Vancouver, Washington – Kevin West, a Camas-Washougal fire battalion chief, is facing a murder charge after the medical examiner ruled his wife Marcy West’s death as asphyxia and blunt trauma to the neck.
The courtroom in Clark County was filled with family, friends, and coworkers as Kevin West appeared for the allegations of killing his wife in early January. Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Clark County, Jessica Smith, stated that West had deleted text messages with multiple individuals, including the woman he had an affair with.
Initially, West claimed his wife had a seizure and stopped breathing, leading him to call 911. However, further investigation revealed suspicious circumstances surrounding Marcy West’s death, prompting West’s arrest on murder charges.
Concerns about the couple’s relationship were raised to police, leading to an investigation that uncovered marital and financial difficulties between the Wests. The medical examiner’s autopsy confirmed Marcy West’s cause of death as asphyxia and blunt trauma to the neck, ruling it a homicide.
Despite multiple interviews with detectives, discrepancies emerged between West’s statements and evidence gathered through search warrants, phone conversations, and text messages. The investigation has been transferred to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office from the Washougal Police Department to avoid conflicts of interest due to West’s occupation.
During his virtual arraignment, a judge set bail at $1.5 million for West. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 9 at 9 a.m. West, a firefighter for 22 years, has been serving with the City of Camas.