Missing Western State Hospital patient found dead weeks after court ordered trauma therapy
Jan 7, 2026, 3:49 PM | Updated: 3:51 pm
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A patient who had been reported missing from Western State Hospital was found dead early Monday at a construction site on the hospital’s grounds, according to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
The patient was identified by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office as Pavel Vladimir Kolchik, 39, of Lakewood.
His body was discovered Jan. 5 by a construction crew working on the new forensic hospital project at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom.
DSHS said Kolchik had been reported missing after he did not return from court-ordered, unescorted grounds privileges on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Hospital officials said they had been actively searching for him before his body was found.
No details about the cause or circumstances of his death have been released, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Years in state custody and hospital transfers
Court records show Kolchik had been committed to state psychiatric care since October 2008, after he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in King County Superior Court.
His commitment stemmed from a 2007 robbery at a Seattle bank and an assault charge involving a police officer.
Kolchik was initially admitted to Western State Hospital, where he remained for several years before being transferred to Eastern State Hospital in 2017.
Records show he returned to Western State Hospital in March 2023 following a separate arrest in Spokane County for assault involving another patient.
Kolchik’s legal commitment carried a maximum term of life, according to court documents.
Conditional release, revocations, and renewed privileges
Court filings show Kolchik was first granted conditional release in September 2021, allowing limited unescorted community trips and hospital grounds privileges.
Those privileges were later placed on hold in November 2021 due to issues related to medication changes and behavioral concerns.
In May 2024, the court formally revoked his conditional release, returning him to inpatient treatment.
By mid-2025, hospital staff and review boards again recommended a partial conditional release.
In November 2025, a judge approved limited privileges, including unescorted grounds privileges and staff-escorted community outings, citing progress in treatment and assessments indicating he did not pose a substantial danger if closely monitored.
DSHS officials reported that Kolchik failed to return from authorized grounds privileges on Jan. 4, prompting hospital staff to notify law enforcement and prosecutors, according to a warrant filed Monday.
Trauma therapy dispute and court rulings
In the weeks before his death, Kolchik was also the subject of a separate legal dispute involving access to trauma-focused therapy.
Court documents show Kolchik’s treatment team and outside evaluators repeatedly recommended certified trauma therapy, citing a history of significant childhood and adolescent trauma, including a serious accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, domestic violence in the home, and longstanding mental health symptoms.
A psychological evaluation completed in August 2025 stated Kolchik likely met the criteria for complex post-traumatic stress disorder and warned that untreated trauma could increase future risk if triggered.
The evaluator recommended therapy be provided outside the hospital system to avoid ethical conflicts, known as “dual-role” concerns, where the same clinicians both treat patients and assess risk or privileges.
Kolchik’s attorney argued that despite being committed for more than 16 years, he had never received sustained, certified trauma therapy until 2024 and that treatment had stalled due to staffing limitations at Western State Hospital.
In December 2025, a King County Superior Court judge ruled in Kolchik’s favor, ordering DSHS to refer him to a contracted outside trauma therapist within one week.
The ruling authorized Kolchik to attend trauma therapy sessions outside DSHS facilities and allowed him to be out of visual and auditory contact with hospital staff during treatment.
Court records show the order was signed less than three weeks before Kolchik was reported missing.
Investigation continues
DSHS said leadership from the Gage Center at Western State Hospital has contacted Kolchik’s family and that the agency is following established procedures used when a patient dies unexpectedly.
In a statement, DSHS expressed condolences to Kolchik’s family and said support is being offered to hospital staff and partners affected by the incident.
No additional details about Kolchik’s death have been released.
DSHS said more information will be shared if it becomes available.
