by MARIO LOTMORE
Updated: September 3, 2019
On August 29 at around 6 a.m., fire crews were called to Forest Lynn Condominiums located at 5822 200th St. SW with an initial report of smoke emanating from the attic. According to Leslie Hynes of South County Fire, one firefighter was taken to the hospital for minor injuries due to falling debris as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
The fire was in the attic of the same unit fire crews responded to around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 28. Fire crews were able to contain Wednesday’s fire to the single unit.
A total of ten residents of six units are displaced. Patty Bush, a member of the Snohomish County Red Cross Disaster Action team, told us that the Red Cross will provide temporary lodging for residents. Support 7 of Snohomish County, a local non-profit made up of volunteers that provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support to victims, was also on scene.
A twenty-seven-year resident of Forest Lynn who is currently displaced by the fire, and who would like to remain anonymous, said, “What is important is that no lives were lost.” Visibly shaken, she is thankful she can stay with her family.
Current Forest Lynn HOA president, Connie Griffiths, is thankful no one was injured. She and other residents knocked on doors and guided their neighbors to safety. According to Griffiths, this is the first major fire at the complex. The complex is comprised of 84 units and is home to at least 150 residents.
The suspect for Wednesday’s fire is 37-year-old Kenneth Curtiss, a resident of the unit below the attic fire. Curtiss is currently in custody and was in custody at the time of the attic fire.
According to court records, Curtiss is facing possible charges of attempt to elude, fourth-degree domestic violence assault, and first-degree arson, a class A felony which is punishable up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine. Bail was set at $750,000.
At the September 3 hearing, the Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor, Tim Geraghty, indicated that the state intends to pursue all charges in the case. James Herr, Mr. Curtiss’ public defender, requested that his client be released with a 24-hr hold for an ITA behavioral assessment. For the safety of both Mr. Curtiss and the public, Judge Tam T. Bui, Snohomish County District Court, scheduled a hearing on September 4 for clarification surrounding the interruption of the initial ITA behavioral assessment at Swedish Edmonds Hospital.
Curtiss was taken into custody by Lynnwood Police on August 28 after being involuntarily committed by Forest Lake officers to Swedish Edmonds Hospital. Court documents show that earlier that day, Curtiss allegedly eluded Lynnwood Police after a brief vehicle pursuit on southbound I-5 which resulted in a patrol vehicle hitting a construction barrier on the shoulder of the road.
Because Curtiss was the primary suspect in an alleged assault against his mother on August 27, Lynnwood Police attempted to stop the vehicle owned by Curtiss. On August 27, Elaine Curtiss, the alleged assailant’s mother, called 911 to request a welfare check after her son allegedly assaulted her with a razor to shave her head.
In an interview with Curtiss’ mother, she disclosed her son’s 19-year battle with mental illness that stemmed from the death of her son’s father. She would like Washington state to do more for both parents of, and those suffering from, mental illness.
Elaine Curtiss described her son as a “beautiful mind.” She added, “He is very smart, does not do drugs, is kind and very religious. I want my son to live a stable life.”
She believes that the recent reduction in her son’s medication by Compass Health officials contributed to the events leading to the charges including arson.
As of 8 p.m. September 3, South County Fire has not determined what caused the attic fire and whether it is connected to or separate from the arson.
