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Jeff Miller
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Joined: 22 Nov 2001
Posts: 23947
Location: Mental Ward for the Mentaly Unstable 6th floor, Saint John's 1615 Delaware Longview Washington 98632
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 Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:42 pm BREAKING NEWS: Ridgway admits 48 Green River killings |
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I have also enclosed additional info along with the base story so people can learn alittle about the killings and timeline of the investigations (SP)
| Quote: | BREAKING NEWS: Ridgway admits 48 Green River killings
09:55 AM PST on Wednesday, November 5, 2003
By kgw.com and AP Staff
SEATTLE -- Gary Ridgway, the former truck painter suspected of being the Green River Killer, went into court Wednesday morning and pled guilty to 48 murders, more than any other serial killer in U.S. history.
The deal with prosecutors guarantees that Ridgway, 54, avoids the death penalty in Washington state. The plea agreement was reached in June and signed by Ridgway at that time, prosecutors disclosed in court Wednesday.
"I killed the 48 women... I killed so many women, I have a hard time keeping them straight," Ridgway said in a statement read in the court.
"That's true," Ridgway responded after the prosecutor read the statement.
Some relatives of victims wept quietly in the courtroom.
The Auburn, Wash. man will spend the rest of his life in prison in Washington state without any possibility of parole.
In exchange for dropping the death penalty in Washington, Ridgway told the court he agreed to cooperate with investigators in the Green River case.
However, two of the bodies on the official list of Green River victims were found in Oregon, which has capital punishment, and it was still unclear whether Ridgway will plead to those.
The Green River Killer is blamed for the deaths of 49 women, mostly prostitutes and runaways who disappeared from the Sea-Tac Strip south of Seattle in the early 1980's. The first bodies showed up in the Green River.
"I thought I could kill as many of them (prostitutes) as I wanted without getting caught," Ridgway's statement read.
He went on to say that he hated prostitutes and did not want to pay them for sex.
"I wanted to kill as many women as I thought were prostitutes as I possibly could," Ridgway emphasized.
In a series of questions from the prosecutor, Ridgway said he understood terms of the agreement and the right to trial and other rights he is giving up.
Ridgway was arrested two years ago after investigators linked him to the deaths with DNA evidence. He was initially charged with seven of the deaths and pleaded innocent.
The prospect of the death penalty led Ridgway to trade information for his life. Since he began cooperating on June 13, searchers have found four sets of human remains and identified three of them.
King County Sheriff Dave Reichert said that he and King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday meeting with victims' relatives.
The prosecution said in court Wednesday that most families supported the plea deal.
A handful accused Maleng of reneging on a promise he made when Ridgway was first charged -- that he would not bargain with the death penalty.
For parents like Kathy Mills, the arrest of Ridgway began a long journey that ended Wednesday.
"I had made up my mind, they're not going to catch him. It's over, they're not going to catch him. about that time, they did," said Kathy Mills, the mother of victim, Opal Mills.
According to the plea agreement, Ridgway confessed to 42 of the 49 listed killings, plus six not on the Green River list. Seven deaths would remain unsolved.
It appears that the Green River killings did not stop two decades ago as investigators first believed. One of the women in the reported confession was killed in 1990 and another in 1998.
Ridgway confessed to murdering 16-year old Opal Mills, who was last seen hitch-hiking home from a friend's house.
"The first time I saw him, and had to literally hang onto my chair to keep from going to him," said Kathy Mills.
The courtroom Wednesday was filled with family members of victims.
The plea deal has led investigators to find the remains of four other young women.
"In order to get information on where the rest of the girls were that will help their families and I won't be that selfish to say 'no you don't want to let his give information and weasel out of it' what ever you want to say," said Mills.
But behind each case, there has been an enormous personal toll. Kathy Mills' family was ripped apart.
She even wrote a book to help her deal with grief and to tell the story of a little girl who had won awards for studying the bible.
For her a 21-year ordeal is coming to an end.
"It will be easier this time, because I know he'll never be out on the street again," said Mills.
The Ridgway plea deal has also raised serious questions regarding the death penalty.
Just last week, defense attorneys argued that if we don't execute serial killers how can anyone else be executed.
But the Washington State Attorney General's Office has reviewed supreme court decisions and said it does not, "believe any deal with Ridgway … will affect death penalty cases in the future."
The Green River killings are among the worst in the nation's history. It's difficult to know who was the worst serial killer because many deaths go unsolved and some confessions are exaggerated.
John Wayne Gacy, who preyed on men and boys in Chicago in the 1970s, was convicted of killing 33. Ted Bundy, who started killing in Seattle, confessed to killing more than 30 women and girls, but was convicted only of killing three before he was executed.
Gary Ridgway appears in court Wednesday and pleads guilty to 48 killings. (KGW Photo)
Long list of Green River victims awaiting justice
01:08 AM PST on Wednesday, November 5, 2003
Associated Press
SEATTLE -- Gary Ridgway will plead guilty Wednesday to aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths of 48 women, a source has told The Associated Press. They are, in order of their disappearance:
1. Wendy Lee Coffield, 16 -- July 8, 1982, in Tacoma. Body found in Green River July 15, 1982, near Kent, Wash.
2. Gisele Ann Lovvorn, 17 -- July 17, 1982, near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Found Sept. 25, 1982, south of airport.
