Recertified K9 puts a quick end to Grayland manhunt

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Just over a month since recertifying and after more than a year of inaction, Pacific County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) K-9 Kova has already chalked up a successful track.

PCSO Sgt. Kyle Pettit and Kova were utilized on April 5 to track down a domestic violence suspect in Grayland. Kova was taken out of service in January 2025, after the Pettit-Kova duo’s patrol team certification lapsed on March 17, 2023, and their narcotics team certification lapsed on Jan. 16, 2025.

According to public records, the Pettit-Kova duo renewed their patrol team certification on Feb. 25 of this year. Public records do not show a recertification as a narcotics team.

The sheriff’s office was dispatched to the report of a domestic violence incident on Blackberry Lane in Grayland on April 5. The reporting party, a female, told the Pacific County 911 Communications Center that she had been assaulted by her partner, Corey N. Watson.

One unit from the sheriff’s office and another from the Shoalwater Bay Police Department responded.

“I observed [the alleged victim] was visibly distressed, as she was taking short breaths, and continued to cry as she spoke to me,” PCSO Deputy Ryley Queener said in court documents.

Watson reportedly attempted to smooch the woman while they were in bed and his advancements were unwelcome, and she walked to their garage to get away from him.

“[She] stated that Watson followed her and put his hand over her mouth, and when she tried to get away again, Watson put his arm around her neck, and his hand over her mouth again,” Queener said. “I asked [her] if she had struggled to breathe when Watson did this, which [she] confirmed. [She] stated that she was able to get free enough to call out to her children…to call 911. [She] stated that her children entered the room, helped her get free from Watson, at which point Watson left the residence on foot. [She] stated that Watson is not her husband, but her boyfriend,” Queener added.

The children told Queener that when they came to the garage, they “found her on the floor, with Watson standing with his hands on her.”

Pettit-Kova duo on the job Queener and Kimball did not see Watson while they were en route to the call and were unable to immediately locate him in the area. To locate the man, they called out for the Pettit-Kova duo.

“Sgt. Pettit deployed Kova, who appeared to begin following a scent from [the residence] further east on Blackberry Ln,” Queener said in court documents. “We were then approached by the occupants of [another residence of Blackberry Ln], who informed us that when Sgt. Pettit and Kova arrived on scene, a male subject entered their residence. We took up position around [the residence], and a male subject wearing a blue sweatshirt and black sweatpants exited the front door of the residence. K-9 Kova began barking, at which point the subject immediately stopped, and raised his hands.”

Watson was reportedly taken into custody without any further incident.

He told the officers that he had followed the alleged victim to the garage after his advances, and it was to smoke marijuana with her.

“Watson stated that [she] yelled at him and punched him then sat on the ground and began to cry,” Queener said in court documents.

“Watson stated that he then rubbed [her] back, at which point [she] then started yelling for her children. When the children entered the garage, Watson stated [one of the children] yelled at him and shoved him, at which point he left the residence.”

According to court documents, when Queener informed Watson he was under arrest for domestic violence, he began asserting he was the actual victim. He reportedly asked Queener to look at his face.

“I observed light scratch marks on the right side of Watson’s neck,” Queener said in court documents. He later noted that while he was booking Watson into the Pacific County Jail, the mark became more noticeable. I believe that the marks on Watson’s neck and shoulder were the result of [the alleged victim] defending herself [or the child] defending [her],” Queener said.

Watson is currently charged with domestic violence second-degree assault. He appeared for a preliminary hearing in Pacific County Superior Court on April 6 and his bail was set at $100,000.