Brutal Seattle murder case dismissed as suspect incompetent to stand trial

A judge has dismissed a Seattle murder case against a prolific criminal accused of brutally beating a resident at a South Lake Union supportive housing facility, ruling him incompetent to stand trial.

Police said the attack happened on January 2, 2023, at the Canaday House, a Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) supportive housing site. According to court records, 48-year-old Allister Baldwin, a resident at the facility, allegedly struck another resident in the head multiple times, causing serious injuries. Prosecutors charged Baldwin with first-degree murder, but a judge ultimately dismissed the case, determining he was not competent to face trial.

The decision may spark renewed frustration over the state’s handling of repeat offenders and concerns about public safety.

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Why were murder charges dismissed by a Seattle judge?

When a judge finds a defendant incompetent to stand trial, the case is often dropped unless competency can be restored through treatment. In Baldwin’s case, after two years of receiving treatment at Western State Hospital, the court ruled competency restoration wasn’t possible, so the charges were dismissed.

King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney told KOMO News that this “is what is required by the law right now. If someone goes through three rounds of competency restoration, which this defendant did, prosecutors statewide don’t have any other option.”

The state said Baldwin was diagnosed with schizophrenia and a “significant substance use history.”

Baldwin is not expected to be released by the care of Western State Hospital. Under the law, prosecutors would be notified if he’s released from civil commitment so they can choose to refile charges again.

Before Seattle murder case, suspect had a criminal history

This was not Baldwin’s first run-in with the law.

According to court documents, he has a history of arrests. He earned a 14-year sentence in Texas for sexual assault of a child. He then faced a domestic violence charge, but the victim refused to testify. Yet, like many others, he continues to cycle through the system without any meaningful intervention.

This case stands to reignite concerns about the state’s approach to crime and mental health treatment. Many argue that the revolving-door justice system is failing both the victims of crime and the offenders who need treatment.

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