Suspect in Thurston County couple’s murder remains silent, never looks up during hearing

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The man accused of killing a Thurston County couple appeared in court on Tuesday.

It came just three days after the Sheriff’s Office was believed to have found their bodies.

Timothy Burke, 45, is accused of killing Davido and Karen Koep last month over a landlord dispute.

During his appearance, Burke never looked up at the camera. He said nothing and only his attorney spoke to the judge. He stared at the floor for 15 minutes — the full length of his hearing — while his attorney asked the judge to exclude the media.

“Imagine the chilling effect publicity will have on witnesses on top of this type of media coverage is just dehumanizing and a violation of fundamental principles of fairness. Mr. Burke is presumed innocent and deserves every benefit of that presumption,” Burke’s lawyer said.

The judge denied the request.

The Thurston County Coroner is expected to confirm the identities of the bodies this week.

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