Spanaway man was trying to get belongings back when he was shot to death, charges say
A 24-year-old man faces murder charges after allegedly shooting a Spanaway man on Dec. 5.
Keith Eldon Covey was arrested Thursday for the shooting of 26-year-old Lane Gouker in Tacoma. Pierce County prosecutors charged Covey with two counts of second-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, court records show.
A plea of not guilty was entered on Covey’s behalf during his arraignment in Pierce County Superior Court on Friday. A court commissioner set his bail at $1.5 million, court records show.
Prosecutors wrote that on Dec. 5 at about 8:55 p.m., Tacoma police were dispatched to reports of a shooting at the Aero Apartments in the 9300 block of South Ash Street. A caller stated they heard people state, “He got shot,” and heard them trying to load Gouker into a car. Two witnesses and a woman who lived in the apartment where Gouker was shot drove the victim to the hospital. The woman did not stay to talk to officers at the hospital.
Gouker died from multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the hospital, court documents show.
There are three women who live in the apartment where Gouker was shot. The women, who are related to one another, sublease the apartment from Covey and live with him. Gouker previously lived in the apartment with his ex-girlfriend, court documents show.
A witness told police he heard four to five gunshots, then screaming and a vehicle driving off. The witness provided a video clip that began after the shots were fired. Officers allegedly heard a man scream a witness’ name. Several women were heard talking, and one allegedly said, “He got himself killed,” prosecutors wrote.
Another witness who lived in a nearby apartment said he heard screaming then gunshots and saw three to four women run from the apartment, court documents show.
A witness told police that he had been inside the apartment with Covey and two women. He later saw Gouker outside the apartment. Gouker told him he wanted to get his stuff back from inside the apartment. The witness went inside and told the people in the apartment that Gouker wanted his stuff back. When asked again, the people said Gouker would have to wait. The witness said that Gouker later tried kicking the door of the apartment open, charging documents show.
Covey allegedly came out of his bedroom when that happened and fired three to four gunshots at Gouker. The witness said that Covey then called his mother and asked her to pick him up, prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors wrote there was an incident reported to police on Nov. 22 where Gouker was accused of threatening the residents of the apartment where Covey lived. He reportedly pointed a gun at his ex-girlfriend’s mother and discharged a round, which went through the window.
A woman who lived in the apartment where Gouker was shot said she had gone to the store prior to the shooting. She came back 20 minutes later and saw that her granddaughter was crying. The granddaughter said that Gouker was shot and taken to the hospital. The granddaughter said Covey shot him. She told detectives that prior to the shooting, Covey allegedly said he would shoot Gouker if he ever tried to come into the apartment again, charging documents show.
Covey has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. His convictions include failing to register as a sex offender in 2018 and 2019, court records show.
