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velma@sh.itjust.works

Violent sex offender released from McNeil Island to Enumclaw, WA (www.fox13seattle.com)

submitted 1 month ago by velma@sh.itjust.works to c/Tacoma@sh.itjust.works

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Robert Lough was convicted of first-degree rape and first-degree attempted murder in 1986.

According to court documents obtained by FOX 13 Seattle, Lough met with a woman at a bar in Renton, and after some games of pool, lured her into his van and drove out to the highway. He raped her, choked her unconscious, and then tried to stab her to death.

The victim awoke on the side of the road hours later, where she was spotted by a passing driver who took her to the hospital.

She was treated for severe trauma and at least 15 internal wounds, two black eyes and a broken eye socket. During surgery, a portion of her colon was removed. Court records indicate the victim suffered severe injuries that resulted in lifelong internal damage.

During evaluations conducted while he was in custody, Lough reportedly described himself as a "monster for five minutes" and attributed the attack to drug use, including a mixture of cocaine and heroin known as a speedball.

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[–] velma@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You didn't read all of his crimes. McNeil Island is specifically for sex offenders that have an extremely high chance of reoffending.

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Okay, so you are the type advocating for life sentences for violent sex crimes.

[–] velma@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

It depends.

Lough was also accused of molesting a child in 1971, and another child between 1972–1977, and accused of raping his ex-wife in 1985.

Aside from sex crimes, Lough has a long history of violent crimes and drug crimes stretching from 1973 to his rape conviction in 1986. He was also convicted of third-degree assault while incarcerated on McNeil Island in 2010.

For years, King County prosecutors successfully argued that Lough should remain confined. However, court records show that on July 8, experts retained by both the prosecution and defense agreed that although Lough remains predisposed to commit violent acts, he no longer meets the legal criteria for a sexually violent predator because he is not considered likely to commit sexually violent offenses.

In court documents, a forensic psychologist wrote, "It would not be surprising if, upon release, he engaged in future acts of non-sexual violence.

Despite that information, the determination that he no longer met the criteria for a sexually violent offender meant the state could no longer legally hold him at the Special Commitment Center, resulting in his unconditional release.

The decision has left many residents questioning both the law and the process that led to Lough’s release.

"It was rather shocking," McCoy-Storton said. "As you continue to read through the documents, you ask yourself how this is even happening so close to home and in a community like Enumclaw with so many families and children."

Records also show Lough was found in possession of a cellphone in 2023 that allegedly contained possible child sexual exploitation material. The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office said no charging referral related to that allegation was ever submitted for review.