In a shocking incident in Seattle, 33-year-old Corey Lizette Burke has pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder after allegedly killing her 67-year-old father, Timothy Burke, with an ice axe earlier this month. The violent confrontation reportedly stemmed from a dispute over leaving the lights on in their home.
According to police reports, the argument escalated on November 5, leading Corey to retrieve an ice axe and subsequently attack her father in the basement of their house. Neighbors alerted police after observing Burke smashing the windows of her own home. Upon arrival, officers were initially denied entry by Burke, who claimed she was alone. However, a subsequent police entry into the home revealed Timothy Burke’s body in the basement alongside the bloody weapon.
Corey Burke was arrested at Harborview Hospital where she had been taken for a mental health evaluation following the incident. Neighbors expressed concern about her father’s welfare, prompting the police to investigate further.
During her interaction with detectives, Corey Burke admitted to feeling overwhelmed by her relationship with her father and described losing control during their altercation. She confessed to using the axe to inflict multiple wounds on her father to ensure his death, including strangulating him and causing injuries to his lung and rib cage. She also stayed by his side until he stopped breathing.
Further adding to the gruesome details, officers reported finding bite marks on Timothy Burke’s back. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the cause of death was severe blunt force trauma, puncture wounds, and asphyxiation, indicating a violent struggle.
Corey Burke is currently being held on $2 million bail as the case progresses through the judicial system. This tragic event has highlighted issues of mental health and domestic violence, with the charging documents suggesting that Burke was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the incident.
This case continues to unfold, drawing attention to the complexities of family dynamics and mental health within the legal system.
