Black Diamond man facing life behind bars

Published 1:20 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald

A Black Diamond man with a long and extensive criminal history was convicted Friday of eight charges stemming from his kidnapping and rape of an Enumclaw woman two years ago.

Randy Palmer, 44, was found guilty by King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott. Palmer had waived his right to a jury trial, instead taking his chances with only the judge hearing the case.

The strategy didn't pan out.

"We were ecstatic," said Commander Christopher Hurst of the Black Diamond Police Department. "Randy Palmer will never leave prison, ever."

The situation that will be resolved in June, when Palmer is sentenced, began in May 2002. Palmer is said to have enticed a former girlfriend into his Black Diamond home, where he raped her three times over the course of 16 hours, threatening her with weapons along the way. At one point, Hurst said, Palmer released the woman, only to chase her in his pickup, striking her with the vehicle and returning her to his home.

Hurst said that is part of Palmer's nature, that he "takes great pride and pleasureŠin sadistic torture."

Eventually, the woman was released when her son arrived a Palmer's doorstep, demanding to see his mother.

The situation didn't end there, however. While behind bars, Palmer attempted to hire a hit man to kill the woman. That plan backfired when the fellow prisoner went to authorities.

Friday, the judge found Palmer guilty of three counts of first-degree rape (two with a "deadly weapons" enhancement, stemming from his use of a knife and a gun), first-degree solicitation of kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, felony harassment, fourth-degree assault and first-degree criminal solicitation to commit murder.

Hurst said police are thrilled Palmer is off the streets, because they suspect he has been involved in many more crimes. "He's had an amazing run of luck," Hurst said, detailing police beliefs that Palmer has had a hand in many crimes that have gone unreported.

"He tells people he'll torture and kill their families," a tactic that has kept many victims from stepping forward, Hurst said. During the course of the most recent investigation, police were told of another rape and kidnapping committed by Palmer, Hurst said, adding that another source indicated Palmer could be implicated in a murder.

Palmer's record includes previous convictions for burglary, assault, unlawful imprisonment and possession of a firearm.

Looking ahead to a probably June sentencing, Hurst isn't sure what the exact numbers will be, but he's certain Palmer will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald