VANCOUVER, Wash. (Court TV) — A former fire battalion chief is facing life in prison if convicted of murdering his wife to carry on an affair.
Kevin West is charged with first-degree murder in the January 2024 death of his wife, 48-year-old Marcy West. Authorities say Kevin, now 52, strangled Marcy to death in their home.
Kevin West appears in court via video conference on April 9, 2024. (Court TV)
Kevin called 911 on Jan. 8 around 4:30 a.m. to report that his wife was unconscious and having a seizure, according to court documents. She was pronounced dead around 5:11 a.m.
In an interview with police, Kevin said the couple had a regular night watching movies and eating takeout before Marcy complained of a headache and took ibuprofen. Kevin told investigators that Marcy vomited before going to sleep, but had no other complaints and decided to go to bed.
A medical examiner noted injuries on Marcy’s body consistent with strangulation, including bruises under her jawline and earlobes, brain swelling and bilateral subcutaneous hemorrhaging on her neck, documents state. Her death was later ruled as a homicide caused by asphyxia due to blunt neck trauma.
An investigation further revealed that Kevin was having an affair with Cynthia Ward, whom he met “in the early 2000s.” Kevin initially told authorities he had no plans to leave Marcy; however, text messages recovered from his cellphone allegedly indicated he planned to move out of the home on Jan. 8 and finish divorce papers the following day. Letters were also found in Kevin’s garage, addressed to Ward, including one that read, “Next year, 2024 will be our year. We will be together celebrating everyday with love and understanding of what it means for you and I to be together. Our Story will ring in the New Year loud for all to hear!”
At the time of Marcy’s death, Kevin was a battalion chief for the Camas-Washougal Fire Department.
Court documents reveal that since his arrest, Kevin and Ward have become engaged.
