A man allegedly kidnapped and murdered a couple he was renting from after finding out he was on the brink of being evicted.
Timothy Burke, 45, was arrested on Friday in connection to the deaths of Karen Koep and Davido, who went missing a week ago.
The bodies of the couple have not yet been found.
Burke was renting from Davido, who does not legally have a last name. Davido’s close friend told law enforcement officials that he believed he was about to evict Burke.
The couple rented their property on Stedman Road Southeast in Lake Forest, Washington, to tenants in camper vans, even if they were unable to pay, according to records obtained by The Seattle Times.
They were last heard from on November 10.
Koep did not show up to work, prompting her office manager to call for a welfare check on November 13.
When sheriff’s deputies entered the couple’s home, they found two big blood stains in the living room, stated a prosecutor. Two law enforcement officers at the scene assessed that it was enough blood loss to lead to death.
Deputies also discovered two bullet holes in the wall, and neighbors said they heard shots fired on Friday or Saturday, court documents state. There were also signs of someone using bleach and a vacuum to try to remove the blood stains.
Detectives believe someone was dragged to the garage where a car might have been. Koep’s vehicle has not been found.
A detective also found a partially written eviction notice by Davido for Burke.
Burke appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on Monday and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The couple went missing the same week that a New York City landlord turned himself in for fatally stabbing three people, saying he was ‘having issues with his tenants’.
And earlier this month, a Brooklyn landlord was charged with eight counts of attempted murder after allegedly setting fire to a building over unpaid rent, causing the parents in the home to toss four of their children down to neighbors on the ground to save them.
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