© Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times
Sammamish Police investigate the death of three people Tuesday. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Lorraine Ficken, 68, and Robert Ficken, 72, as homicide victims Thursday. Detectives believe Matthew Ficken killed himself just as sheriff’s deputies were entering the family home on Tuesday to check on his parents, who he had killed five days earlier. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)
Matthew Ficken shot and killed his parents in their Sammamish house and lived with their bodies for five days before killing himself as King County sheriff's deputies were entering the home on a welfare check, according to a sheriff's spokesman.
Detectives believe a possible motive was Ficken's anger over his mother's announcement that she was moving out of state and that Ficken would have to get his own place, Sgt. Ryan Abbott said in a news release.
"His mother gave Matthew more than enough money to pay for his first and last month deposit on an apartment and additional expenses," the release says.
"The investigation to date tends to show Matthew killed his parents because he didn't want his Mom to move out of state and sell the family house out from under him."
The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified
Lorraine Ficken, 68, and Robert Ficken, 72, as homicide victims Thursday. Lorraine and Robert Ficken died from shotgun wounds, according to the office. Both died Jan. 10.
Matthew Ficken, 34, died Tuesday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide, according to the medical examiner.
Comment: In the era of Darpa-steered remote-controlled killing, there are other reasons why the army would seek to recruit gamers: The military-entertainment complex: How the armed forces use violent video games to recruit and train soldiers