Charges filed in Granite Falls animal cruelty case

EVERETT — Prosecutors have filed criminal charges against a mother and son arrested after police reportedly found 31 dead animals in their former Granite Falls house.

Diane Cowling and Michael Cowling have each been charged in Everett District Court with six counts of first-degree animal cruelty. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be added, prosecutors said Friday.

Prosecutors have until Feb. 11 to refile the charges in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Granite Falls police were called out to the foreclosed home by a locksmith who’d been hired by the mortgage company. He noticed a heavy stench and saw several dead animals on the floor.

Police found the remains of 29 cats and two dogs inside in various stages of decomposition.

Both defendants remained jailed Friday on $100,000 bail.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

The new Crucible Brewing owners Johanna Watson-Andresen and Erik Andresen inside the south Everett brewery on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
South Everett brewery, set to close, finds lifeline in new owners

The husband and wife who bought Crucible Brewing went on some of their first dates there.

The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it's one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo council passes budget with deficit, hopes for new revenue

Proponents said safeguards were in place to make future changes. Detractors called it “irresponsible.”

Andy Bronson/ The Herald Everett mayor Ray Stephenson looks over the city on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015 in Everett, Wa. Stephanson sees Utah’s “housing first” model – dealing with homelessness first before tackling related issues – is one Everett and Snohomish County should adopt. Local:issuesStephanson Shot on: 1/5/16
Economic Alliance taps former Everett mayor as CEO

Ray Stephanson will serve as the interim leader of the Snohomish County group.

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Washington will close on Jan. 28. (Photo courtesy of Molbak's)
After tumultuous year, Molbak’s is being demolished in Woodinville

The beloved garden store closed in January. And a fundraising initiative to revitalize the space fell short.

Lane Scott Phipps depicted with an AK-47 tattoo going down the side of his face. (Snohomish County Superior Court)
Man gets 28 years in Lynnwood kidnapping case

Prosecutors also alleged Lane Phipps shot at police officers, but a jury found him not guilty of first-degree assault charges.

The sun sets beyond the the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library as a person returns some books on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘A brutal hit’: Everett library cuts will lead to reduced hours, staffing

The cuts come as the city plans to reduce the library’s budget by 12% in 2025.

Justin Roeth lies on a bed on Monday, Dec. 2 at the Marysville Cold Weather Shelter in Marysville, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
‘I feel safe here’: Marysville shelter saves lives as temperatures drop

Snohomish County has six cold weather shelters. As winter rolls in, they’ve opened for guests.

Lynnwood
Son of Lynnwood woman killed in bomb cyclone also injured

South County Fire previously said no one else was injured. Brian O’Connor has undergone two spinal surgeries.

The Snohomish County Jail is pictured on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
First bills drop ahead of WA’s 2025 legislative session

Permanent standard time, immigration policies and fentanyl penalties were among the proposals pre-filed Monday.

Federal agents seized many pounds of meth and heroin, along with thousands of suspected fentanyl pills, at a 10-acre property east of Arlington in mid-December 2020. (U.S. Attorney's Office) 20201223
Final member of Snohomish County drug ring sentenced

An operation centered on a compound in Arlington in 2020 turned up huge amounts of meth, fentanyl and heroin.

Two people walk a dog along the Snohomish River on Monday, Dec. 2 in Snohomish, Washington. A regional trail, set to be constructed nearby, will connect Snohomish and Everett. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Future trail could connect Everett to Snohomish

Construction is slated to start in 2027. Eventually, the trail could connect Everett and Monroe.

Teslas charging in Victorville, Calif., on March 11. Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and one of President-elect Donald Trump’s biggest supporters, has said the government should eliminate all subsidies for electric vehicles. (Lauren Justice / The New York Times)
Once a must for wealthy Seattle-area liberals, Teslas feel Elon backlash

For many, Tesla has changed from a brand associated with climate action and innovation to something “much more divisive.”

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.