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 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 stored 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, kids 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 extra our 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 about up

After the King County Sheriff’s Workplace arrange the Inexperienced River Activity 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 subsequent 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 pinnacle 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 previous. 4 days later, police questioned Ridgway at his dwelling about his data of Malvar, whom he denied understanding. In November, police as soon as once more spoke with Ridgway in regards to 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 unique 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.

Could 1984: Ridgway passes a polygraph take a look at

Already an individual of curiosity as a result of his identified affiliation with space prostitutes, Ridgway contacted police with the supposed intention of help. He then handed a polygraph take a look at wherein he denied killing any girls. 

1986: The police discuss 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 in regards to 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 loss of life 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 offers a DNA pattern that may ultimately be his downfall

As a result of Ridgway wass the final individual allegedly seen with two of the victims, police ultimately searched his dwelling and automobiles in 1987 in reference to the murders. It was at the moment Ridgway lastly offered police with a saliva pattern that may later tie him to the crimes. However as a result of 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 lively. “It was a last-ditch effort,” Beverly Himick, a Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory forensic scientist, advised The New York Occasions. “We didn’t have rather a lot to work with, however we went via numerous proof once more. We rinsed all of the fingernails to search for hint proof and swabbed the ligatures for mobile materials. With one woman, we have been capable of finding a number of sperm clinging to her pubic hair.”

New DNA profiles from three victims have been in contrast with Ridgway’s, because of the saliva pattern he had offered in 1987. It was a match in all three instances.

November 30, 2001: Police announce the arrest of the Inexperienced River Killer

Practically twenty years after the primary homicide, King County Sheriff Reichert introduced that Ridgway, 52, was arrested in reference to 4 of the Inexperienced River Killer’s early victims: Marcia Chapman, Opal Mills, Cynthia Hinds and Carol Ann Christensen — whose physique was recovered in 1983.

November 5, 2003: Ridgway pleads responsible

In a plea cut price that may spare him the loss of life penalty in return for his confession and data concerning the main points of the murders and places of the our bodies, Ridgway entered a responsible plea to 48 prices of aggravated first-degree homicide.

“I killed so many ladies I’ve a tough time holding them straight,” Ridgway mentioned in an announcement, admitting he killed most of his victims in his home or truck earlier than disposing of the our bodies, including that generally he didn’t even know his sufferer’s names. “More often than not I killed them the primary time I met them, and I would not have reminiscence for his or her faces.”

Explaining why he selected girls he regarded as prostitutes, Ridgway mentioned they “have been straightforward to choose up with out being seen. I knew they might not be reported lacking instantly and may by no means be reported lacking. I picked prostitutes as a result of I assumed I may kill as a lot of them as I wished 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.