By Tim Clifford

Friday, Aug. 28, proved to be a very bad day for 24-year-old Demarcus Linwood. Sgt. Stan Seo with the King County Sheriff’s Office tweeted out at 11:24 a.m. that day “citizen arrested Demarcus Linwood in White Center this morning then called KCSO. Saw fugitive on Washington’s Most Wanted”.
Linwood, nicknamed “Charm”, is a level 3 sex offender and between Aug. 25 and Aug. 28 was a fugitive from the law. After pleading guilty to failing to register as a sex offender Linwood was granted release to attend a funeral. He never showed to his next court date after that and apparently went into hiding.
A citizen who watches Washington’s Most Wanted recognized Linwood in White Center and apprehended the sex offender. After restraining him this good Samaritan called the King County Sheriff’s Office and turned Linwood in.

At the time of his arrest Linwood was facing 43 months for the failure to register charge and an additional 43 months for a rape that he plead guilty to. Linwood has been in trouble with the law since he was 14 and his other offenses include attempted robbery, criminal trespass and multiple assault convictions.
According to Washington’s Most Wanted Linwood prefers his victims to be teenagers and attempts to befriend them on the bus, on the street or at a large event (concerts, gatherings, parties, etc.). Once he gained the victim’s trust he would brutally attack and rape them.

There are two victims that are known of and their cases are outlined in the Washington’s Most Wanted profile for Linwood. In 2013 police put out a bulletin on Washington’s Most Wanted asking more victims to come forward so they could build a larger case against Linwood.

While it has not been revealed how exactly the citizen that arrested Linwood went about it Washington State does allow for citizens to lawfully make arrests if the criminal is committing a felony or misdemeanor. Typically the few RCWs that applies to arrests made by citizens are applied to security guards or loss prevention officers.

Link to Washington's Most Wanted story on Demarcus Linwood