The Green River Killer

1. The Green River Killer Lauren Wright

2. Gary Ridgway, named the “Green River Killer,” is notorious for being one of history’s most prolific serial killers • Ridgway was convicted of the murder of at least 49 women in the Washington/Seattle area

3. Background/Childhood • Born February 18, 1949 in Utah • As a child, Ridgway was a D student, but a former classmate of his said “he wasn't someone that would really stand out” • Didn’t graduate until he was 20 years old

4. Background • He tried to get a job with the police and failed • Worked most of his life as a truck painter and was known as a reliable worker • Married three times and had one son

5. Murders • Ridgway attempted his first murder at 16, when he tried to stab a boy who escaped • Although the boy accused Ridgway, no one believed him and Ridgway didn’t get in trouble • His first victims, two women, were found floating in Green River

6. Murders • During the early 1980s, Ridgway committed at least 49 murders, though he has said himself that he is unsure how many people he has killed • Ridgway typically found victims while driving up and down the Sea-Tac Strip • Ridgway didn’t know any of his victims, but usually found either prostitutes or runaway teenagers • Ridgway had a son, and used this fact to his advantage, sometimes showing the women pictures of his son to lull them into a false sense of security

7. Modus Operandi • Nearly all of the victims were strangled and raped, some after death • The bodies were left in clusters in three different dumping sites that were usually used for illegally dumping trash • The three sites were connected by little-traveled back roads, making it easy for the killer to go unnoticed • Most of the bodies weren’t found for a long time, so many were skeletons by the time they were found • Ridgway was always careful never to leave any evidence on the scene, though he sometimes planted false evidence such as cigarettes and gum on purpose

8. Capture of the Green River Killer • A task force was created in the 1980s to capture the Green River Killer • The task force conferred with Ted Bundy several times, who provided his ideas on the psychology and motivation behind the Green River Killer • Many of the victims had been linked to the Sea-Tac Strip, and a paper bag found on the head of one of the bodies was traced back to a 7-11 on the Strip

9. Capture • Ridgway, who was often seen driving around the Strip in his pickup truck, became a suspect in the early 1980s • When police dug deeper, they found that Ridgway had used stolen credit cards, and had a strange fascination with the Green River Killer, Ted Bundy, and a hatred of prostitutes • In 1982, Ridgway was arrested when he tried to pick up a prostitute who was actually an undercover policewoman • He passed a polygraph test, but police continued to look for evidence to link him with the Green River Killer

10. Evidence • In 1987 police took samples of Ridgway’s saliva and the DNA matched semen found at some of the dumping sites • Ridgway was arrested in November 2001 for the murder of 4 women • As more evidence surfaced to link the bodies found to Ridgway, such as paint chips left from his truck, these victims were added to the charges

11. Trial and Confession • In 2003, Ridgway plead guilty to the murders of 48 women • In exchange for being spared the death penalty, Ridgway provided information about the identities and locations of some of the bodies that had not been found • Ridgway is currently being held in an ultra-high security unit without bail

12. Sources • http://www.karisable.com/greenriver.htm • http://www.altereddimensions.net/crime/GreenRiverKiller.aspx • http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/146967_greenriver05.html • http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/greenriver/graphics//bodymap06.html • http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00803/Ridgway_Frameset.htm • http://karisable.com/greenrivergr.htm