Gerald Arthur Friend (born November 24, 1937) is an American

rapist Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, Abusive power and control, ...

and kidnapper from

Lakewood, Washington Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 63,612 at the 2020 census. History Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Tacoma/Lakewood Center and Lakes Distric ...

, currently serving two consecutive 75-year terms at Airway Heights Corrections Center. Friend was originally jailed for abducting a 12-year-old girl from

Sumner, Washington Sumner is a city in northern Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,621 at the 2020 census. Nearby cities include Puyallup to the west, Auburn to the north, and Bonney Lake to the east. History Sumner was founde ...

, in July 1960, when he was 22. He picked up the hitchhiking girl and her brother, but forced the boy from the car at gunpoint. He then drove the girl to

Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is an American national park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. The park was established on March 2, 1899, as the fourth national park in the United States, preservi ...

where he beat her,

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...

d her, and cut her hair. The victim eventually escaped by jumping into a river, where she was discovered by a passing motorist. Several days later, Friend's father found him hiding in a field near their home; Friend drew a .22 pistol and was wounded in the ensuing struggle. His father took him to the hospital and turned him in to the police. Friend was convicted of rape and torture, and was sentenced to a minimum of 75 years. However, after serving 20 years at

Walla Walla Walla Walla can refer to: * Walla Walla people, a Native American tribe after which the county and city of Walla Walla, Washington, are named * Place of many rocks in the Australian Aboriginal Wiradjuri language, the origin of the name of the town ...

, and escaping twice, he was paroled in 1980. In June 1987, he abducted a 14-year-old girl at knife-point when she accepted a ride after a rock concert. He repeatedly raped and tortured her while she was tied to a pulley suspended from the ceiling of his mobile home. The girl escaped by jumping from his truck at a gas station. Friend was stopped a day later for a traffic violation, and arrested when the deputies recognized him. He was convicted of first-degree kidnapping and rape that August. He was ordered to serve the remainder of his 1960 sentence, in addition to a second 75-year sentence. The following year, his second victim sued the state and the Department of Corrections for prematurely paroling Friend in 1980. Police in

King County King County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Washington, and the 13th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is Seattle, also the st ...

suspected Friend in the

Green River Killer Gary Leon Ridgway (born February 18, 1949), also known as the Green River Killer, is an American serial killer and sex offender. He was initially convicted of 48 separate murders. As part of his plea bargain, another conviction was added, brin ...

case, and considered him a suspect in the murder of two girls in Tacoma in 1987. However, police were unable to uncover a connection to those crimes. The 1987 kidnapping of the 14-year-old victim was the inspiration for the

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...

song " Polly", released in 1991. Songwriter

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...

had read about the incident in a newspaper.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Friend, Gerald 1937 births Living people American male criminals American rapists Prisoners and detainees of Washington (state) People from Lakewood, Washington American kidnappers 20th-century American criminals Criminals from Washington (state) Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Washington (state)