In a chilling case that has shaken a quiet Washington community, a man stands accused of brutally murdering his parents with a belt. Mick Carmichael, 35, is in custody at the King County jail, facing two counts of second-degree murder following the deaths of his parents, Grace Carmichael, 69, and Gregory Carmichael, 68.

The tragic incident unfolded in the family’s Federal Way home, located on the 33700 block of 27th Place Southwest, a suburban area just south of Seattle. Investigators suspect that an altercation erupted between Mick and his parents sometime between Wednesday and Thursday, leading to the fatal attack.

According to reports from local ABC affiliate KOMO, Mick allegedly used a belt to strangle both of his parents during the violent confrontation, suffering injuries himself in the process. The shocking details emerged after Grace Carmichael failed to report for work on Thursday morning, prompting a concerned colleague to alert the Federal Way police to check on her well-being.

When officers arrived at the Carmichael residence, they knocked and peered through the windows but observed nothing amiss and received no response. With no immediate signs of trouble, law enforcement reached out to another family member, who agreed to visit the home to ensure the parents’ safety.

In a bizarre twist, when confronted by a family member at the scene, Mick reportedly expressed a peculiar sentiment, claiming he did not wish to “disturb” his parents. This statement, given the grim reality discovered later, adds a disturbing layer to the case now gripping the Seattle suburb.

When the other family member did come by, they allegedly saw Mick Carmichael walking away.

“Mick responded that Grace and Gregory were still sleeping and he did not want [family member] to disturb them,” an arrest report cited by the outlet states. The family member then entered the home and found the bodies of the victims, but the suspect was nowhere to be seen.

Police put out an alert for residents to be on the lookout for Mick Carmichael, and at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, an officer spotted him in a nearby park. He reportedly appeared to have dried blood on his hands, blood stains on his clothes, and cuts and bruises on his body.

The suspect was arrested, denying that he had talked to his parents the previous day and claiming ignorance as to how he had gotten his injuries, police said.

Court records reviewed by KOMO showed that the defendant has had several run-ins with the law. He allegedly slammed his mother’s head into a staircase and strangled his father during an argument in 2021, calling him “the devil.” He was also reportedly charged in 2015 with attacking his father.

Since 2009, 10 separate protection orders have been issued to protect the defendant’s parents – and five other people – from Carmichael in a total of four discrete cases, the TV station reported.