Police: Marysville wife runs over, kills husband of 45 years

David Thompson claimed the relationship was “toxic.” But they reconciled. His wife is now accused of murder.

MARYSVILLE — A Marysville woman remained jailed this week pending charges of killing her longtime husband by running over him with her car.

Diane Kay Thompson, 63, is accused of second-degree murder in the death of David Alfred Thompson, 64. The couple had been married 45 years, and they had five daughters together.

In domestic violence court records from 2018, both sides said their relationship had deteriorated over the past decade. The wife alleged a long history of abuse. The husband — as well as friends and family writing on his behalf — denied physically hurting her, but acknowledged both parties had a substance abuse problem, with excessive drinking and cannabis use on an almost daily basis.

Their relationship had become “very toxic,” he wrote.

“We have not shared the same bedroom for some time and essentially try to avoid each other as much as possible,” David Thompson wrote.

Around the same time, he filed for a divorce, then withdrew the case a few months later.

The police report states David Thompson was intoxicated and arguing with Diane around 6 p.m. Sept. 4, “as they often do.” At some point, another family member heard them leave the house in the 1500 block of 140th Street NE, still arguing. She looked outside to see the wife leaving in a gray Hyundai.

David Thompson was down on the gravel, not moving.

The family member called police. David Thompson appeared to have been hit by a car. He died at the scene. The cause of death was still under investigation as of Friday, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies found the wife at her mother’s home. The front end of her car had damage that looked consistent with hitting a person, wrote Snohomish County sheriff’s detective David Fontenot. After being advised of her rights, she spoke with deputies, according to the police report.

“She acknowledged ‘running over something,’ but denied knowing it was her husband, who was near the front of the vehicle at some point but ‘disappeared’ just before she ran over something and left the residence,” the detective wrote.

Sheriff’s deputies were seeking a warrant for home security footage that apparently captured the incident. According to a witness who watched the footage and alerted police to the evidence, there was “no way” the wife had not seen David Thompson getting hit.

An Everett District Court judge pro tem, Valerie Bouffiou, set bail at $250,000. Two days later, Judge Anthony Howard reduced it to $200,000. A defense attorney is seeking to reduce bail further, and a hearing has been set for Tuesday.

Diane Thompson has no known criminal history. The police report notes David Thompson had at least three past arrests for domestic violence assault, in 1998, 2002 and 2018, as well as an active no-contact order with another Thompson.

The Thompsons had wed in Marysville in 1975.

The wife petitioned for a protection order in May 2018.

“I have been afraid so many times in the last 5 years since he quit working and started drinking heavily that there are to many to list, because he drinks every day & scares me,” she wrote. “I sit in the bedroom daily because of his drinking. I am afraid 24/7.”

David Thompson responded that her most recent domestic violence allegation against him had been dismissed, and he maintained in four incidents where she accused him of abuse, she had actually been so impaired she fell and hurt herself. By the time he submitted his rebuttal, he had also signed divorce paperwork in Superior Court.

“It has become apparent things cannot continue as they are and we need to go our separate ways,” the husband wrote.

The husband withdrew the divorce petition in late 2018, writing that they had “reconciled our relationship and no longer want to move forward with a divorce.”

Caleb Hutton: 425-339-3454; chutton@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snocaleb.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Three injured after high-speed, head-on collision on Highway 522

Washington State Patrol is investigating the crash that happened before 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

Fernando Espinoza salts the sidewalk along Fifth Avenue South on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Think this is cold, Snohomish County? Wait until Tuesday

Tuesday could bring dangerous wind chill during the day and an overnight low of 19 degrees

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

The Washington State Department of Licensing office is seen in 2018 in Seattle. (Sue Misao / The Herald)
Drivers licensing offices to close Feb. 14-17

Online services are also not available Feb. 10-17. The Washington State Department of Licensing said the move is necessary to upgrade software.

Pharmacist Nisha Mathew prepares a Pfizer COVID booster shot for a patient at Bartell Drugs on Broadway on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett lawmakers back universal health care bill, introduced in Olympia

Proponents say providing health care for all is a “fundamental human right.” Opponents worry about the cost of implementing it.

Outside of the updated section of Lake Stevens High School on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Lake Stevens, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens, Arlington school measures on Feb. 11 ballot

A bond in Lake Stevens and a levy in Arlington would be used to build new schools.

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.