3. Debra Lynn Bonner, 23 -- July 25, 1982, south of Sea-Tac Airport. Found Aug. 12, 1982, in the Green River near Kent.
4. Marcia Faye Chapman, 31 -- Aug. 1, 1982, south Seattle suburbs, headed for Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, Green River.
5. Cynthia Jean Hinds, 17 -- Aug. 11, 1982, near the Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, on bank of Green River near Kent.
6. Opal Charmaine Mills, 16 -- Aug. 12, 1982, at a public phone booth off Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, Green River, Kent
7. Terry Rene Milligan, 16 -- Aug. 29, 1982, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 1, 1984, off Star Lake Road in south King County.
8. Mary Bridget Meehan, 18 -- Sept. 15, 1982, on Pacific Highway South. Found Nov. 13, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs.
9. Debra Lorraine Estes, 15 -- Sept. 20, 1982. Found May 30, 1988, in Federal Way.
10. Linda Jane Rule, 16 -- Sept. 26, 1982, last seen leaving a motel room on Aurora Avenue North, on her way to Kmart to shop for clothes. Location where and date when remains were found not immediately available.
11. Denise Darcel Bush, 22 -- Oct. 8, 1982, last seen around noon on Pacific Highway South. Body appears first to have been left in wooded area in Tukwila, south of Seattle. Some skeletal remains found there Feb. 10, 1990. Her skull was found June 12, 1985, in Tigard, Ore. Investigators believe killer moved part of her remains.
12. Shawnda Leea Summers, 17 -- Oct. 9, 1982, downtown Seattle. Found Aug. 11, 1983, north of Sea-Tac airport.
13. Shirley Marie Sherrill, 18 -- between Oct. 20 and Nov. 7, 1982, in Seattle's International District. Remains found June 14, 1985, in Tigard, Ore., along with those of No. 11, Denise Bush.
14. Colleen Renee Brockman, 15 -- about Dec. 24, 1982. Family last saw her Dec. 23, 1982. Found May 26, 1984, near Sumner, Pierce County.
15. Alma Ann Smith, 18 -- March 3, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 2, 1984, in Star Lake area.
16. Delores LaVerne Williams, 17 -- March 8, 1983, at bus stop on Pacific Highway South. Found March 31, 1984, near Star Lake.
17. Gail Lynn Mathews, 24 -- April 10, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Sept. 18, 1983, near Star Lake.
18. Andrea M. Childers, 19 -- April 16, 1983. Found Oct. 11, 1989, south of Sea-Tac airport.
19. Sandra Kay Gabbert, 17 -- April 17, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 1, 1984, in Star Lake area.
20. Kimi-Kai Pitsor, 16 -- April 17, 1983, in Seattle. Skull found Dec. 15, 1983, near Auburn cemetery. Other remains found there January 1986.
21. Marie M. Malvar, 18, April 30, 1983, at a store on Pacific Highway South. Found Sept. 29, 2003, near Auburn.
22. Carol Christensen, 21 -- May 3, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found May 8, 1983, in Maple Valley.
23. Martina Theresa Authorlee, 18 -- May 22, 1983, at hotel on Pacific Highway South. Found Nov. 14, 1984, near Enumclaw.
24. Cheryl Lee Wims, 18 -- May 23, 1983, in Seattle. Found March 22, 1984, just north of Sea-Tac airport.
25. Yvonne Shelly Antosh, 19 -- May 31, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Oct. 15, 1983, near Lake Sawyer.
26. Carrie A. Rois, 15 -- May 31 to June 13, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs. Found March 10, 1985, in Star Lake area.
27. Constance Elizabeth Naon, 21 -- June 8, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Oct. 27, 1983, just south of Sea-Tac airport.
28. Kelly Marie Ware, 22 -- July 19, 1983, at a Seattle bus stop. Remains found Oct. 29, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs.
29. Tina Marie Thompson, 22 -- July 25, 1983, Sea-Tac strip motel. Found April 20, 1984, near state Highway 18 and Interstate 90.
30. April Dawn Buttram, 17 -- Aug. 18, 1983, when police spoke to her in south Seattle suburbs. Found Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, 2003, in a wooded area near Snoqualmie, about 26 miles east of Seattle.
31. Debbie May Abernathy, 26 -- Sept. 5, 1983, when she left her apartment to go to downtown Seattle. Found March 31, 1984, 12 miles east of Enumclaw.
32. Tracy Ann Winston, 19 -- Sept. 12, 1983, in Seattle's Northgate Mall. Found March 27, 1986, near the Green River in Kent.
33. Maureen Sue Feeney, 19 -- Sept. 28, 1983, at Seattle bus stop. Found May 2, 1986, off Interstate 90 near North Bend.
34. Mary Sue Bello, 25 -- Oct. 11, 1983, on the Sea-Tac strip. Found Oct. 12, 1984, east of Enumclaw.
35. Pammy Avent -- Oct. 26, 1983, 4600 block of 44th Avenue South, Seattle. Found Aug. 16, 2003, off state Highway 410 near Enumclaw.
