A man charged in the 2023 daylight shooting that killed a pregnant Seattle woman and injured her husband has been found not guilty by reason of insanity and will be confined to a state psychiatric facility rather than a prison sentence.
Cordell Goosby had faced first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder charges stemming from the June 13, 2023, attack in downtown Seattle that left 34-year-old Eina Kwon dead and her husband, Sung Kwon, wounded.
The couple had been stopped at a red light around 11:15 a.m. near 4th Avenue and Lenora Street on their way to work at their restaurant, Aburiya Bento House, when prosecutors say Goosby approached their vehicle and opened fire.
“In a short span of time, he fired a gun in the victim’s car window, striking the victims inside the car,” prosecutors wrote in court filings obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI. “After firing all the bullets he had in the gun into the victims’ car, he turned and ran from the scene.” They added that the defendant’s actions “left a family and community shattered.”
Police later located Goosby, who reportedly surrendered and admitted to the crime, telling officers, “I did it! I did it!”
Authorities say Goosby was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior criminal record in Illinois and allegedly used a stolen gun in the shooting.
Insanity ruling ends possibility of trial
Both defense and prosecution experts independently evaluated Goosby and reached the same conclusion: he was legally insane at the time of the attack.
Because there was no disagreement between experts, prosecutors did not proceed to trial and instead agreed to a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity (NGRI) resolution, which the court accepted.
Under Washington law, such a ruling does not mean a defendant is released. Instead, it requires the defendant to admit to committing the acts and submit to confinement in a state psychiatric hospital.
Goosby will now be committed to a facility such as Western State Hospital under the supervision of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). His confinement could last up to life.
Strict oversight, no immediate release
Officials emphasized that the ruling does not mean Goosby will be released anytime soon.
“This does not mean that Mr. Goosby will be released to the streets, now, a week from now, or in the immediate future,” prosecutors said.
Any future consideration of increased privileges or potential release would require:
- Notification to King County Superior Court and prosecutors
- Review by the state’s Public Safety Review Panel
- Final approval by a judge
Prosecutors would also have the opportunity to object to any proposed release.
Authorities noted that some individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity for serious crimes—including homicide—have remained confined in state hospitals for decades, in some cases dating back to the 1970s.
Legal limits on charges tied to unborn child
Eina Kwon was pregnant at the time of her death, but prosecutors did not file a separate homicide charge for her unborn child due to Washington law.
Under the state’s “born alive” rule, only a person who has been born alive can be the victim of homicide.
Prosecutors also evaluated a potential manslaughter charge but determined there was no evidence that Goosby knew Kwon was pregnant—an element required under state law.
Case outcome reflects agreement between experts
Officials said that had the prosecution’s expert disagreed with the defense and found Goosby legally sane, the case would have proceeded to trial.
Instead, with both experts aligned, the NGRI outcome was deemed the appropriate legal resolution.
Goosby will now remain under court supervision indefinitely, with his status subject to ongoing psychiatric evaluations and judicial oversight.