Author: Mario Lotmore
3 Responses
And kencurtis free from arson charges .can you blieve it people???????6 family lost their home. One family being harrast by ken curtis by keep knocking the other unit 13 yrs old girl trauma. 2 fire fighter injured? ???? Assaulting lynnwood police???? And the court say not guilty ????? Plèase guyss this already ridicul insaneeeee world we livingg…no action from their insurance farmers..oh my serious Lordddd
I can not freakin believe they let this weirdo free. I lived two doors down from him and he was extremely beyond nice it was so creepy. He gave me Get Out movie vibes as I was the only black resident. We moved into Forest Lynn the same day our uhaul trucks were side by side and he creeped me out from that day stating he’s new here from S. Carolina. He then put up his confederate flag on his patio and had it up for months, Then one of the many occasions of him knocking on my door with a camera attached over his forehead. Stating don’t worry it’s not on I was filming the bees and birds. I had to tell my children to stay away from him as he kept offering them candy when I was not present. He told me he’s part of the KNIGHTS OF TEMPLAR and he used to go out on weekends to put his confederate flag on his truck and drive around. Then he said that’s a beautiful crown on your necklace I’d like to print that 3D and put it over your head. Another instance the pizza lady was at my door delivering, as I gave her the money I heard rapid footsteps approaching, I looked around my door to seeing this psycho running full speed towards us (Get Out Movie style) I snatched the pizza and slammed the door just in time I think the door even hit his face that’s how close he got. I never got my change from the pizza lady as she called me to say he frightened her as well and I told her to just keep the change. I began telling my childrens father I don’t feel safe, whether I’m by my job, Safeway, the bus stop he always pursued me and hunks his horn like crazy embarrassing me as people would always look and wave hard as if he’s an excited 4 y.o. I would always roll my eyes and refuse to wave back letting him know I no longer want to be approached. He became worse, still knocking on my door for random things. One day he came and asked if my childrens father was here.. again we do not know this man. I told him he’s in the shower . He began how he’s getting a friend he met online to come to Wa state. And that he wants me and my s/o to join them for tea. When my s/o came to the door he said oh I was just stopping by to say hello and he turned and sped walk back to his house. I told my s/o to keep the gun close. I’m scared this is a different type of friendly like twilight zone friendly. His smile was even creepy big eyes, a lot of teeth and nothing is on upstairs just blank. He dressed preppy, usually polo shirts, khaki’s. Leading up to the fire his behavior changed. I remember hearing rap music beating extremely loud while I was in my bedroom. Not to mention this community is full of elders. I looked out the window to see this creep wearing a baggy sweatsuit with his hat on backwards doing kind of what we called the g-walk back in the 90’s. He was bobbin his head standing in the parking lot behind his car. And I thought he’s never here at these hours he’s usually at school at the Edmonds cc. How do I know this?! He tells me random thing s I didn’t care to know or asked of. Then I was worried when I seen that he pulled up with a African guy in his car. I was thinking oh no he’s going to try to kill him and I so bad wanted to tell the African guy to Get Out!! I purposely watched all night to see if the African guy left the creeps car never left I never seen the African guy leave the house. I was telling my s/o I think he killed him. Then a few days later the creep pulls up with a whole wall he purchased from home depo. It was larger than his little car . I thought he killed that guy now he’s gonna hide him in the walls. Then boom a big fire. I wasn’t home as I stayed the night at my mothers that night but I came back home to a whole mess. Thanking God our house didn’t burn. Which now makes sense that my dog was breaking and not trying to walk forward as we have to walk towards his house to go downstairs the day this fire happened. The next night people were evacuated because they stated this guy came back and started another fire in the middle of the night. The police came to my door asking me if I was aware of any footage or him recording and I asked if they seen any with me on it cause he came to my door with a camera and I feel like he’s always watching and recording me. They wouldn’t give any info. They also stated he was going through the attics to other peoples houses. I recorded the whole crime scene as I was liked to my patios on the top third floor with a ladder going through my patio smashing my tree and a firefighter walking across my patio. Which that is my patio on the image above. The police were even calling me a month later still wanting info on this guy. I don’t understand how he is free. I even kept saying I feel like he killed his mother and brother cause I feel like a year went by and they were never seen again. His mother even came to my house once she brought me glasses to look at the solar eclipse, in the morning this was my first time meeting her and she had the creeps little brother present. She asked if my kids and I want to step outside and look through her glasses but we can’t keep them. I declined. She reminded me of Paula Deen with a heavy southern accent. She offered me green apples and introduced her son who was blank and staring at me as if I just shape shifted into an alien. That was one weird family. I moved out not long after that fire. The new neighbors told me that he approached their daughter who was the same age as mine and creeped her out and I told them stay away from him, his friendliness is extremely creepy.
