SPOKANE, Wash. – The release of Kevin Coe, has stirred emotions in Spokane, with residents, both familiar with the case and new to the area, expressing their feelings about his release.
Ayden Franklin, who wasn’t born until well after 1985, is familiar with the Coe case.
He says victim statements were specifically impactful.
“It’s a mix of emotions from depressed and angry to disgust,” Franklin said.
Despite the decades that have passed, Franklin made time to attend court to support the victims.
“It’s kind of close to me just hearing about the number of victims of that heinous crime,” Franklin said.
Tricia Scott, who was 19 when Coe haunted Spokane, says those years of fear changed her life. “
Yeah, it was 40 years ago, but it affected the formative years for me,” Scott said. “It was a time when I should have been carefree. And it was not carefree.”
Suzanne Coulson, who moved to Spokane in 2001, shared her discomfort about Coe’s release.
“That kind of struck me, you know, a little bit of fear, just knowing that there’s someone that had a really violent past and is now free seems kind of uncomfortable,” Coulson said.
Lorena Thiel, new to the area, was shocked to learn about the terror that once faced South Hill.
“Just because I feel like the South Hill is known as being a very safe area,” Thiel said.
Regarding Coe’s release, she added, “I know he’s in his 70s, but still, kind of unnerving.”
Coe was released from the McNeil facility on Thursday afternoon.
