved to Gilbert from California.

Rankin’s daughter was unharmed and is under the care of county officials, Fitzgerald said.

Officials at the College of Veterinary Medicine were withholding comment this until students could be notified of Rankin’s death.

One ISU vet student said he remembers Rankin as a “happy” person.

“She studied a lot,” said John Tiemann, a third-year vet student in Rankin’s class.

“She always seemed to be happy, always talking about her daughter.”