Gov. Bob Ferguson has pulled the plug on the planned release of convicted rapist Billy Van Court, canceling a parole order that would have sent Van Court back into the community after roughly 40 years behind bars.
The Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) had signed off on parole in February, despite Van Court’s long record of violent offenses and repeated parole violations, including a prior escape and a 2025 incident in which he fled supervision and disabled his tracking device. Ferguson concluded that was a risk he was not willing to take and ordered that Van Court remain in state custody.
In a written cancellation order, Ferguson said he was “unconvinced that Mr. Van Court’s rehabilitation is complete” and pointed to multiple risk assessments in explaining his call, according to the Office of the Governor. His order directs the secretary of the Department of Corrections not to carry out the ISRB’s release decision.
ISRB documents show high risk finding
Records from the ISRB lay out Van Court’s criminal history and parole track and show the board first found him eligible for release in October 2025. A psychological evaluation prepared for the board that same year concluded Van Court was “highly likely to reoffend with a violent offense within five years of release,” according to the ISRB decision. The Department of Corrections file includes that assessment along with the board’s written rationale.
Timeline: release, flight, revocation and re‑eligibility
Van Court was first released on parole in 2023. In January 2025, he fled supervision and destroyed his phone to avoid tracking, violating the terms of his release. His parole was revoked, and he was returned to custody.
Despite that, the ISRB again found him parolable in October 2025 and issued a new release order in February 2026. Ferguson canceled that order this week, keeping Van Court behind bars, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle.
How the governor's override works
Under state law, the governor can cancel or revoke parole orders issued by the ISRB. When a governor steps in, the cancellation carries the same legal weight as a board order, under Washington State Legislature statutes.
That power has been used before. Ferguson invoked the same authority last year when he canceled parole for triple‑murder convict Timothy Pauley over public safety concerns, a move covered by KIRO 7.
For now, the cancellation keeps Van Court in state custody while the ISRB and the Department of Corrections consider what comes next. The board may be asked to revisit its earlier finding in light of the governor’s reasoning. No timetable has been announced for any further proceedings, and Ferguson’s order will stay in place unless it is changed by a court or by a future executive decision.
