Covington, WA homicide appeared to be staged home invasion: Court docs
Covington, WA homicide suspect in custody
Kyle Cathcart, the man sought in a Covington homicide investigation, is in custody, according to jail records.
SEATTLE - The man suspected of a homicide in Covington, Washington that left his wife dead is accused of elaborately staging the murder as a home invasion, according to new court documents obtained by FOX 13 Seattle.
Kyle Cathcart was officially charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon in King County Superior Court on Thursday. Shortly after his first appearance on Wednesday, FOX 13 Seattle obtained new documents detailing the murder, which prosecutors allege was staged to appear like a home invasion.
Kyle Cathcart confessed to investigators that he planned and carried out the stabbing death of his wife, Jodi, inside their Covington home Friday morning.
Kyle Cathcart, suspect in Covington homicide investigation.
Covington, WA homicide staged as home invasion
What we know:
Deputies went to a home on 186th Place Southeast Friday morning after Kyle Cathcart called 911 to report that he and his wife had been stabbed during a home invasion. When authorities arrived, they found Kyle's wife, Jodi Cathcart, dead in a back bedroom.
Kyle Cathcart had minor injuries to his hand, eyes, and stomach and claimed he was knocked unconscious by an intruder. He was treated at a hospital before being questioned by detectives.
Investigators initially found no signs of forced entry at the home.
Cathcart claimed an unknown man in a dark hoodie attacked them, and investigators retrieved Ring doorbell footage showed a figure leaving the home at 6:49 a.m. wearing a sweatshirt inside out with a white tag showing, whom detectives noted had the same build and height as Kyle, court documents say.
Detectives later found the sweatshirt in a neighbor’s trash; it was a black sweater reading "Karate Mom" which belonged to Jodi Cathcart, and tested positive for blood.
Kyle and Jodi Cathcart, pictured outside their Covington home.
What we don't know:
The official motive for the killing has not been released, though Cathcart told investigators the couple was expecting a $61 million payout from two pending lawsuits.
Court documents say Cathcart told detectives he did not use sleep medication because of a previous incident where he allegedly tried to smother Jodi with a "saran-wrapped pillow" while using a sleep aid. Jodi’s mother and a friend confirmed to investigators that this incident happened around November 2024.
In a follow-up interview, Cathcart admitted to the planning and the killing, and admitted that he "purposefully removed items from Jodi’s wallet and fled out the front door to stage a burglary."
What's next:
Cathcart is scheduled for arraignment on May 12, where he will enter an initial plea. He is currently being held on $60 million bail, according to prosecutors.
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Covington, WA homicide suspect Kyle Cathcart in custody. Here’s what we know
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The Source: Information in this story comes from court documents filed in King County Superior Court, as well as previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.