FOLLOWUP: Ryan Cox found competent to stand trial in Gatewood stabbing case

| Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news

When we last checked in on Ryan Cox, the 40-year-old repeat offender arrested after a man was stabbed in Gatewood last August, he had been ordered sent to Western State Hospital for an attempt at restoring competency to stand trial. Today, a King County Superior Court judge formally found Cox competent, an assessment that doctors at the state hospital had reached while he was there. According to the evaluation document that’s in the public court files, they diagnosed Cox with unspecified psychosis, while finding him in full understanding of the charges he faces and capable of assisting in his own defense. For his part, the evaluation says, Cox told them he “played crazy to come here” because he prefers WSH to county jail. It’s not the first time he has said that; we covered a Municipal Court hearing eight years ago in which he said that to his lawyer and then basically asked the judge if she could send him there ASAP. This was the first time in five years he had been to that hospital, according to court records. Aside from his time there, he has been in the King County Jail since his arrest, bail set at $150,000, awaiting trial on second-degree assault. Now that the competency issue has been resolved, his next case-scheduling hearing is set for July 26th.

flimflam July 16, 2018 (4:56 pm)

good lord enough with this guy already… i know, i know, i’m heartless and mean and he’s just a wonderful guy. sometimes.

WSB July 16, 2018 (4:58 pm)

Sorry, it’s a newsworthy case so we’ll be continuing to report on it as newsworthy developments continue, of which this certainly is one – TR
- flimflam July 16, 2018 (7:27 pm)
  
  i appreciate that, i mean “enough” as in incarcerate this guy once and for all.

T July 16, 2018 (6:15 pm)

Interesting he was found competent but Kierra Ward was not.

WSB July 16, 2018 (6:19 pm)

If you follow the previous link, he too was found incompetent before being sent to Western State. That is the same stage where her case is currently.
Swede. July 17, 2018 (7:39 am)

But Cox is a pro at this. Been doing this for decades, he knows how it works. Seemed like it was (at least) his third time at the hospital the last 8 years.
- WSB July 17, 2018 (12:10 pm)
  
  Not decades. The evaluation in the public files is quite comprehensive. His first mental-health hospitalizations of any kind were in 2005, including what was then the West Seattle hospital (now Navos). This was his fifth time at Western State – twice in 2009, once each in 2011 and 2013, nothing since then.

One of his victims July 16, 2018 (6:21 pm)

If you’ve been one of his victims then you really appreciate the Blogs coverage of Ryan Cox . As much as I want him out of our community, in this stabbing incident it seemed he was provoked and honestly felt threatened.

Alki resident July 16, 2018 (6:58 pm)

He was provoked so much that he stabbed himself in the leg after slaughtering Court, right ok.
- WSB July 16, 2018 (7:18 pm)
  
  Slaughter? The victim didn’t die last I heard – generally they would have upped the charge if so.
  - Alki resident July 16, 2018 (8:55 pm)
    
    Wsb if you’d seen his wounds, they were mortifying. Maybe read between the lines instead of being snarky. Court easily could’ve died that nite as deep as those slashes were.
    - WSB July 16, 2018 (9:11 pm)
      
      Hi. Not being snarky. Running the site for 12+ years now, I have noted time and again that if a comment with an incorrect statement goes uncorrected, it’s taken as truth, so we have to ensure comments’ integrity too, same as stories. Thank you. – TR
  - west seattle Res July 19, 2018 (3:39 pm)
    
    I helped the guy stay alive. if not for his ribs protecting him Ryan would have cut into his heart.I know because I was surgically trained. Ryan should be locked up, and i’m one who believes in both sides of the story. it WAS BRUTAL and that’s coming from a Marine.

Elise July 17, 2018 (2:16 am)

Having had Ryan Cox stand outside our house and yell f—ing lesbians and then f—ing faggots at our neighbors house was concerning (the day before he stabbed someone). It was not a random “yell at a house” type moment for Ryan. How did he know my wife and I are lesbians and our neighbors were gay men? He is crazy and evil. He is not to be trusted.

Sorry, comment time is over.