WA to release Spokane ‘South Hill Rapist’ from custody

Kevin Coe, the man known as Spokane’s “South Hill Rapist,” is expected to be released from state custody after more than four decades behind bars and in civil commitment.

The defense and the Washington Office of the Attorney General (AGO) scheduled an unconditional release hearing for Coe on Oct. 2.

Coe, 78, was arrested in 1981 and initially convicted on four counts of first-degree rape. Those convictions were partially overturned due to the use of hypnosis on victims, which raised concerns about the reliability of their testimony. A second trial in 1985 resulted in three convictions, but two were later overturned by the state Supreme Court, leaving only one conviction intact.

Coe is still linked to at least 43 rapes in the Spokane area between 1978 and 1981. In 2006, the state filed a petition to have Coe civilly committed as a sexually violent predator, blocking his scheduled release from prison. A Spokane County jury affirmed that designation two years later, allowing the state to hold him indefinitely at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island.

According to a recent email sent to lawmakers, both the department’s forensic evaluator and the state’s expert agree that Coe no longer meets the legal criteria for civil commitment as a sexually violent predator.

Part of the email reads:

The Department of Social and Health Services would like to make you aware that a high-profile resident of the Special Commitment Center (SCC), Kevin Coe, is scheduled for an Unconditional Release hearing on October 2, 2025.

The SCC forensic evaluator as well as the State’s expert concluded to a reasonable degree of psychological certainty that Mr. Coe no longer meets civil commitment criteria as a sexually violent predator. The parties are in agreement that the case should be dismissed, so it is highly likely that it will be.”

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) noted it is legally bound to comply with the court’s order to release Coe.

“Our task is to facilitate the transport of Mr. Coe off the island when the appropriate arrangements have been made and transfer him to the custody of his defense counsel and staff from Win Win adult family home, the facility chosen by his defense counsel for him to live. He is scheduled to leave the island at noon,” DSHS wrote in a statement to KIRO Newsradio.

Mayor addresses ‘South Hill Rapist’ possibly living in Federal Way

The possibility of Coe’s release has sparked concern among community members and lawmakers.

“Kevin Coe is one of the most dangerous and infamous criminals in our state’s history,” State Senator Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said. “It’s unbelievable that the state would even consider releasing him.”

If his release is granted, Coe could be transferred within 24 hours to a licensed adult family home in the 30th Legislative District. Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell addressed community concerns about Coe possibly living in the city.

“We do not have any say in the release of Kevin Coe, and we understand the sensitivity surrounding this matter,” Ferrell wrote in a statement to KIRO Newsradio. “We acknowledge the community concerns regarding his potential placement in Federal Way. Mr. Coe is in his mid-70s and confined to a wheelchair. While this does not eliminate the possibility of re-offense, we are confident that his presence in Federal Way does not pose a significant public safety risk to our residents.”

Our ability to notify the community is governed by state laws, and we will provide updates if and when we are legally permitted to do so,” he continued.

Law enforcement agencies have been notified of the potential release, and victims enrolled in the state’s notification program are expected to receive alerts soon.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

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