A firefighter from Washington state was taken into custody on Friday and charged with first-degree murder in connection with his wife's death in January.
49-year-old Kevin West told emergency services on January 8 that his 48-year-old wife Marcelle “Marcy” West was having a seizure, according to reports. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office made this statement..
“Shortly after, he informed the dispatcher that she had stopped breathing and that he was starting CPR,” police stated. This information was reported by Law&Crime..
Police from Washougal and medics from the Camas-Washougal Fire Department, where West worked as a battalion chief, arrived at the scene just before 4:30 a.m. and tried to save Marcy West's life, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at 5:11 a.m..
An investigation was launched by officers and the medical examiner’s office after concerns were raised by friends and family about the couple’s relationship and the circumstances of Marcy West's death.
The focus of the investigation shifted to trauma on her neck following an autopsy. Washougal Police transferred the case to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to prevent any conflicts of interest.
“Detectives discovered through their inquiry that Kevin and Marcy were dealing with marital and financial issues,” deputies stated. “Based on comparisons of interviews with Kevin and evidence from the house, as well as the couple's cellphones, it seems that Kevin provided conflicting statements to detectives.”
On Wednesday, the medical examiner confirmed that Marcy West died from asphyxia along with blunt neck trauma, and ruled her death a homicide.
Kevin West is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Monday.
[Featured image: Kevin West/Camas-Washougal Fire Department]