36. Delise Louise Plager, 22 -- Oct. 30, 1983, at a bus stop in south Seattle suburbs. Found Feb. 14, 1984, near Interstate 90 east of North Bend.
37. Kimberly L. Nelson, also known as Tina Tomson and Linda Lee Barkey, 26 -- Nov. 1, 1983, at bus stop on Pacific Highway South. Found June 14, 1986, off Interstate 90 near North Bend, Wash.
38. Lisa Yates, 26 -- Dec. 23, 1983, in south Seattle. Found March 13, 1984, off Interstate 90 east of North Bend.
39. Mary Exzetta West, 16 -- Feb. 6, 1984, in south Seattle. Found Sept. 8, 1985, in Seattle's Seward Park.
40. Cindy Anne Smith, 17 -- March 21, 1984, hitchhiking on Pacific Highway South. Found June 27, 1987, off Highway 18 near Green River Community College.
41. Patricia Michelle Barczak, 19 -- October 1986 along Pacific Highway South near Sea-Tac Airport. Skull found seven years later by a survey crew working along Highway 18 in Auburn.
42. Roberta Joseph Hayes, 21 -- Last seen leaving a Portland jail in 1987. Remains found Sept. 12, 1991, along Highway 410 east of Enumclaw, Wash.
43. Marta Reeves, 37 -- Disappeared 1990. Remains found September 1990 along Highway 410 near Enumclaw.
44. Patricia Yellow Robe, 38 -- Disappeared 1998. Found Aug. 6, 1998, in a vacant lot on Des Moines Way South near Highway 99.
In addition, Ridgway will claim responsibility for four sets of unidentified remains.
------
Ridgway will not enter pleas to seven deaths previously attributed to the Green River Killer, though he remains a suspect in those deaths:
--Amina Agisheff, 36. Last seen July 7, 1982, leaving Seattle apartment. Remains found April 18, 1984, near Highway 18 and Interstate 90.
--Kassee Ann Lee, 16. Last seen Aug. 28, 1982, at 11:30 a.m. at her south King County home by her husband. Remains not found.
--Rebecca T. Marrero, 20. Last seen Dec. 3, 1982, at Western Six Motel on Pacific Highway South. Remains not found.
--Tammie Charlene Liles, 16. Last seen June 9, 1983, downtown Seattle. Remains found April 23, 1985, in Tualatin, Ore., south of Portland.
--Keli K. McGinness, 18 -- Last seen June 28, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Remains not found.
--Patricia Anne Osborn -- Last seen Oct. 20, 1983, 11500 block of Aurora Avenue North, Seattle. Remains not found.
--One set of unidentified remains.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Timeline of Green River killings
12:10 AM PST on Wednesday, November 5, 2003
Associated Press
Here is a timeline of the Green River killings and the arrest and prosecution of Gary Leon Ridgway:
July 15, 1982 — Body of Wendy Lee Coffield, 16, Puyallup, found floating in the Green River south of Seattle.
Aug. 12, 1982 — Body of Debra Bonner, 23, found in Green River.
Aug. 13-15, 1982 — Bodies of Cynthia Hinds, 17, Opal Mills, 16, and Marcia Chapman, 31, found in or near Green River.
Aug. 16, 1982 — King County police establish a task force on the killings.
Aug. 20, 1982 — Police announce arrest of a "potential suspect" in slayings but he is later released.
April 27, 1983 — Green River killer becomes target of largest murder investigation in the country. Sheriff Vern Thomas estimates cost for 1983 at $2 million.
April 30, 1983 — Marie M. Malvar, 18, disappears. Boyfriend follows pickup suspected in the disappearance; pickup is identified as Ridgway's. Des Moines police respond and Ridgway denies any contact with Malvar.
May 3, 1983 — Carol Christensen, 21, disappears from Pacific Highway South, south of Seattle.
May 8, 1983 — Body of Christensen found in wooded area in Maple Valley southeast of Seattle.
Nov. 20, 1983 — Police say the same man killed 11 young women found murdered in south King County since summer 1982.
April 2, 1984 — Discovery of five more sets of skeletal remains could bring total victims to more than 30. Official number of victims is 20.
April 20, 1984 — Remains of Amina Agisheff, 36, found near North Bend. She was last seen in Seattle in 1982. Another set of remains also found.
Dec. 9, 1984 — Death toll rises to 42 — 28 identified bodies and 14 other women missing.
April 8, 1987 — Police search home and vehicles of Kent-area man. Two witnesses say man was seen with at least two of the victims, now thought to number 46. Police take "bodily samples" from the man but there is insufficient evidence to arrest him. The man was Gary Ridgway.
May 30, 1988 — Body of Debra Estes, 15, found in Federal Way, last seen on Sept. 20, 1982.
Sept. 20, 1990 — Body of Marta Reeves found along Washington 410 near Enumclaw southeast of Seattle. She is not listed among Green River victims at first.
July 1991 — