The song “Polly” by Nirvana is about a 14 year old girl from Summer, Washington (her real name is Cassidy but in order to respect her privacy I will not be giving her full name) who was kidnapped in 1987 as she was leaving a concert at the Tacoma Dome; her kidnapper had been a sadist named Gerald Friend. Gerald forcibly took Polly by knifepoint, and brought her back to his place; the girl was sexually assaulted and tortured. Some of the items Gerald used against Polly included a hot roller, a razor, hot wax, a leather whip, even a blow torch. When Gerald was done with the girl he bound and gagged her, then loaded her up in his car and took her for a final ride.
Thankfully Polly’s would-be killer had not planned this part out very well, Gerald had to stop for gas. At this time the brave young girl saved her own life; Polly freed herself and ran into the gas station, she escaped death that night.
Yes, Gerald absolutely would have murdered the girl. “Polly” was not Gerald’s first victim.
Back in 1960 Gerald had offered two hitchhiking siblings a ride; it had been a 12 year old girl and her brother. Gerald pulled a gun on the brother and forced him out of the vehicle, then he drove the girl to an isolated park. This pedophile beat the girl, sexually assaulted her, and even cut her hair. She escaped by jumping in a lake and swimming until she found help.
These victims survived their encounter with Gerald Friend. Police believe there are other victims who may not have been so lucky- including 2 murdered Tacoma girls in 1987. Gerald is likely a serial killer.
Gerald was convicted of the torture and rape of this 1st girl and was sentenced to at least 75 years; somehow he was paroled in 1980. This pedophile, kidnapper, rapist, and attempted murderer was allowed to walk free and plot his next attack.
For what he did to “Polly” in 1987 Gerald was charged with rape, torture, and kidnapping- again. He was sentenced to another 75 years; as far as I know he is still serving that sentence at Airway Heights Corrections Center.
Thankfully both of Gerald’s surviving victims were young enough that their names were never released, Polly is not the victim’s true name. Hopefully they are both well today.
