Sheriff Julian Whittington says that Bossier deputies were dispatched to a domestic incident at Red River South Marina on Friday, September 20th involving an Elm Grove man and a female victim. During the incident, Gary Keith Free, 52, held the victim against her will in a cabin on the property and sexually assaulted her over the course of three days. The victim was able to escape on Friday afternoon and fled the cabin with Free chasing her while armed with a handgun.
When Bossier deputies arrived, they located the victim and took her to safety. Meanwhile, Free jumped in the water at the marina to hide from deputies but was located by a Bossier Sheriff’s Office K-9. Free was eventually taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. Free also threatened 2 employees and 1 resident of the marina with the firearm while the incident was occurring. After being interviewed by BSO detectives, Free was arrested and transported to the Bossier Maximum-Security Facility where he was booked for:
• Second Degree Kidnapping
• First Degree Rape
• Domestic Abuse Aggravated Assault
• 3 counts of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm
Free’s bond has been set at $2.1 million.