From the late 1960s until 1986, Richard Troy Gillmore took regular runs through the neighborhoods of Portland.  Gillmore had a special purpose for his fitness routine:  He was casing the community for likely rape victims.  In that period, Gillmore raped at least nine women, according to his statements to police.  Police suspect he raped as many a hundred others.

Gillmore was eventually caught and tried in 1987.  Because most of the known incidents were too old under Oregon's statute of limitation, only the last was prosecuted at his trial.  On December 6, 1987, Gillmore convicted by the jury for raping 13-year-old Tiffany Edens.

In the last ten years, Gillmore's case has been considered multiple times for parole and each time rejected.  Finally, after 35 years, the maximum assigned by the court minus time off for good behavior,  the Parole Board has approved Gillmore's release.  At age 63, he will walk the open streets and breathe free air before the end of the year.

The case has stirred considerable controversy over the years.  Many wonder why Oregon imposes so short a statute of limitations on rape.  If the rapist avoided capture for three years, he could not be prosecuted.  Thus, Danielle Tudor could not tell the court about Gillmore raping her in Southeast Portland when she was just 17 in 1979, and Colleen Kelly could not testify that Gillmore broke into her Southeast Portland home and raped her when she was 13 in 1980.  Gillmore evaded capture and ran out the clock.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Since that time, the statute of limitation has been extended to six years if the victim is a minor.

Some small correction in that situation was effected by the State Parole Board in 2012.  At that time, the definition of "victim" was expanded to include anyone injured by the convict, including those who had not appeared as a witness at trial.  Under the new rule, some of Gillmore's other victims were able to speak at his parole hearings.

According to the Oregonian, though Gillmore was considered a "dangerous offender" at trial, he is being released as only a Level 1 sex offender.  That assignment was determined by the "Static 99" risk assessment tool the state uses to gauge the sexual recidivism rate for sex criminals.  And that Level determines the notification given to the residential community where Gillmore is assigned to live.


--Mark DeCoursey

Post Date: 2022-10-11 01:28:56

Last Update: 2022-10-11 21:55:24