A 53-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond after a woman was abducted and repeatedly raped in a West End apartment.
The incident occurred on the evening of Thursday, May 12.
The woman told police that she met Gerald Dmitri Palmer in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C. earlier that night, and then took a bus back to Palmer’s apartment in the unit block of South Van Dorn Street — near the intersection with Duke Street.
“The victim stated that they drank some chardonnay wine out of cans and were going to watch a movie, but Mr. Palmer turned on pornography and she became confused,” police said in a search warrant affidavit.
The victim told police that she then tried to leave, but that Palmer then allegedly grabbed her and raped her. She told police that he forced her into his bedroom and tied her hands and feet with zip ties, and that he raped her “multiple times throughout the night,” police said in a search warrant affidavit.
“While interviewing the victim, Detectives observed ligature marks on her wrists, consistent with being zip tied,” police said in a search warrant affidavit.
On Friday morning, the victim reported that Palmer cut the zip ties to her hands from a pair of scissors in a dresser drawer, and then left the apartment. The victim said that she took those same scissors and cut the zip ties around her ankles. She told police that she found her shoes and a T-shirt to wear and then fled the apartment.
Police found Palmer nearby, and he told them that he knew the victim and that they had consensual sex, according to a search warrant. Palmer was arrested and charged with rape, abduction with intent to defile and strangulation resulting in injury. He goes to court on June 24.
Recent Stories
Thorough Testing
Sometimes mold is easy to spot, but you don’t know how deep inside your walls it has spread. It can grow in sinks, cabinets, and other places you frequent every day. If you find mold, the question remains: Do I call a professional? Thistle Environmental, LLC believes in quality, comprehensive testing.
CALL NOW: (703) 929-4036

WOW 1 DAY PAINTING brings people a fast, affordable, and high-quality solution for all of their interior or exterior residential and commercial painting projects. We respect your time as much as you do and provide the quality paint job you expect, in a timeline that is unexpected.
Schedule a consult today:
Made in Alexandria Fall Makers’ Market
The Made in ALX Fall Makers’ Market at Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria is set for Sunday, Sept. 24!
This is the fall’s most fun sip-and-shop, featuring craft beer from the award-winning Port City Brewing Co. along with food,
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.