Violent Western State escapees may have gotten on bus

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for two violent patients who may have gotten on a bus after escaping from Western State Hospital in Lakewood Wednesday night.

A Pierce Transit bus driver told police he may have picked up both men Wednesday night and taken them them to the Lakewood Towne Center transit center.

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Western State is an inpatient psychiatric hospital.

According to Lakewood police, Mark Alexander Adams and Anthony Garver were last seen in the hospital's dining hall  at 6 p.m. They were discovered missing at 7:30 p.m.

Police believe they escaped through a loose window in their room.

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Authorities say the two have violent records and are considered dangerous.

Garver, 28, is described as white, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, 250 pounds with long curly brown hair and a beard/mustache. He was last seen wearing a brown faded sweatshirt and orange jail flip flops. Though the man goes by Garver, he may use the last name of Burke and also has an alias of Deryk Garver, police said.

Garver was arrested for first-degree murder in 2013 in the death of  Phillipa Evans-Lopez.

Police say Garver used electric cords to tie the victim to her bed. She was stabbed more than 24 times and her throat was slit at her Lake Stevens Home.

Garver was found not competent to stand trail.

Adams, 58, is described as white, 6 feet tall, 210 pounds with long blond hair. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and gray shorts.

Authorities said Adams was sent to the hospital to receive treatment on a second-degree domestic violence assault arrest in 2014. He also was found not competent to stand trail.

The King County Sheriff's Office chopper, Guardian One, assisted in the search for the men Wednesday night, but they were not found. Authorities notified local police agencies, Amtrak, cab companies, Greyhound and Pierce Transit about the escapees.

"They got a considerable head start …so all we can really do is let the investigators do some follow up to try and find them," said Lakewood Police Department Lt. Chris Lawler.

Anyone who sees Garver or Adams should not attempt to contact them and call 911.

Federal authorities say Western State is seriously understaffed and threatened to take away millions in funding because of staffing issues. The facility recently had about 300 vacancies because of high turnover.

Cox Media Group