Man, 18, charged with rape, attempted murder

A Pierce County man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and rape after allegedly shooting a 15-year-old girl, raping her and then leaving her in the woods near Orting.

Travis Anthony Gillihan, 18, pleaded not guilty to the charges in Pierce County Superior court Monday.

Charging documents say the victim sneaked out of her parents' house Friday at about 11 p.m. and met up with Gillihan with the plan of driving to Sumner, where she was to meet with her boyfriend.

Instead, the two went to a neighbor's house party for about 15 minutes before driving to several stores in an attempt to buy alcohol, according to the court documents.

The pair then drove to a remote area in Pierce County where Gillihan tried to have sex with the girl, according to police and prosecutors. The girl refused the advances and Gillihan allegedly took the girl's cellphone, removed the battery and threw both away from the vehicle.

When the girl got out of the vehicle to retrieve them, Gillihan pulled a gun and began firing, hitting her in the neck, abdomen, elbow and leg, according to the documents.

The girl got back in the vehicle, where Gillihan then raped her, according to court documents.

The pair then drove to another remote area and Gillihan got out of the car. The victim also got out and began running until she was out of sight. She hid until she heard Gillihan start his vehicle and drive away, according to the documents.

The victim then made her way to a nearby house and was driven to the police department and eventually taken to a hospital. The victim told medics her attacker was Gillihan.

Police accuse Gillihan of hiding the gun he used to shoot the girl and then trying to cover his tracks by sending text messages to people at the party they attended that evening, telling them to lie to police and say he and the girl had been at the party all night.

The partygoers later told police that the pair had only been at the party a short time, according to court documents.

After Gillihan was arrested, while he sat in the patrol car, he allegedly sent a text message to his brother telling him to get rid of the gun, according to documents.

Police later recovered the gun from Gillihan's brother.

Gillihan is being held in the Pierce County Jail on $1 million bail.

Brian Alexander: 206-464-2026

or balexander@seattletimes.com