Gov. Bob Ferguson revoked parole for convicted serial rapist Billy Van Court, canceling a release order issued by the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board and keeping the 78-year-old incarcerated after more than 40 years in prison.
Van Court has been incarcerated for more than 40 years on a life sentence for a series of violent sexual offenses, including multiple forcible rapes at knifepoint and assaults on both adults and children. His criminal history stretches back to when he was a juvenile, with an early arrest for indecent liberties in 1962, according to ISRB meeting minutes from Oct. 2025. His crimes continued into adulthood with convictions in the 1970s and 1980s for burglary, rape, and robbery.
In October 2025, after previously absconding from parole supervision and subsequently being returned to custody, the ISRB found Van Court suitable for release and issued a parole order in February 2026. The board’s decision followed an extensive review of his behavior in custody, participation in treatment programs, and risk assessments.
But on March 3, Ferguson stepped in under state law authorizing the governor to cancel parole orders granted by the board, citing public safety concerns and doubts about whether Van Court’s rehabilitation was complete. Ferguson’s cancellation order directs the Department of Corrections to keep Van Court in prison and calls for further board proceedings consistent with the governor’s direction.
Van Court’s troubled history includes a 2025 return to custody after he failed to obtain permission to leave the state while on parole, leading to his revocation in March of that year. Despite completing sex offender and substance abuse programs and receiving some favorable risk assessments, state officials and victim advocates expressed worry about the risk he would reoffend if released.
The governor’s move underscores ongoing tension between the state’s parole review process and executive authority to intervene in decisions involving violent offenders. The case raises questions about how much weight should be given to institutional rehabilitation versus public safety concerns when evaluating parole for offenders with extensive histories of violent sexual crimes.
