Tri-Cities woman was already dead when home was set on fire. Husband still at large
Investigators say Kathy Lou Ellen Wilcox was already dead when a fire was started near her body in the kitchen of her Kennewick home. The primary suspect, her husband, is still on the lam.
An autopsy of a woman believed to be Wilcox, 72, revealed she was killed sometime before the home at 1405 S. Elm St. caught fire just after 10:30 a.m. on Monday.
Lt. Jason Erickson confirmed the autopsy showed she had been shot. Other information was being held back because of the ongoing investigation.
A nationwide warrant with a $1 million bail has been issued for Brian L. Wilcox, 68, on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Benton County Fire District 1 was called to the home after a passerby spotted fire coming from the front door and roof. When they were able to douse the blaze, firefighters discovered a body that matched Kathy Wilcox’s description.
When police were able to go into the house, they found a melted piece of plastic that looked like a gas can, and a strong smell of gasoline where the fire is believed to have started.
Information from their son led investigators to believe that Wilcox took his rifles and handguns with him before he left the house in his wife’s blue 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with a Washington license plate of BIP2617.
Detectives were able to located footage of Wilcox spotted going to a West Kennewick Avenue branch of the bank about the same time firefighters arrived at the home. He was seen talking with tellers and leaving the bank.
Once the fire was put out, investigators located the gun safes, which appeared to have been emptied.
It’s not clear what Wilcox did after leaving the bank. Family members have not been able to contact him.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about Wilcox’s location to contact dispatchers at 509-628-0333.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 4:44 PM.