The Case of Marcelle "Marcy" West

Marcelle "Marcy" West, 48, was strangled to death by her husband, Camas-Washougal Fire Department Battalion Chief Kevin West, at their Washougal home on January 8, 2024. West initially told 911 that Marcy had suffered a seizure, but investigators later determined that she had died from asphyxia caused by blunt trauma to the neck. Kevin was convicted of first- and second-degree murder in January 2026 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Marcelle "Marcy" West lived in Washougal, Washington, with her husband, Kevin West, and their two children. Kevin had worked for the Camas-Washougal Fire Department for more than two decades and had risen to the rank of battalion chief. The couple had been married for approximately 22 years. In the period before Marcy's death, their marriage was experiencing difficulties, including financial problems. Investigators also discovered that Kevin had rekindled a relationship with Cynthia Ward, a woman he had previously known through the fire service. According to evidence presented at trial, Kevin and Ward began communicating again in 2023 and developed an intimate relationship. Prosecutors argued that Kevin wanted to leave his marriage and pursue his relationship with Ward.

In the early morning of January 8, 2024, Kevin called 911 from the family home at approximately 4:27 a.m. He told the dispatcher that Marcy was having a seizure and had stopped breathing. Kevin said he was performing CPR. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the house and attempted lifesaving measures, but Marcy was pronounced dead at 5:11 a.m. Because Kevin worked for the local fire department, Washougal Police later requested that the Clark County Sheriff's Office take over the criminal investigation to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The death was initially treated as a possible medical emergency. However, investigators noticed injuries to Marcy's neck. The Clark County Medical Examiner ultimately determined that Marcy had died from asphyxia with blunt trauma to the neck and ruled the manner of death a homicide.

In the days following Marcy's death, people who knew the couple contacted authorities with concerns about their relationship and whether her death had been natural. Detectives interviewed Kevin and other witnesses and reviewed body-worn-camera footage from the officers who had responded to the house. Investigators also examined photographs taken at the scene. Search warrants were obtained for the West home, their cellphones and online accounts. The investigation uncovered evidence of marital and financial problems and inconsistencies between Kevin's statements and the physical evidence. Investigators also learned that Kevin had been having an affair with Cynthia Ward. Messages between Kevin and Ward showed that their relationship had become serious before Marcy's death. Evidence presented at trial indicated that Kevin was planning to leave Marcy and begin a new life with Ward. The medical examiner's ruling on March 20, 2024, transformed the investigation into a homicide case. Kevin West was arrested two days later and charged with first-degree murder. At trial, prosecutors argued that Kevin had strangled Marcy and then attempted to make her death appear to be the result of a seizure. The defense maintained that Marcy had suffered a medical episode and that Kevin had been attempting to save her life. The jury rejected that explanation.

On January 20, 2026, a Clark County Superior Court jury found Kevin West guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree murder, with both charges determined to be domestic-violence related. The jury deliberated for approximately two hours after a two-week trial. Prosecutors argued that Kevin killed Marcy in order to pursue his relationship with Ward. On February 27, 2026, Kevin West was sentenced to 25 years in prison for Marcy's murder. At sentencing, West continued to maintain his innocence.

The case attracted considerable attention because Kevin West was a longtime fire battalion chief who initially reported his wife's death as a medical emergency, only for investigators to determine that she had been strangled. The prosecution's case also centred on his affair and evidence that he intended to leave Marcy for another woman.