SEATTLE -- Mentally ill, threatening to kill, while talking with God and Satan.

Those are the actions of suspected murderer James Anthony Williams, leading up to the stabbing death of a woman on Capitol Hill New Year’s Eve.

Even more disturbing -- his handlers at the Department of Corrections knew his dangerous state of mind.

Now for the first time, KIRO Team 7 Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne reveals detailed probation officer notes that raise questions about why Williams was a free man.

This stack contains about 25 pages of computer notations , written by DOC employees who regularly visited released-felon James Anthony Williams.

The log starts as Williams came out of prison in March of 2006 , after spending about a decade behind bars for shooting a man at a bus stop.

I am not a legal expert , but I count at least 34 probation violations that corrections officials witnessed in the next two years; right up to the day he allegedly killed Shannon Harps.

Nearly half of those were either violent threats or actual acts of violence.

The Department of Corrections probation notes clearly show James Anthony Williams' chronological slide into dementia.

Just out of prison, on 3-7-06, it reads "Mood is calm. His thoughts are organized. He appears stable."

Over the next year, state officials noted a progression of problems:

"missed some treatment groups"

"tested positive for THC (marijuana)"

"arrested for assault-1 felony"

Then, according to this DOC log book, on 3-16-07, Williams "stated that he would get a gun and go up and kill the staff."

In September of 2007, DOC probation officers write that Williams "had a long butcher knife threatening staff and residents - threatened to kill people."

The state also knew Williams, despite his severe mental illness, was "failing to participate in mental health treatment," "palming" his medications and drinking a "large quantity of beer."

All of these things are probation violations that could have -- should have, at least according to a court order -- sent him back to prison.

Ten days before the stabbing death of Shannon Harps in a stairwell near her Capitol Hill apartment, Williams was temporarily in jail, but released.

The log reads he "did not meet the criteria for commitment and will not be detained."

On 12-28-07, just three days before the Harps killing, Williams' probation officer noted he "seems agitated."

The day of the killing, officers met with Williams are wrote these haunting words:

Williams "very guarded and seemed like he was barely able to hold himself together."

Here is a summary of the DOC log documents, but you may also read the documents in their entirety on here on KIROTV.com. (The documents are to the right, under Williams' photo.)

3/07/06: Mood is calm. His thoughts are organized. He appears stable at this time

4/17/06: He slept in today and was an hour late for his appointment

5/22/06: P. overdosed his medications

6/19/06: he missed some treatment groups last week – verbal reprimand given

9/19/06: over the weekend, says he bought a large quantity of beer and drank at a park

10/18/06: P. is showing signs of drug seeking

1/02/07: tested positive for THC (marijuana)

1/05/07: P. told me how God talks to him

1/30/07: appeared to be more paranoid or anxious than usual

2/15/07: Arrested for assault-1 felony

3/13/07: having difficulties regarding controlling violent thoughts

3/14/07: concern over P thoughts of harming clinicians on campus

3/16/07: He stated that he would get a gun and go up and kill the staff – he would get a .22 and wait in the parking lot for me to get to work

4/21/07: new harassment charges filed

8/07/07: P making statements about having 2 personalities and one of them can lead to killing people – will consider an arrest but offered to have another team meeting prior

8/22/07: complaints of his being threatening to other patients and staff commenting on killing people

9/10/07: P threatening staff and females in highly sexualized manner – barred from premises

9/24/07: P had a long butcher knife threatening staff and residents – threatened to kill people

9/28/07: charged with harassment

10/30/07: P found guilty of failing to participate in mental health treatment

12/21/07: P being released from jail today – did not meet criteria for commitment and will not be detained

12/28/07: P seems agitated throughout our conversation

12/31/07: P very guarded and seemed like he was barely able to hold himself together. P stated he was going up to get his meds