The bodies of the man and woman discovered in the woods near the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) road on the 2nd are clearly that of a couple who were murdered and abandoned at their Lacey home about a month ago, and the tenant suspected of killing them has already been arrested.
The Stern County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
Sheriff’s Director Derek Sanders said that although the coroner’s department’s official confirmation process remains, it is clear that the two bodies are those of Davido and Karen Keff, who had been reported missing. The bodies were located less than half a mile from the couple’s property where the suspect, Timothy Burke (45), lived. It was discovered in a suitable location.
Davido (who legally does not use his last name) allows homeless people to move into his property on S. Steadman Road and live in RVs and garages, with or without rent. Burke, who was one of them, was known to have been spreading bad rumours that Davido was trying to evict him.
Keff’s employer, a chiropractor, asked the police to check on her well-being on November 10 after she was absent from work without reason and did not answer phone calls. Police who searched the couple’s home found traces of blood being cleaned up on two living room floors and marks where the body had been dragged into the garage.
Kef’s car also disappeared.
Police discovered Davido’s debit card had been used at two credit union offices on the 12th and checked CCTV in those parking lots, but she was unable to identify Keff’s car. Kef’s car, which was found abandoned that night, had muddy wheels, as if it had been driven off-road, and blood stains on her trunk.
Police arrested Burke the same night while he was hiding on a forest trail. At the time, he was carrying a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun in his pocket, and the bullets from this gun matched the bullets that pierced the Davido couple’s room wall, police said.
Prosecutors said Burke, who was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder on November 22, is being held in the Thurston County Detention Centre without bail.