A Federal Way man is accused of killing his parents inside their home this week, strangling them with a belt and then telling a relative the couple was “still sleeping” and he did not want them disturbed, according to an arrest report and police summaries.
Authorities identified the suspect as Mick Brandon Carmichael, 35. The victims were his mother, Grace Carmichael, 69, and father, Gregory Carmichael, 68. Detectives say the deaths occurred sometime between Wednesday and Thursday at a house on the 33700 block of 27th Place SW. Carmichael was booked into the King County jail on two counts of second-degree murder as investigators process the scene, review camera footage and interview family members and neighbors. The case drew quick regional attention because officers initially conducted a welfare check without finding an obvious emergency, then a relative discovered the bodies shortly after. Prosecutors said a charging decision is expected after additional evidence is reviewed.
Officers were first called Thursday morning when a coworker reported Grace Carmichael failed to show up for work. Police knocked on doors and looked through windows at the family’s home but reported nothing clearly amiss, then contacted another family member to check on the couple. When that relative arrived, they saw Mick Carmichael walking away, according to the arrest report. “Mick responded that Grace and Gregory were still sleeping and he did not want [the family member] to disturb them,” the report states. The relative entered the house and found the couple dead. By late afternoon, patrol officers circulated a bulletin for Carmichael.
About 5 p.m. Thursday, an officer located Carmichael sitting in a park off SW 333rd Street and detained him without incident. Detectives documented what appeared to be dried blood on his hands and clothing and noted cuts and bruises on his body. Investigators believe a fight unfolded inside the home and that a belt was used to strangle the victims. During questioning, Carmichael denied speaking with his parents the previous day and said he did not know how he was injured, according to the arrest narrative. Police emphasized there was no ongoing threat to the broader community.
Court and police records describe a history of domestic incidents involving the family. In 2021, Carmichael allegedly slammed his mother’s head into a staircase and strangled his father during an argument, calling him “the devil,” records show. He was also charged in 2015 in a separate physical assault on his father. Since 2009, a total of 10 protection orders were issued to shield his parents — and five other people — from Carmichael across four cases, according to records cited in the arrest paperwork. Officials have not publicly discussed a motive in this week’s killings, and a final medical examiner report with exact causes of death has not yet been released.
Neighbors on the block described a typically quiet cul-de-sac near parks and schools. Several said they noticed patrol cars at the address during the morning welfare check and again later in the day as detectives and crime-scene technicians arrived. The Federal Way Police Department said teams collected clothing, electronic devices and a belt for forensic testing. Detectives also requested surveillance video from homes and nearby businesses to trace movements at the property between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon, and they are reviewing 911 calls tied to the address in recent years to build a timeline.
At a brief first-appearance hearing Friday, Carmichael refused to appear in court, according to officials, and a separate bail hearing was scheduled for Saturday. Prosecutors said formal charging documents will follow after additional review. If charges are filed next week, the case would move to an arraignment in King County Superior Court. Investigators said they expect to finish initial interviews with relatives and the coworker who requested the welfare check, and they will add lab results from trace evidence tests when available. The department said further updates will be provided through court records and official releases.
Federal Way leaders offered condolences to the family and thanked the coworker who called for a welfare check. A resident who lives several houses away said she saw “yellow tape around the front yard by midafternoon” and watched detectives carry evidence bags from the home. Another neighbor said the couple had lived in the area for years and were “friendly, gentle people.” Police declined to discuss any statements Carmichael may have made after his arrest beyond what appears in the public report.
As of Saturday evening, Carmichael remained in the King County jail on suspicion of two counts of second-degree murder. The next expected milestone is the weekend bail hearing followed by a charging decision early next week. Officials said they will release the victims’ final cause and manner of death when the medical examiner’s report is complete.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.