Kevin West: Firefighter asphyxiates wife over marital issues, misleads cops by reporting 'seizure' to 911
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
CLARK COUNTY, WASHINGTON: According to deputies in Clark County, Washington, a firefighter reported his wife's fatal medical emergency as a "seizure" on January 8, 2024.
However, individuals familiar with the couple expressed suspicions that the circumstances surrounding the victim's death were not natural, as per Law&Crime.
As the investigation progressed, details regarding the killing of his wife began to emerge. Consequently, Kevin West, aged 49, has been charged with first-degree murder.
What did the deputies discover?
Deputies reported that in the early hours of January 8, West dialed 911 claiming his wife Marcelle "Marcy" West, 48, was experiencing a seizure.
"Within minutes, he advised the dispatcher that she had stopped breathing and that he was initiating CPR," authorities stated.
Responding to the call at 4.27 am were the Washougal Police Department and colleagues from the Camas-Washougal Fire Department, where Kevin West worked.
Medical personnel arrived promptly and endeavored to revive Marcy, but their efforts were in vain.
According to the sheriff's office, Marcy West was pronounced dead at 5.11 am.
Following her death, law enforcement officials, along with the county medical examiner's office, initiated a death investigation.
In the subsequent days, multiple individuals contacted authorities expressing concerns about the couple's relationship.
These individuals suspected that Marcelle West's death may not have occurred naturally.
Autopsy revealed injuries to Marcy West’s neck
On March 20, deputies disclosed that the autopsy revealed injuries to her neck, prompting the commencement of a criminal investigation.
To ensure impartiality, the police transferred the case to their counterparts at the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities stated, "Through their investigation, detectives learned that Kevin and Marcy were experiencing marital and financial problems."
They added, "Based on a comparison of interviews with Kevin and the evidence found at the house and contained in Kevin and Marcy’s cell phones on January 31, 2024, it appears that Kevin had given detectives contradictory statements."
The medical examiner concluded on Wednesday that Marcelle West's death resulted from asphyxiation coupled with blunt trauma to her neck, ruling it a homicide.
Consequently, detectives from the sheriff's office apprehended her husband on Friday, March 22, booking him into the Clark County Jail.
Kevin West is slated to appear in court on Monday, March 25.
