Washington man gets life without parole for killing sex offenders

There was extra security inside a Washington courtroom Tuesday for the sentencing of a man who in June murdered two sex offenders on the Olympic Peninsula.

Superior Court Judge S. Brooke Taylor told the killer, Patrick Drum, 34, that the beefed up security was in place for his protection.

"We treat you better than you treated them (his two victims)," Taylor said, according to The Sequim Gazette.

Drum, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole, pleaded guilty in August for killing 28-year-old Gary L. Blanton Jr., and 56-year-old Jerry W. Ray. Authorities say it was part of a vendetta against sex offenders.

The Sequim Gazette reported that Ray pleaded guilty in May 2002 to two counts of child rape involving a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old. Blaton’s wife told the paper that his charges stemmed from being "caught having sex in high school."

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Blanton was living at Drum's residence in Sequim when he was killed. Drum drove to Ray's home a few miles away and killed him the next morning, authorities said.

Drum also stated that he had intended to drive to Jefferson County where another sex offender resided, with the intent to kill him, too, a probable cause statement read.

Deputies found a note in a rental car that led to the victims and identified Drum as a suspect. The note said, "It had to be done."

Drum, a convicted felon who reportedly served four years for drug-related offenses, knew both men were sex offenders. Both were shot multiple times and Drum was armed with a 9mm pistol when he was arrested, authorities said. He took full responsibility for "taking care of some problems," authorities said.

During the sentencing, Deb Kelly, the Clallam County prosecuting attorney, reportedly spoke out against Drum's vigilantism and said, "It is unfortunate there are those people who admire what he did. It is despicable and disgusting."

Paul Ray, the father of one of Drum’s victims, told the court that his son was his primary caregiver and he has "no sympathy for the man that shot and killed" him.

Judge Ken Williams warned others against vigilantism.

KOMO-TV reported that the judge told Drum's supporters to back off from attacks on the victims' families. The wife of one of the victims said people who support Drum and consider him a "hero" have stalked their house, thrown things at their car, spat on them and more.

Drum said he never intended to hurt the families and called it "collateral damage," The Peninsula Daily News reported.

As Drum was being lead out of court he turned to his friends and family in the gallery he loved them and a friend of Blanton responded, "See you in hell."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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