Deputies investigating double homicide in Okanogan County; person of interest fled scene

Deputies are investigating a suspected double homicide after a couple were found dead on their property in northeastern Okanogan County. A person of interest in the case fled the scene.

Family members called the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday after Dave Covey, 80, and Geralyn Covey, 66, had not been in contact with their family for three days, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

Debbie Springer, daughter of Dave Covey and step-daughter of Geralyn Covey, said the couple were well-known in the area because of their professions.

She said Geralyn Covey, or “Jer,” as she was commonly called, worked at Washington Tractor for many years, so she met a lot of ranchers, farmers and orchardists.

“Everybody knew her,” Springer said.

She said Dave Covey worked at the Okanogan County maintenance shop.

“They were very hard workers and still to this day were hard workers,” Springer said.

The Coveys had left their Omak residence on Sunday morning to go up to their property on the ninth mile of Nealy Road in Chesaw, Washington, near the Canadian border.

The family asked deputies to perform a welfare check. The request helped deputies connect the Coveys to a previous report on Sunday of a vehicle left at the gate of their property just before 9:40 p.m., according the sheriff’s office.

Deputies were able to confirm the abandoned vehicle was owned by the Coveys.

On Tuesday, deputies met with members of the Covey family at the property but were unable to locate Geralyn and Dave Covey, according to a news release.

The report was upgraded to a missing persons investigation and the Okanogan County Search and Rescue Team was brought in to search the property.

Volunteers, drones and off-road vehicles scoured the property on Wednesday.

At about 5:45 p.m. deputies located the Coveys’ bodies.

Twice while searching the property, a person of interest was seen by deputies but he ran both times, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies did not detain him.

Investigators found the Coveys’ personal property and two of their dogs at a nearby cabin the man was seen running from, the sheriff’s office said.

The person of interest is believed to be armed and dangerous. He was last seen wearing an older green camouflage jacket and dark pants.

Springer, said she is thankful to the over 600 people who have reached out to the family offering their condolences and assistance.

The Washington State Patrol’s Crime Scene Response Team assisted the sheriff’s office in processing the crime scene, the sheriff’s office said. The sheriff’s office is working with the Okanogan County Coroner’s Office to determine the manner of deaths through an autopsy.

Anyone with information on the person of interest’s identity or the Coveys’ deaths is asked to contact the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office.