Sheriff: Son lived among parents' dead bodies for days before killing self in Sammamish Authorities say Matthew Ficken, 34, killed himself just as deputies arrived to check on the family

Lorraine Ficken, 68, was identified as one of the three people killed at her Sammamish home, along with her husband, 72-year-old historian Robert Ficken, and their son, 34-year-old Matthew Ficken. Authorities believe the incident was a murder-suicide. The King County Medical Examiner confirmed that Matthew Ficken turned a gun on himself. less Lorraine Ficken, 68, was identified as one of the three people killed at her Sammamish home, along with her husband, 72-year-old historian Robert Ficken, and their son, 34-year-old Matthew Ficken. Authorities ... more Photo: Coldwell Banker Bain Issaquah Photo: Coldwell Banker Bain Issaquah Image 1 of / 63 Caption Close Sheriff: Son lived among parents' dead bodies for days before killing self in Sammamish 1 / 63 Back to Gallery

Detectives say 34-year-old Matthew Ficken killed his parents days before killing himself at their Sammamish home on Tuesday.

The King County Sheriff's Office reported that Ficken likely shot his parents - 68-year-old realtor Lorraine Ficken and 72-year-old historian Robert Ficken - either the evening of Jan. 10 or early Jan. 11.

He then allegedly killed himself just as deputies arrived to perform a welfare check Tuesday — Jan. 15 — after family members called authorities, concerned they hadn't heard from the Fickens. Matthew Ficken appeared to have lived in the house in the 23900 block of 42nd Place South for several days after killing his parents.

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The sheriff's office described the location as Sammamish, but the home was at an Issaquah address, in an area is about 14 miles east of Seattle.

By Thursday, the investigation found that Lorraine Ficken had told her son that she was moving out of state and he would have to find his own place to live.

Ficken's employer, Coldwell Banker Bain in Issaquah, wrote in a statement that Lorraine and Robert Ficken had just bought a home in Oregon to be close to family and that Lorraine was about to retire.

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Lorraine Ficken reportedly gave her son "more than enough" money to pay for his first and last month deposit on an apartment, as well as for additional expenses, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives claimed Matthew Ficken killed his parents because of their plans to sell their Sammamish home.

The King County Medical Examiner confirmed Thursday that the parents each died of gunshot wounds.

SeattlePI reporter Lynsi Burton can be reached at lynsiburton@seattlepi.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LynsiBurton_PI. Find more from Lynsi here.