SPOKANE, Wash — Spokane criminal Kevin Coe — the "South Hill Rapist" — could be released into a group home this fall.

Coe was accused of multiple rapes in Spokane in the 1970s and 80s and was sentenced to life plus 75 years in prison. Some of the convictions against him were overturned, but his status as a sexually violent predator has kept him in state custody. This designation gave the state the right to hold Coe indefinitely at the Special Commitment Center, on McNeil Island in Puget Sound.

Now, experts say Coe no longer meets the criteria of a sexually violent predator — and he can't stay at the SCC. Coe will have an unconditional release hearing in Spokane on October 2 and could be released within 24 hours of that hearing, according to an email from the Department of Social and He

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