Judge orders Kent murder suspect held on $2 million bail

A King County judge found probable cause this afternoon to hold a 43-year-old man in connection with the slaying of his parents near Kent.

Vincent W. Housley, 43, is being held on two counts of second-degree murder. Bail was set at $2 million.

Housley, after being tracked down by King County sheriff's deputies at a Tukwila motel, was interviewed by detectives about the slayings, according to probable-cause documents entered in court today. Detectives said the killings happened after a verbal argument, the probable cause documents state.

Housley pushed his mother, Karen Housley, 67, down a flight of stairs, then did the same to his father, Joe Housley, 66, the documents say.

After that, Housley stabbed both and struck them with a baseball bat, according to the documents.

Housley's parents were found dead in their home in the 21200 block of 124th Avenue Southeast on Wednesday afternoon by another son who'd called King County sheriff's deputies to check on his parents after not hearing from them. Deputies responded but found the house locked, with no signs that anything was amiss.

The son who called police and other relatives later entered the home using a key and found the bodies.

Sheriff's detectives found Vincent W. Housley at a motel in Tukwila about 8 p.m. Wednesday, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart. After detectives interviewed Housley and conducted additional investigation, they arrested and booked him into jail at 3:44 a.m.

Vincent W. Housley had been living with his parents, but wasn't home when the bodies were found.

The bodies were found in different parts of the house, the sheriff's office said.

According to neighbor Don Adams, the Housleys "were like everybody else around here. They tended to their own work and minded their own business."

He said Joe Housley was a machinist who worked in Auburn and loved to restore classic cars.

"He had four or five cars he rebuilt and took out to shows," Adams said.

Karen Housley worked at a bank, Adams said. An Internet search shows she also was a member of the Puget Sound chapter of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International car club.

"She was really nice," said Kim Kaur, 15, who lives in the neighborhood.

Kaur said that Karen Housley always donated to her school-fundraising activities.

"Even if she didn't want to buy anything, she would make a donation," Kaur said.

According to several neighbors, Vincent W. Housley, who had been living with them, had drug addiction issues and had recently gotten out of rehab.

Court records show Housley has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of forgery in 2008 and making false statements in 2007. He also has been arrested for investigation of burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia, although those cases apparently didn't result in convictions.

His estranged wife obtained a protection order against him in King County Superior Court in October 2007. She cited a history of volatile behavior on his part, including pushing her, throwing objects toward her and their young daughter and playing "mind games."

She alleged Housley had spoken of his desire to die and, while in jail, made an attempt to slit one of his wrists.

Housley was ordered to stay away from his wife and daughter, except for supervised visits with his child, overseen by his parents, until he completed drug and alcohol treatment.

In May 2008, after the couple filed for legal separation, she filed for further protection, describing Housley as a hot-tempered drug addict who had lost a job and failed a rehabilitation program. His parents and brother paid off bad payday loans and "hot" checks, she alleged in a declaration.

Housley was once arrested when Seattle police raided a crack house, traded a car for drugs and was "out of control," the declaration said.

Adams said the elder Housleys were away for the weekend, apparently in connection with a car event.

They took the trailer they used to haul their rebuilt cars around and were gone until Sunday night, he said.

Adams said he thought he saw lights on at the house on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday afternoon, he said both of the Housleys' primary, everyday cars were gone. The truck belonging to the son who lives with them remained in the driveway.

"This doesn't look too good," Adams said Wednesday. "This ain't good for the neighborhood."

Seattle Times staff reporter Sharon Pian Chan and news researcher Miyoko Wolf contributed to this report.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com