Seattle woman allegedly beat dad to death with ice ax because he wanted to turn on lights

SEATTLE (TCN) -- A 33-year-old woman was taken into custody for allegedly biting her father and fatally beating him with an ice ax during an argument about turning on the lights in their home.

According to the Seattle Police Department, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m., officers responded to a home on the 9200 block of Spear Place South for a report of someone breaking glass. When they arrived, they located the woman allegedly responsible for the damage, and she was transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. The female suspect allegedly attacked a police officer during her arrest at the hospital, where she was later released.

Court documents cited by KOMO-TV allege Corey Burke believed she "needed to do something" about her father, 67-year-old Timothy Burke, because they got into an argument over lights in the house. Corey Burke allegedly wanted them off, but Timothy Burke preferred them on. The Seattle Times reports Corey Burke told police that she "just freaked out" when Timothy Burke disagreed with her.

A prosecutor said Corey Burke "appeared to be having a mental health crisis."

During the dispute, Burke allegedly picked up an ice ax, strangled, bit, and "hit him several times in the head and side with the blunt and sharp ends of the ice ax," according to KOMO.

The ice ax reportedly punctured Timothy Burke's lungs and rib cage.

Burke reportedly stayed next to her father until he couldn't breathe any longer, then started breaking glass around the house. A neighbor heard what sounded like a "clapping noise" from the house. The officers at the scene allegedly saw Corey Burke with blood all over her body and asked about the noise. She reportedly told them she "had been clapping inside her home, because she was happy, so she started clapping."

According to the Seattle Times, Burke reportedly became emotional due to Election Day and felt there was "something important" about it. She allegedly told one investigator, "I killed him."

Her father died from injuries to his head and torso.

A detective wrote in the police report that Burke wanted to set boundaries with Timothy Burke and was hoping to help others do the same with their parents. However, she reportedly felt "hyper-focused and disorganized" and considered killing her father as an "act of liberation."

Police located Timothy Burke's body in the basement with a bloody ax on the floor.

Burke was booked into the King County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder.

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