Robert Lewis Dear Jr., the man who admitted to killing three people during a 2015 attack on a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic, died in federal custody on November 22 at age 67, ending a decade-long legal saga without ever facing a jury or receiving a formal conviction despite his repeated confessions.
Dear died from congestive heart failure with related medical conditions including low oxygen levels and excess fluid accumulation at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. His death occurred just five days before the tenth anniversary of the November 27, 2015 attack that killed University of Colorado campus police officer Garrett Swasey, Army veteran Ke'Arre Stewart, and Jennifer Markovsky, a mother accompanying a friend to the clinic.
"UCCS Police Officer Garrett Swasey ran towards danger, in service to his community, and he was tragically killed in the line of duty. His heroic response to deadly violence will not soon be forgotten and his selfless sacrifice will be remembered forever."
Dear arrived at the clinic armed with four SKS rifles, five handguns, two additional rifles, a shotgun, and over 500 rounds of ammunition, according to federal prosecutors. He fired 198 rounds during the assault and attempted to detonate propane tanks to destroy law enforcement vehicles during a five-hour standoff. Twenty-seven people inside the clinic hid in various rooms until rescued by authorities. Dear injured nine others, including five police officers and four civilians.
Despite openly admitting his guilt in multiple court appearances and declaring himself a warrior for the babies, Dear never stood trial because mental health evaluations repeatedly found him incompetent to participate in his own defense. He was diagnosed with delusional disorder in 2016, and subsequent years saw continuous legal battles over his mental competency. Federal judges in 2022 ordered that Dear could be forcibly medicated with antipsychotic drugs to restore him to competency, a ruling upheld by appeals courts and left standing when the Supreme Court refused to hear his case in February 2024.
Dear's case highlighted fundamental legal questions about holding mentally incapacitated individuals responsible for their actions. Unlike the Boulder King Soopers shooter who successfully used forced medication to reach competency and stood trial, Dear never improved despite involuntary treatment that began in April 2024. Medical experts determined in September 2025 that he was unlikely to be restored to competency in the foreseeable future.
The attack occurred during intense national controversy over undercover videos released about Planned Parenthood. Dear made rambling statements about no more baby parts during his arrest, suggesting ideological motivation. However, his severe mental illness prevented the traditional criminal justice process from proceeding. The Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office has begun dismissing the state case, while the federal case was automatically dismissed following his death.
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains released a statement honoring the victims and emphasizing their commitment to providing accessible healthcare despite the tragedy. Dear's death without conviction leaves victims' families without the closure that comes from a guilty verdict and sentencing. The case underscores the challenges the legal system faces when defendants suffer from severe mental illness that prevents them from assisting in their own defense, creating situations where admitted killers may never face formal justice despite causing immeasurable harm to innocent victims and their families.
