Detectives arrest Kyle Cathcart in Covington killing
Published 10:40 am Tuesday, May 5, 2026
King County Sheriff’s Office detectives booked Kyle Wayland Cathcart for investigation of first-degree murder in the May 1 killing of a relative at their Covington home.
Renton Police located Kyle Cathcart late Monday, May 4 and turned him over to the Sheriff’s Office, according to a May 5 email from a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. Cathcart is in custody at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle, according to jail records. He was booked at 2:13 a.m. Tuesday, May 5.
Friends and coworkers identified the victim as Jodi Cathcart in the May 1 incident at 25835 186th Pl. SE. She had recently stepped in as assistant codirector of Foster Champs of Washington, according to a social media post by the organization. Foster Champs of Washington is a body of individuals who believe in the importance of nurturing and advocating for foster, adoptive and kinship families, according to its Facebook description.
“We are heartbroken,” said Tiffanie Patton in a Facebook post for the group. “Our community is still mourning, and the loss feels heavy for all of us. But in the middle of that grief, we are coming together—being the village for three innocent children who are deeply loved in our community.”
Patton said that Foster Champs of Washington is a well-established organization that began in Maple Valley as Foster Champs. She said Jodi Cathcart had recently stepped in as assistant codirector and was in the process of helping build new chapters to reach even more families.
“Right now, our mission is simple: justice for Jodi, and keeping the children safe—surrounded by love, support and light,” Patton said.
Patton said Jodi Cathcart and Anjulina Larsen had been working together on a fundraiser to support the mission and families within its organization.
“As a community, our board, team, and families have made the decision to carry forward the fundraiser that Jodi and our president of Foster Champs of Washington, Anjulina Larsen, have been working on over the past three months,” Patton said.
The organization also has started a fundraiser for the three children of Jodi Cathcart, with all of the donations going into a trust fund for the children. That fundraiser can be found online at giveinkind.com.
“Right now, the focus is creating a safe, steady and comforting space for her children,” according to the fundraiser post. “We’ve put together this Give In Kind page to help coordinate meals, daily needs and ongoing support for the family as they begin to navigate life without her.”
The incident
The King County Sheriff’s Office has released few details about the May 1 incident. An initial report said that a person had been killed and another person injured and transported to MultiCare Covington Medical Center.
The Sheriff’s Office later reported detectives were looking for Kyle Cathcart in connection with the killing of a relative and asked for the public’s help to find him. No details were released about how the relative was killed.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office, as of May 4, had not yet identified the victim or released the cause and manner of death.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has received the case from the Sheriff’s Office and will decide about charging Kyle Cathcart for the killing. The Covington Police Department contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for police services.
Kyle and Jodi Cathcart own the Covington house, which they bought in 2019, according to King County property records.
