Medical examiner identifies Covington woman, 36, stabbed at home

Published 4:31 pm Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Jodi Ann Cathcart, the Covington woman allegedly stabbed to death by her husband, was 36 years old, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office report.

Cathcart died of multiple stab wounds, according to the report released Wednesday, May 13, which ruled her death a homicide. Jodi Ann Cathcart was found fatally stabbed on May 1 at a Covington home in the 25800 block of 186th Pl. SE, where the couple lived with their three young children, ages 7, 5 and 3. Kyle Cathcart, 41, initially reported the incident as a home invasion before King County Sheriff’s Office detectives determined him as the prime suspect in the death of his wife.

Jodi Cathcart worked as an assistant codirector of Foster Champs of Washington, which works with foster families, according to coworkers, who first identified Cathcart as the victim last week.

King County prosecutors charged Cathcart with first-degree murder May 7 in the death of his wife. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Monday, May 18 in Courtroom GA at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Kyle Cathcart remains in custody at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle with bail set at $60 million, according to jail records. Prosecutors requested the high bail, which a judge granted, because Cathcart told King County Sheriff’s Office detectives about a potential $6 million civil lawsuit settlement that was supposed to transfer into his bank account on May 1, according to charging documents. He reportedly also had told his wife and members of her family about the money.

Cathcart later claimed to detectives he was lying the whole time about the incoming lawsuit money, and killed his wife to avoid being confronted about those lies.

Prosecutors asked for the high bail until they could confirm through bank records whether Kyle Cathcart received $6 million. If he had such money, he could afford bail and flee.

Cathcart allegedly stabbed his wife at least 48 times with their children present, according to charging papers. He initially called 911 to report a home invasion and claimed a man attacked his wife and then he fought with the attacker before the man fled.

Detectives used Ring camera video footage and reportedly found black clothing, with blood on it, on a pile of garbage near the home that Cathcart wore during the killing. Nobody else was seen on video entering the house.

After the May 4 arrest of Cathcart for investigation of murder, detectives interviewed him again when he allegedly admitted that he planned to kill his wife. He said on the morning of the homicide, he put on Jodi’s clothes, retrieved a kitchen knife and stabbed her numerous times. Cathcart told detectives he attempted to kill himself with the knife, but it was too dull. He said he then removed items from his wife’s wallet and went out the front door to stage a burglary, according to court documents