‘Stain on humanity’: County prosecutor scorns legacy of ‘South Hill Rapist’ Kevin Coe

Kevin Coe, informally known as the “South Hill Rapist,” died of natural causes on Wednesday morning, the Federal Way Police Department (FWPD) confirmed with KIRO Newsradio.

At approximately 5:25 a.m., FWPD officers responded to an adult family home in the 33700 block of 38th Place S.W. for a medical emergency.

As officers arrived, fire personnel were already administering CPR on an unresponsive male. Despite life-saving efforts, the individual later identified as Coe was pronounced dead at the scene.

Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam told KIRO Newsradio that his heart is with the survivors of Coe’s crimes, and labeled his passing as ‘unimpressive’ following the announcement of his death.

“Mr. Coe’s passing was as unimpressive as his life. Despite the stain he was on humanity, I’ve been encouraged to see hope and healing spring from many of the lives of those he terrorized. I pray that those who endured his crimes find some level of solace in that he no longer shares the same state of existence as the rest of us. As he now faces his ultimate judge, I am hopeful we can take steps to reform the broken system that let him see freedom in the first place. I’m thankful I will never again see his name on an appeal, a petition for leniency, or a request for clemency, however that said he was but one of many who are daily clamoring to be set loose back into the community yet again. We must stay vigilant and make sure crime victims voices are not lost in favor of the evil doer. My heart and mind are with the survivors today. May they find peace.”

Coe was a Level 3 sex offender who was convicted of rape in the early 1980s. He was tied to more than 40 assaults in Spokane’s South Hill area. The victims of Coe’s crimes ranged from ages 15 to 51.

‘South Hill Rapists’ release from state custody

The 78-year-old Coe was in state custody for more than 40 years before he was released on Oct. 2.

Following Coe’s release from custody, he sparked public outcry after he had plans to move into the Win Win adult family home in Federal Way. Federal Way residents expressed their concerns about Coe living in the area, stating it “raised eyebrows,” prompting Coe’s move to Auburn roughly one week later.

Similar displeasures arose amongst the Auburn community, leading Coe to be relocated back to Federal Way, just miles away from an elementary school.

Since Coe’s release, he was bound to a wheelchair, which Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell viewed as a minor public safety risk.

“We acknowledge the community concerns regarding his potential placement in Federal Way,” Ferrell stated on the day of his release. “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.”

Kevin Coe’s previous convictions

Coe 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.

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.

An email sent to lawmakers stated that a Special Commitment Center forensic evaluator, along with a state expert, both agreed that Coe no longer met civil commitment criteria as a sexually violent predator.

WA State Senator Mark Schoesler previously labeled Coe as highly dangerous and claimed his release was “unbelievable.”

“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.”

Contributing: Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio

Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.