Detective: Person who killed couple in their home tried to vacuum the blood – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Olympia, Wash. – Testimony this week in the trial of Timothy Burke has brought forward striking details about efforts to clean up after the killings of his landlords, Karen Koep and her husband Davido. Burke, 47, faces two counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the November 2023 deaths. He has acknowledged involvement but entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. The case centers on events at the couple’s home in Thurston County, where investigators found clear signs of an attempted cover-up.
Deputies Respond to a Missing-Persons Call
Thurston County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Koep home on November 13, 2023, after an office manager reported that Karen Koep had not shown up for work. The house appeared secured from the inside, with all doors and windows locked and blinds drawn. Officers noticed fresh damage around the exterior doors and deadbolts, as if someone had tried to force entry with a drill.
Once inside the garage, deputies encountered a strong odor of bleach. They moved into the living room and immediately saw large bloodstains on the floor. Towels, bedding, and clothing lay nearby, marked with smear patterns that suggested an attempt to wipe away evidence.
Clear Signs of a Cleanup Effort
Thurston County Sheriff’s Detective Kyle Kempke testified that vacuum marks were visible across the bloodstains. “You can see the vacuum marks,” he told the court, “where somebody presumably vacuumed after the blood stain was there, because it’s bloody trails in the shape of a vacuum.” Bullet damage appeared on interior surfaces, yet no shell casings were recovered at the scene.
Karen Koep’s vehicle was located later that day. Officers observed a large amount of what looked like human hair inside the car along with blood in the trunk. Five.45-caliber shell casings and one fired bullet were later collected from the vehicle.
Bodies Discovered Weeks Later
The victims’ remains were found nearly three weeks after the initial report. A child searching for dirt-bike trails came across Davido Koep’s body in an overgrown area near another property the couple owned. Kempke described the location as heavily vegetated and difficult to reach, noting that the child’s discovery was surprising given the thick foliage.
Karen Koep’s legs were visible protruding from a nearby culvert. Investigators recovered a large steel bar and a shovel that appeared to have been left at the site recently. The bodies had been placed in a remote spot that required deputies to push through dense brush to reach them.
Burke’s Rental History and Eviction Link
Burke had rented a home from the Koeps. Records showed he had placed multiple 911 calls from the address in the past, some of which pointed to possible mental-health concerns. He had also been the victim of an arson incident at the property years earlier.
Detectives determined that Davido Koep was actively pursuing eviction proceedings against Burke at the time of the disappearances. The couple’s vehicles and personal items remained at the home, consistent with an abrupt and violent end to their lives.
Trial Expected to Continue for Weeks
Burke appeared in court on May 13, 2026, as prosecutors presented the initial wave of evidence. The proceedings are scheduled to resume on May 18 and are projected to last several weeks. The defense has not disputed Burke’s presence at the scene but maintains the insanity plea.
The case continues to draw attention for the methodical steps investigators say were taken to conceal the crime, from the vacuuming of blood to the disposal of the bodies in a remote culvert. Jurors will weigh those details against the insanity claim in the coming weeks.