MOSES LAKE — A 52-year-old Moses Lake man has been booked into jail with a second-degree murder charge after deputies found his 79-year-old father dead inside a residence near Moses Lake on Tuesday. 

Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies and detectives responded about 12:39 p.m. Sept. 1 to a report of a deceased man at a home in the 8900 block of Travis Drive Unit B, according to GCSO. The victim's daughter called dispatch and reported she believed her brother, Joel Ray Koch, 52, was responsible. 

When deputies arrived, they secured the scene and confirmed an adult male was deceased inside the residence. The victim was later identified as Jerry R. Koch, 79, of Moses Lake. 

While investigators were processing the scene, Joel Koch returned to the residence and was detained without incident, according to GCSO. Detectives reported observing evidence linking him to the crime and said he made statements that further implicated him in the death. 

Investigators obtained search warrants for both the residence and Koch's person. The sheriff's office said evidence consistent with a violent assault was recovered. Detectives also obtained home security footage from a nearby resident that reportedly documented Koch's movements the night before and the morning the victim was discovered. 

According to the Grant County Jail roster, Joel Ray Koch was booked Sept. 1 on a charge of second-degree murder. 

A Nixle alert issued at 1:35 p.m. Tuesday advised residents that there would be a significant law enforcement presence near Travis Drive and Craw Lane while deputies investigated the incident. 

The sheriff's office said Renew, Grant County's mental health services provider, informed investigators that a mental health pickup order for Joel Koch had been scheduled for the same day because of a recent decline in his mental health condition. 

Sheriff Joey Kriete said the case highlights the seriousness of mental health emergencies, and the challenges families can face when trying to help loved ones in crisis. 

"This is a horrible, horrible example of why we should take mental health crises seriously,” Kriete said. "It's just tragic. It really is. It's absolutely tragic." 

Kriete said the investigation has affected not only the victim's family but also the deputies and detectives working the case. 

"It's difficult on the family. It's difficult on our team doing the investigation as well," Kriete said. "These are types of cases you don't get every day, and anytime you deal with them, they're a critical incident for everybody involved, including investigators." 

The sheriff said mental health emergencies are "a real issue" and should not be taken lightly. 

"When you start tying in the mental health side of things to any type of circumstance, it's sad," Kriete said. "It's just a tragic event." 

Because of the nature of the case, the sheriff's office is offering support services to personnel involved in the investigation. Kriete said investigators have access to peer support teams, employee assistance programs and additional follow-up debriefings. 

"We try to make those things available and communicate those quite regularly with our teams to make sure that they understand that the assistance is here for them," Kriete said. 

The investigation remains active. The Grant County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death. Investigators said no additional suspects are being sought. 

"This is a tragic incident for the family and our community," Kriete said in a statement released Tuesday. "Our deputies and detectives are working diligently to ensure this case is thoroughly investigated. We extend our deepest condolences to those affected." 

All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.