Covington man allegedly stabbed wife 48 times, staged robbery

A Covington man allegedly faked a home invasion to cover up that he brutally stabbed his wife, according to King County prosecutors.

Kyle Wayland Cathcart, 41, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder in connection with the May 1 death of his wife, Jodi Cathcart. The charge carries two enhancements: being armed with a deadly weapon and allegedly committing the crime near their three young children.

King County prosecutors requested the court set bail at $60 million - much higher than is typically requested, even for a murder charge. Kyle Cathcart allegedly told his wife that a $6 million lawsuit settlement was going to transfer into his bank account the day of the killing, which prosecutors argue would provide him with substantial resources to post bail and flee the state (defendants in Washington are required to pay only 10% of their bond to be released from jail). Law enforcement did not find his passport when executing a search warrant of his home.

Rather than simply ask for a divorce - if he was so deeply unhappy with his life - the defendant chose to stab/slice his wife at least 48 times, with his minor children just a few yards away and in easy listening range of the victim's screams," senior deputy prosecuting attorney Thomas O'Ban wrote.

A prosecutor wrote in charging documents that Kyle Cathcart now claims he was lying about the lawsuit money and killed his wife so she wouldn't find out, but a warrant on his bank records has not been executed yet.

According to court documents, King County sheriff's deputies responded to the Covington home on May 1 when Kyle Cathcart called 911 and said he and his wife had been stabbed in a home invasion. Jodi Cathcart was found in a bedroom and pronounced dead. Kyle Cathcart had eye injuries and superficial abdomen wounds and was taken to a hospital.

After he was released from the hospital, he told detectives someone in dark clothing had broken into their home and stabbed his wife, then poked him in the stomach with a knife, which appeared to be one of their kitchen knives. He reported he was concerned for his children's safety, so he chased the intruder, who then ran outside after a brief struggle.

Ring video footage reviewed by detectives showed a figure in dark clothing exiting the front door. A detective pointed out to Kyle Cathcart that the person in the video appeared to be the same height and weight as him, and there were no videos showing an intruder entering the home. The garage door, which had an access code, could not be viewed by any camera at the home, the documents state.

Kyle Cathcart claimed that about a year ago, he took an over-the-counter sleep aid and Jodi Cathcart later told him he attempted to smother her with a pillow wrapped in Saran Wrap, the charges state. Jodi Cathcart's mother and best friend separately told detectives about the incident, the documents state.

Investigators said they needed more time to follow up, and the husband was allowed to leave the interview. Near the scene, a detective found dark clothes in a garbage bag that appeared to belong to Jodi Cathcart, with blood on them. Keys to Kyle Cathcart's truck were found in a pocket of the clothing, the documents state.

Police noted Kyle Cathcart would have had the ability and time to reenter the house through the garage before calling 911.

Investigators sought a warrant for Kyle Cathcart and arrested him in Renton. During a follow-up interview, he reportedly told police he killed his wife and attempted to kill himself after, but the knife was too dull, the charging documents state. He then allegedly staged a robbery and inflicted injuries on himself, the documents state.

He said the "stress from losing his job and the lies about his million-dollar lawsuits were too overwhelming, according to charging documents.

Jodi Cathcart had more than 20 lacerations to her hands and arms. The knife tip had been lodged in her upper left skull, which the King County medical examiner concluded would have required a significant amount of force.

Kyle Cathcart's next court date is his arraignment on May 12, where a plea is entered and bail is addressed.

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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 6:37 AM.