‘South Hill rapist’ Kevin Coe poised to be released after decades in custody

The infamous “South Hill rapist” who stoked fear throughout Spokane starting in the late 1970s is set to be released from his civil commitment at McNeil Island.

Fred “Kevin” Coe terrorized the city from 1978 to 1981 by raping dozens of teen girls and women on Spokane’s South Hill. Authorities believe he is responsible for the rapes of 30 to 40 people, according to court documents and previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review.

After serving a 25-year sentence at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary, Coe has spent the past 19 years on McNeil Island after former Attorney General Rob McKenna petitioned to civilly commit Coe for treatment as a sexually violent predator.

Coe, now 77, is in poor health. He has suffered a stroke, heart failure, dehydration, degenerative disc disease and other ailments. He is described as frail, has withdrawn socially and has little motivation to take care of himself, according to court records. His main activity is watching television.

This decline in his mental and physical health has led experts to believe Coe has a very low risk of sexual recidivism. In order to keep him at the island facility, the state would have to continually provide evidence showing Coe is a danger to society.

“The state cannot meet its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Coe is likely to commit predatory acts of sexual violence if released,” Washington Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Mike Faulk said.

After all these years, Coe still is regarded by experts as being in the first stage to change his behavior. He has declined to engage in sex-offender treatment , and not much is known about whether he continues to endorse, supports or wants to engage in sexually violent activities, according to court records. Coe’s treatment plan states he possesses a high level of psychopathy traits and has often engaged in grievance-based thinking, saying “I’m the real victim,” and “I’ve been treated unfairly.” He also was diagnosed with several sex-based disorders, court records say.

As required by law, Coe will face a hearing in Spokane County on Sept. 12 where his victims are expected to speak. A trial is set for Oct. 2 to determine if Coe should be released. If that happens, he will be sent to an “adult family home” in Spanaway, where he will receive 24-hour care.

State lawmakers were notified of Coe’s potential release via email from an official at the state Department of Social and Health Services. The email noted that Coe was scheduled for an “unconditional release hearing” on Oct. 2. According to the email, it is “highly likely” the civil commitment case against Coe will be dismissed, and that he would be released to the family home as soon as within 24 hours of the hearing.

The email adds that members of law enforcement and those enrolled in the victim and witness notification program were also alerted last week.

“It’s triggering,” said a granddaughter of one of the victims, who did not want to be identified because of the trauma Coe inflicted upon their family. Her family declined to talk about the rape over the years, she said.

She received a notice in the mail that he is likely to be released, even though her grandmother has since died.

“My stepdad has also passed away. And he would be beside himself (about Coe’s release). He would have been beside himself.”

The news surprised Patricia Thompson, the county’s first female prosecutor and one of the attorneys who put Coe behind bars following his criminal trial.

“Some people probably will say he should rot away and never be released, except in a coffin,” Thompson said. “Others would say he served enough time … For me, I thought he would be there forever.”

Thompson recalled Coe being manipulative and intelligent. His capture and ultimate conviction was a “sigh of relief” for Spokane at the time, she said.

“Looking back at the time, when the trials were going on … there was an awful lot of fear that he would be released,” Thompson said.

Coe’s arrest came after investigators became aware of a pattern of attacks along bus routes in Spokane and a victim jogging at Hart Field came forward. Spokane Police Department detectives recalled hiding in trees and setting out decoys to lure the rapist into their grasp. The department even tagged a Coe family car with a tracker.

Following Coe’s conviction, he spent decades filing appeals in an effort to free himself from custody. The Washington Supreme Court overturned four first-degree rape convictions in 1984 in part because three of the victims had been hypnotized by police prior to identifying Coe as the suspect. During a second trial in 1985, which was held in Seattle due to publicity of the case, Coe was found guilty of three counts of first-degree rape.

The State Supreme Court subsequently overturned two of the convictions, again citing hypnosis.

As Coe’s sentence drew to a close, the Washington state Attorney General’s office filed a petition to classify Coe as a sexually violent predator and civilly commit him for treatment on McNeil Island indefinitely. He was sent there in 2008.

Passed in 1990, the Community Commitment Act allows for the confinement and treatment of those previously convicted who have a high risk of reoffending. According to a video produced by the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services, state lawmakers sought to make clear the designation was not for punishment, but for sexual offender-specific treatment.

State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said he plans to introduce or cosponsor legislation next session “to prevent or at least make it harder for DSHS or other agencies to release people guilty of such heinous crimes.”

“Kevin Coe is one of the most dangerous and infamous criminals in our state’s history,” Schoesler said in a statement. “He was suspected of raping many women and girls as young as 14 before being arrested in 1981 and ultimately found guilty of first-degree rape. It’s unbelievable that the state would even consider releasing him.”