Popular Washington state chiropractor, husband missing in ‘suspicious’ circumstances

A popular chiropractor in Washington State and her husband have been missing since early this week – and their family believes they may have been abducted.

“It doesn’t appear that they went willingly,” Pauline Dutton told The Post of her sister, 62-year-old Karen Koep, and her husband, Davido, who were both reported missing on Monday.

Authorities carried out a welfare check at the couple’s home in Lacey because one of them failed to report to work, the Thurston County Sheriff said in a statement. It was unclear, however, exactly when they vanished.

“I don’t really know that anyone had heard from them after Friday afternoon,” Dutton told The Post.

The couple’s gray Toyota hatchback was missing from their residence, but was later found in nearby Olympia, the sheriff’s office explained.

“The circumstance surrounding their disappearance is suspicious,” the media release noted.

Four days into the investigation, Dutton said the family is trusting the “excellent sheriff’s department” that is “working hard on this.”

“It’s really important that we let the Thurston County Sheriff’s Department do their job because my sister knew a lot of those people…and they are doing above and beyond,” she explained.

Everyone in the family has also taken on a role in the search effort, Dutton added.

“We’re treating this like a triage emergency,” she said.

The sheriff’s public announcement of the couple’s disappearance was also immediately flooded with comments from patients who frequented Koep’s chiropractic clinic.

“Karen is my CP for many years. She is such a wonderful person. I pray that they are found safe,” one commenter wrote.

“Karen has been our DC since 1999. I can’t believe I’m reading this! I don’t know what to say or do as she has an important part of my entire family’s life,” another added.

The outside of Koep’s Lacey office was also lined with flowers beneath a sign on the door that said “Due to an emergency, Lacey Chiropractic is currently closed,” FOX 13 reported.

Patient Kiera Polk knew something was amiss when she called the office for an appointment and it went straight to voicemail, she told the outlet.

“I had called her office yesterday morning because I had to talk to her about a few things, but it went to voicemail, which I thought was weird, but usually Tuesday is their admin day, so I figured they were out of the office,” she explained.

“[I am] in complete shock and I pray that her and her husband are found safe,” she added.

Koep, Polk noted, was an integral part of the community.

“She will fight for you, she will make sure you are well taken care of, just an amazing chiropractor and an amazing woman,” she said.

“I just hope they are found safe, and she gets home.”

Another patient, Jim Phillips, also stopped by Koep’s Lacey office on Wednesday to see if the police had any updates, KING 5 reported.

“It’s very hurtful. We’re also very hopeful she’ll show, unharmed,” he told the outlet.

Other locals were disturbed by the troubling case taking place so close by.

“I think it’s a pretty quiet neighborhood generally,” Stephanie Krupp told FOX 13 the Lake Forest Community, where Koep and Davido lived.

Koep’s loved ones are “trying to prevent people from muddying the waters, because naturally people want to help, but that can be a deterrent,” Dutton said.

“The most important thing to know is that my sister is a woman of integrity and deep faith, and she’s very strong-willed.”

Davido legally changed his name to the single moniker from David William Cannizzo at some point in the 1990s, a court summary viewed by The Post indicated. 

The 68-year-old had a criminal record including charges of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, public records showed.

“I fear for that, but it seems like it was so long ago…but you never know,” Dutton said when asked if she thought Davido’s past troubles may be related to the couple’s vanishing.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for a comment.

One of the couple’s two adult sons, Justice Dutton, told KING 5 that the family appreciated the public’s positive thoughts as the investigation continues.

“We’re so touched by so many people showing love and support for my mother and father,” he said.

Justice Dutton declined to offer a verbal statement to The Post when reached by phone Thursday.

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