Spokane South Hill rapist Kevin Coe moves to Federal Way

A convicted rapist who is a suspect in over 30 Spokane rapes in the late 1970s was released from McNeil Island and sent to a home in Federal Way.

Kevin Coe, otherwise known as the “South Hill Rapist,” was released Oct. 2 from McNeil Island and sent to an adult family home in Federal Way, according to the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). According to DSHS, it cannot confirm the exact address, but reported that Coe moved to the Laurelwood neighborhood of Federal Way.

Coe had been in the custody of DSHS since 2008, when he was released from prison and civilly committed to the Special Commitment Center at McNeil Island for dangerous sex offenders.

“The Spokane County Superior Court has granted Kevin Coe unconditional release, and we are legally bound to comply with the court’s order,” according to a statement from DSHS. “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.”

The Laurelwood neighborhood is south of South 288th Street between Pacific Highway South and Military Road South.

According to the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), from 1978 to 1981, Coe is accused of committing as many as 37 assaults in the South Hill neighborhood of Spokane that terrified the city. According to the DPLA, in 1981, Kevin Coe was arrested in connection to several of the rapes, and was ultimately convicted of four counts of rape. He was given the nickname of the “South Hill rapist.”

In 1984, the Washington Supreme Court later overturned the convictions because police hypnotized some of the victims in hopes they would remember more details. However, according to the DPLA, Coe was later convicted of one count of rape, which resulted in a 25-year prison sentence.

After serving his prison sentence, in 2008, a civil jury declared Coe to be a sexually violent predator, and he was sent to a DSHS Special Commitment Center at McNeil Island for sex offenders. Now, after 17 years, Coe has been released to an adult family home in Federal Way

“We want to acknowledge community concerns regarding the placement of Kevin Coe. While we do not have a say in this matter, we understand the sensitivity surrounding it. Mr. Coe is a man in his mid-70s who is largely confined to a wheelchair,” Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell said. “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.”

Federal Way Mayor’s Office Communications Manager Ben Miller said that Coe originally requested to be released to an adult family home in Spanaway, but due to his release being unconditional, Coe cannot be placed in the same home as those with conditional releases. Subsequently, Miller said Coe’s release location was changed to Federal Way.

Miller said that the city cannot notify residents if a sex offender is moving into Federal Way unless the offender is designated as a level three sex offender. Miller said if Coe is determined to be a level three sex offender, the city will send out a flyer to local residents alerting them that a sex offender will be living in their community.