Credit: Irah Sok’s Facebook page
Federal authorities have indicted two men on multiple charges related to a string of violent home invasion robberies targeting Asian families in Washington state. The indictment, announced on August 15 by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman, includes charges for the murder of Irah Sok, a young mother killed during a robbery in Everett in August 2022.
The men, 28-year-old Kevin Thissel and 23-year-old Christopher Johnson, were already in state custody on separate charges and will be transferred to federal custody.
According to the indictment, the men specifically targeted Asian families over several months in 2022 in King, Snohomish, and Skagit Counties. These home invasions typically occurred between 2 and 5 a.m. The robbers, clad in black and wearing masks, would forcibly enter the homes by kicking in doors or breaking windows, often disabling security cameras.
“To create a climate of fear, these men burst into their homes in the middle of the night, dressed in black, claiming to be police, and with guns drawn,” said Gorman. “The primary motive for this robbery crew was money—stealing any valuables they could ransack from these homes. Tragically, they shot and killed (Irah Sok) as her 7-year-old child lay next to her in bed. This indictment seeks to hold them accountable for the terror they visited on our community.”
“These traumatic robberies and assaults occurred in the victims’ own homes where their families should have been safe,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office.
The indictment detailed seven incidents, including:
- May 24, 2022: Armed robbery of a family in Mount Vernon, Washington.
- May 24, 2022: Kidnapping of a young boy in connection with the Mount Vernon robbery.
- July 14, 2022: Armed robbery of a couple in Burien, Washington.
- July 28, 2022: Armed robbery of a woman in Kent, Washington.
- July 28, 2022: Abduction of the victim in the Kent robbery to force her to obtain cash from ATMs.
- August 19, 2022: Armed robbery of a couple and their child in Everett, Washington.
- August 19, 2022: Murder of one of the Everett robbery victims (Irah Sok).