I can not freakin believe they let this weirdo free. I lived two doors down from him and he was extremely beyond nice it was so creepy. He gave me Get Out movie vibes as I was the only black resident. We moved into Forest Lynn the same day our uhaul trucks were side by side and he creeped me out from that day stating he’s new here from S. Carolina. He then put up his confederate flag on his patio and had it up for months, Then one of the many occasions of him knocking on my door with a camera attached over his forehead. Stating don’t worry it’s not on I was filming the bees and birds. I had to tell my children to stay away from him as he kept offering them candy when I was not present. He told me he’s part of the KNIGHTS OF TEMPLAR and he used to go out on weekends to put his confederate flag on his truck and drive around. Then he said that’s a beautiful crown on your necklace I’d like to print that 3D and put it over your head. Another instance the pizza lady was at my door delivering, as I gave her the money I heard rapid footsteps approaching, I looked around my door to seeing this psycho running full speed towards us (Get Out Movie style) I snatched the pizza and slammed the door just in time I think the door even hit his face that’s how close he got. I never got my change from the pizza lady as she called me to say he frightened her as well and I told her to just keep the change. I began telling my childrens father I don’t feel safe, whether I’m by my job, Safeway, the bus stop he always pursued me and hunks his horn like crazy embarrassing me as people would always look and wave hard as if he’s an excited 4 y.o. I would always roll my eyes and refuse to wave back letting him know I no longer want to be approached. He became worse, still knocking on my door for random things. One day he came and asked if my childrens father was here.. again we do not know this man. I told him he’s in the shower . He began how he’s getting a friend he met online to come to Wa state. And that he wants me and my s/o to join them for tea. When my s/o came to the door he said oh I was just stopping by to say hello and he turned and sped walk back to his house. I told my s/o to keep the gun close. I’m scared this is a different type of friendly like twilight zone friendly. His smile was even creepy big eyes, a lot of teeth and nothing is on upstairs just blank. He dressed preppy, usually polo shirts, khaki’s. Leading up to the fire his behavior changed. I remember hearing rap music beating extremely loud while I was in my bedroom. Not to mention this community is full of elders. I looked out the window to see this creep wearing a baggy sweatsuit with his hat on backwards doing kind of what we called the g-walk back in the 90’s. He was bobbin his head standing in the parking lot behind his car. And I thought he’s never here at these hours he’s usually at school at the Edmonds cc. How do I know this?! He tells me random thing s I didn’t care to know or asked of. Then I was worried when I seen that he pulled up with a African guy in his car. I was thinking oh no he’s going to try to kill him and I so bad wanted to tell the African guy to Get Out!! I purposely watched all night to see if the African guy left the creeps car never left I never seen the African guy leave the house. I was telling my s/o I think he killed him. Then a few days later the creep pulls up with a whole wall he purchased from home depo. It was larger than his little car . I thought he killed that guy now he’s gonna hide him in the walls. Then boom a big fire. I wasn’t home as I stayed the night at my mothers that night but I came back home to a whole mess. Thanking God our house didn’t burn. Which now makes sense that my dog was breaking and not trying to walk forward as we have to walk towards his house to go downstairs the day this fire happened. The next night people were evacuated because they stated this guy came back and started another fire in the middle of the night. The police came to my door asking me if I was aware of any footage or him recording and I asked if they seen any with me on it cause he came to my door with a camera and I feel like he’s always watching and recording me. They wouldn’t give any info. They also stated he was going through the attics to other peoples houses. I recorded the whole crime scene as I was liked to my patios on the top third floor with a ladder going through my patio smashing my tree and a firefighter walking across my patio. Which that is my patio on the image above. The police were even calling me a month later still wanting info on this guy. I don’t understand how he is free. I even kept saying I feel like he killed his mother and brother cause I feel like a year went by and they were never seen again. His mother even came to my house once she brought me glasses to look at the solar eclipse, in the morning this was my first time meeting her and she had the creeps little brother present. She asked if my kids and I want to step outside and look through her glasses but we can’t keep them. I declined. She reminded me of Paula Deen with a heavy southern accent. She offered me green apples and introduced her son who was blank and staring at me as if I just shape shifted into an alien. That was one weird family. I moved out not long after that fire. The new neighbors told me that he approached their daughter who was the same age as mine and creeped her out and I told them stay away from him, his friendliness is extremely creepy. I was told he was schizophrenic which made sense. I read eyes, energies, and aura’s he is a dangerous individual and I sensed this right away the day we both moved in. And being that he told me he bought this condo for cheap while in S. Carolina I wonder if he is still residing there. I feel like the police let him off cause of what he stood for. Confederate flags and Knights of Templar brotherhood he is so proud and boastful about.