A King County judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for a Seattle man accused of plotting to kill Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, granting the defendant's own request rather than setting an immediate plea hearing. Nathaniel Foster was due in court to enter a plea this week, but his attorney waived his appearance and the judge instead approved the evaluation, which will determine whether Western State Hospital psychologists believe he can be restored to competency to stand trial.
Per court records cited by KOMO News, Foster planned to kill the governor and was prepared to hurt or kill Ferguson's staff to reach him. According to those same records, Foster intended to force his way into the governor's mansion and had been looking for weaknesses in its security. A Washington State Patrol probable cause certification, reported by KING 5, said Foster detailed a plan to take public buses to Olympia, map guard shifts and breach the mansion grounds.
The plot came to light after Foster showed up at Swedish Hospital in First Hill and reported suicidal and homicidal thoughts, per court documents dated to July 2026. He was evaluated there for involuntary detention at a mental health facility and for possible civil commitment. Hospital staff alerted law enforcement under duty-to-warn protocols after Foster described his plans to staff, according to the same KING 5 report, which also noted that Foster checked himself into the hospital on July 18, 2026.
Charges Filed While Foster Was Not in Custody
Foster was out of the hospital and not in custody when prosecutors filed charges against him, and he subsequently failed to attend court hearings. A King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office spokesperson said the case landed on prosecutors' desks in late July, but charging took time. “There was some essential information we wanted to get before we brought it to court, which were things like the video, witness statements, really key details we needed to have for the case,” the spokesperson said, per the KOMO report. The office also said threats require accountability before the court.
Foster's failure to appear led to a bench warrant, and Seattle police arrested him in August after he was accused of damaging a Seattle Police Department patrol unit, according to KING 5. He is now being investigated for that alleged Seattle crime as well. Foster's address is listed at a homeless resource center in Seattle, per court records.
A Documented History of Violence and Incompetency Findings
Court records show Foster has a history of violent criminal charges. In 2025, he allegedly stabbed a grocery store employee in the face in Olympia after being greeted by the worker, according to Fox News, which reported that Foster told police at the time that voices in his head instructed him to do it and that he wanted to kill politicians and police officers. That assault case was ultimately dismissed after Foster was found incompetent to stand trial.
Fox News further reported that Foster has had seven criminal cases dismissed on incompetency grounds since 2017, spanning charges including felony assault, custodial assault, harassment and malicious mischief. Charging documents reviewed by the outlet indicate Foster told investigators his plan to target Ferguson stemmed from grievances tied to a prior period of incarceration in Spokane. King County prosecutors requested $50,000 bail and a strict no-contact order barring Foster from the governor, citing a high likelihood he would commit violent offenses if released, according to Fox News. He was ultimately held on $50,000 bail following his August arrest.
What Happens Next
Foster is due back in court September 15 for a review of the mental health evaluation results and a determination of next steps. A judge is expected to review those results at that hearing. If Foster is found incompetent, competency restoration under Washington's court system could take up to a year.
Washington's forensic mental health system has been under scrutiny amid the ongoing federal Trueblood class-action oversight of competency evaluations statewide. Court monitor reports show the state added 86 forensic beds across facilities by 2024, which helped cut average county wait times for court-ordered evaluations from 84 days in 2024 to 25 days in 2025, according to Whatcom County records. Whether Western State Hospital can complete Foster's evaluation without lengthy delay remains an open question, as does whether prosecutors would pursue civil commitment should he again be deemed unable to be restored to competency.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Threats Against Ferguson
Foster's case is the second felony prosecution in Washington within a year involving threats against Ferguson. The Chronicle previously reported that 34-year-old Casey Cutter Patterson was charged in Pierce County Superior Court for posting death threats and photos of firearms targeting the governor; Patterson was held on $200,000 bail with a 10-year protective order issued for Ferguson's protection. Under Washington law, RCW 9A.36.090 makes it a distinct felony to knowingly and willfully threaten the life or safety of the governor or the governor's immediate family, a charge investigated by the Washington State Patrol.
In response to the rising volume of threats against state leadership, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste has tasked dedicated personnel at the Washington State Fusion Center with monitoring and analyzing security threats aimed at lawmakers and executive officials, according to reporting cited by The Chronicle. Ferguson, who serves as Washington's governor, has now been the target of two separate felony threat cases within roughly a year, underscoring the heightened security posture surrounding the state's executive leadership.
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