Green River Killer: A Timeline of His Murders, Arrest and Conviction
Claiming to have murdered as many as 80 girls, Gary Ridgway — generally known as the Inexperienced River Killer for the Seattle, Washington, location the place a lot of his victims have been found — was America’s deadliest convicted serial killer when, in 2003, he pleaded responsible to 48 counts of homicide. Over 20 years, Ridgway…
Claiming to have murdered as many as 80 girls, Gary Ridgway — generally known as the Inexperienced River Killer for the Seattle, Washington, location the place a lot of his victims have been found — was America’s deadliest convicted serial killer when, in 2003, he pleaded responsible to 48 counts of homicide.
Over 20 years, Ridgway methodically raped and strangled scores of ladies, a lot of them prostitutes or runaways, dumping their our bodies throughout a large space of King County to confuse authorities. Investigators imagine that, all through his murderous spree, the seemingly mild-mannered Ridgway by no means spoke to anybody of his killings or saved trophies of the grisly crimes. All of the whereas, he maintained his longtime job as a truck painter on the Kenworth Truck plant in Renton and married for the third time.
Watch the particular three-night occasion, Invisible Monsters: Serial Killers in America, starting Sunday, August 15 at 9/8c on A&E.
July 15, 1982: The physique of Ridgway’s first sufferer is found
In July 1982, youngsters discovered the strangled physique of Wendy Caulfield, 16, floating in Seattle’s Inexperienced River. Over the next weeks 4 extra our bodies have been found in or alongside its banks — all girls, all strangled. On August 15, three more bodies have been discovered and detective David Reichert was one of many first authorities to reach on the scene. Marci Chapman, 31, was discovered within the shallow water alongside the bare physique of 17-year-old Cynthia Hinds, and close by within the undergrowth lay the physique of Opal Mills, 16, blue trousers knotted round her neck, breasts uncovered, bruises obvious on her legs and arms.
August 16, 1982: A police activity pressure is ready up
After the King County Sheriff’s Workplace arrange the Inexperienced River Process Power to analyze the killings, the physique depend rose, as extra victims have been found alongside the river and within the space across the Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport.
Over the following two years, the Inexperienced River Killer sexually assaulted and murdered greater than 40 different girls. “Each time you discovered a physique, it was like being hit on the top with a baseball bat,” Reichert advised Time journal.
April 30, 1983: Ridgway first turns into a suspect
Within the spring of 1983, prostitute Marie Malvar, 18, was final seen by her boyfriend getting right into a paint-patched pickup with a dark-haired man about 30 to 40 years outdated. 4 days later, police questioned Ridgway at his residence about his data of Malvar, whom he denied realizing. In November, police as soon as once more spoke with Ridgway concerning the murders, however he denied any data of the victims, and authorities lacked proof to attach him to any of the crimes.
In 2003, Ridgway advised investigators he stood towards a fence throughout his authentic 1983 questioning to hide scratches Malvar had left on his arm whereas attempting to flee. Ridgway mentioned he then burned the scratches with battery acid to disguise them as soon as the detectives had left.
Might 1984: Ridgway passes a polygraph check
Already an individual of curiosity resulting from his recognized affiliation with space prostitutes, Ridgway contacted police with the supposed intention of help. He then passed a polygraph test by which he denied killing any girls.
1986: The police speak with Ted Bundy
With few dependable leads within the Inexperienced River Killer case, authorities have been determined for any data to additional the investigation. Having learn concerning the ongoing case within the press, convicted serial killer Ted Bundy wrote to Reichert providing his assist in the case. Reichert flew to Florida the place Bundy was being held on dying row. Throughout discussions, Bundy reportedly suggested authorities that the killer could also be revisiting his sufferer’s corpses and performing sexual acts on them, a speculation Ridgway later confirmed.
READ MORE: How Ted Bundy Helped Catch the Inexperienced River Killer
1987: Ridgway supplies a DNA pattern that will ultimately be his downfall
As a result of Ridgway wass the final particular person allegedly seen with two of the victims, police ultimately searched his residence and autos in 1987 in reference to the murders. It was at the moment Ridgway lastly offered police with a saliva sample that will later tie him to the crimes. However resulting from inadequate DNA testing on the time, Ridgway remained a free man for greater than a decade.
March 2001: DNA testing expands and connects Ridgway to 3 murders
With new methods in forensic testing at their disposal, investigators re-examined proof from throughout the years the killer had been energetic. “It was a last-ditch effort,” Beverly Himick, a Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory forensic scientist, advised The New York Times. “We didn’t have a lot to work with, but we went through a lot of evidence again. We rinsed all the fingernails to look for trace evidence and swabbed the ligatures for cellular material. With one girl, we were able to find a few sperm clinging to her pubic hair.”
New DNA profiles from three victims were compared with Ridgway’s, thanks to the saliva sample he had provided in 1987. It was a match in all three cases.
November 30, 2001: Police announce the arrest of the Green River Killer
Nearly two decades after the first murder, King County Sheriff Reichert announced that Ridgway, 52, was arrested in connection with four of the Green River Killer’s early victims: Marcia Chapman, Opal Mills, Cynthia Hinds and Carol Ann Christensen — whose body was recovered in 1983.
November 5, 2003: Ridgway pleads guilty
In a plea bargain that would spare him the death penalty in return for his confession and information regarding the details of the murders and locations of the bodies, Ridgway entered a guilty plea to 48 charges of aggravated first-degree murder.
“I killed so many women I have a hard time keeping them straight,” Ridgway said in a statement, admitting he killed most of his victims in his home or truck earlier than disposing of the our bodies, including that most often he didn’t even know his sufferer’s names. “More often than not I killed them the primary time I met them, and I wouldn’t have a very good reminiscence for his or her faces.”
Explaining why he selected girls he regarded as prostitutes, Ridgway mentioned they “have been simple to choose up with out being observed. I knew they might not be reported lacking straight away and would possibly by no means be reported lacking. I picked prostitutes as a result of I believed I might kill as a lot of them as I needed with out getting caught.”
December 18, 2003: Ridgway is sentenced
For his crimes, a King County Superior Courtroom Choose sentenced Ridgway to 48 life sentences, to be served consecutively, with no risk of parole.
