Man escapes custody at Snohomish County Courthouse in Everett, WA
Deputies search for man who escaped after court hearing in Snohoimsh County, WA
Snohomish County deputies are searching for a man who escaped from the Snohomish County Superior Courthouse.
EVERETT, Wash. -
Deputies are searching for a 39-year-old man who walked out "unobstructed" from a downtown Everett courtroom Friday, immediately after being convicted on drug and gun charges.
Miscommunication led to escape
What we know:
Kyle Hester, 39, fled the Snohomish County Superior Courthouse at 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in Everett at around 2:30 p.m. Friday following a hearing where a judge informed him he would be taken into custody, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.
What they're saying:
"At that time, the prosecutor asked for no bail until sentencing due to the seriousness of the charges and potential time in prison," said Lt. David Bowman, a spokesperson for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. "Once the judge granted that no bail, Hester got up and walked out of the courtroom."
The judge directed Hester to stop and stay in the courtroom, but deputies said he kept walking.
Snohomish County deputies are searching for 39-year-old Kyle Hester.
A miscommunication within the court resulted in marshals never being summoned to the courtroom, allowing Hester to leave untouched, Bowman said.
"Because this was an out-of-custody trial, and they didn’t have any sort of pre-arrangements or arguments ahead of time from the attorneys about whether there would be custody or not, they hadn’t summoned the marshals to that courtroom yet," Bowman told FOX 13.
Surveillance footage captured Hester exiting the courthouse through a first-floor fire escape, last seen heading west on Wall Street.
Authorities released a frame grab from the footage showing Hester leaving the building alongside a woman. She appeared to yell after him to stop, Bowman said.
Detectives believe they have identified the woman, but the search for Hester continues Saturday. As of publication, authorities have not publicly accused her of assisting him.
Weapon and drug charges
The backstory:
According to court records, Hester faced two criminal charges stemming from January 2020 related to alleged methamphetamine dealing and illegal firearm possession.
Records show Hester is legally prohibited from owning a firearm because of a prior residential burglary conviction.
The sheriff’s office said it now has probable cause for a first-degree escape charge. If convicted, Hester could face up to 10 additional years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both.
Search ongoing
Hester remains at large Saturday morning. Authorities have not said where they believe he went, but Bowman said multiple law enforcement agencies in Snohomish County are coordinating search efforts.
What's next:
Deputies do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public. However, officials advise anyone who sees Hester not to approach him and to call 911 immediately.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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