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Patrick Drum – The Sex Offender Vigilante In Washington State

Patrick Drum – The Sex Offender Vigilante In Washington State

He told police that he was going to continue killing sex offenders until they caught him.  Patrick Drum killed two sex offenders and would have killed more if he had not been caught.

Drum didn’t wake up one day and decide he wanted to kill sex offenders.  It had crossed his mind but after he met a man named Michael Anthony Mullen the seed was planted permanently and the vigilante of Clallam County is what he would eventually become.  When Drum was serving a prison sentence he met Mullen. Mullen was in prison for going into the homes of his victims who where child molesters and shooting them until they were dead.  Mullen and Drum actually devised a plan that when Michael MullenDrum got out of jail he would return to meet with Mullen and provide him with poison so that he could kill any sex offender within the jail.  That plan would never actually happen as Mullen committed suicide while in jail.

Before his vigilantism spree Drum lived a complicated life.  He was a mentor to teenagers and coached the youth boxers in the area.  He was also in and out of jail due to drug related problems.

Drum eventually became friends with Leslie and Gary Blanton Jr. Leslie had drug problems like Drum and was involved in rehab at one point with Drum.  Gary Blanton had been in and out of jail for violent incidents.  Both had been in jail for kidnapping a girl and keeping her in an apartment against her will and even struck her on the head with a frying pan.  They got married a couple of years after being released from jail.

The Blanton’s had two children.  In 2011 their 17 month old son Skylar was diagnosed with a fracture on his arm.  The doctors also found an older fracture on the thigh bone.  It was determined by a doctor that the child was a victim of child abuse from the father Gary Blanton.  Mr. Blanton was arrested and later released on bail under the condition and restriction to stay away from his children.

Drum later asked Gary Blanton to move in within him in a cottage he was renting in the city of Sequim, Washington. Gary agreed and moved in within his dog.  It was reported that they acted like good buddies while living together. But the invitation for Gary Blanton to move into Drum’s residence was only part of his plan to kill him.  On June 2, 2012 Gary Blanton was playing the very popular World of Warcraft game on his computer.  Drum cut the power to the home so that the individuals who played online with Gary Blanton would not hear what was about to happen.  Drum charged into the residence shooting a 9 mm pistol and unloading the clip without killing Gary Blanton.  Surprised that he had finished the clip without finishing the job he ran back to his car to reload and grab a flashlight.  Meanwhile Gary Blanton had been struck with many bullets but managed to dial 911 and tell the authorities he was being shot. Drum returned to the residence and shot Gary Blanton in the head numerous times.

Drum had been preparing for this moment for some time.  He had rented a Chevrolet Impala as a getaway vehicle and had been purchasing foot and camping supplies to prepare for his get away.

After killing Gary Blanton he took his supplies and a list of 60 names which listed sex offenders he intended to kill.  Those on the list had been charged with rape or other serious crimes.  The sex offenders all lived within the surrounding cities.  Drum had someone specific on his list he intended to kill next and his name was Jerry Ray.

Jerry had problems.  In 2002 he got naked and carried the 7 year old and 4 year old of his friends grandchildren into a bedroom and molested them. His excuse was that he had gotten drunk and acted on a strange urge. Apparently Jerry Ray struggle with alcohol his entire life.   Jerry spent 4 years in prison and underwent therapy for his addictions.  After being let out of prison Jerry returned to his parents home where he cared for them.

Drum knew the family of the children that had been molested by Jerry.  He apparently had plans to kill Jerry in the past but was arrested for burglary which interrupted his plans.  Drum went to Jerry’s home, knocked on the door but received no answer.  Drum took a walk and then thought the time to strike was right then, when everyone was sleeping.  Drum kicked in the door and found Jerry in the house.  He shot Jerry in the stomach, and then the back.  Drum escaped on foot leaving the rental vehicle behind.

Patrick Drum pic 1Drum hitchhiked towards Blue Mountain Road.  Apparently this was the direction of the next victim on his list.  Drum saw patrol cars on the way to his destination and had the driver stop the vehicle.  He exited the vehicle and ran into the woods hopping to elude police.  The truck driver whom was driving Drum tipped off police and the chase was on.  Around 65 police officers and border patrol officers headed out to find Drum.

A neighbor saw Drum walking down a road and then officers saw him in the driveway of another Drumresidence.  Police gave chase and caught him.  On September 18, 2012 Drum was sentenced to life in prison.  After a week in prison Drum stabbed a sex offender with a utensil and was then placed in solitary confinement.

Early Life

Drum didn’t have a great live.  His father had been charged with statutory rape and both his mother and father died of  toluene abuse.  Drum had also been molested by an unknown man in the woods.  There are many more contributing factors that lead to Drum’s drug abuse and his vigilante thoughts about sex offenders.

Final Words

The words, “It had to be done” will stick in the minds of many.  Patrick Drum felt as if he was doing the right thing in his mind.

Lexi Pandell 

Crime Library