Jerry Spicer, 63, passed away Thursday, Jan. 3, a day after he suffered a head injury during an incident at the Special Commitment Center (SCC) on McNeil Island. Spicer fell and hit his head after an altercation with another resident Wednesday evening in the cafeteria. He was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McCord and later succumbed to his injuries there. Spicer was detained at the SCC in 2005 and committed in 2009 after a Grant County court determined he met the criteria of a Sexually Violent Predator.
Washington State Patrol was notified and later arrested 39-year-old Gregory Coley, Jr., who was booked into the Pierce County Jail. WSP is now handling the ongoing investigation.
About the Special Commitment Center: After several high-profile cases involving sexually violent predators in Washington state, the Legislature enacted the Community Protection Act in 1990 that created the Special Commitment Center. Housed on McNeil Island, the SCC provides specialized mental health treatment program for civilly committed sexually violent offenders who have completed their prison sentences. In each of its facilities, the SCC employs a variety of stringent public safety and security measures to provide for the community’s safety.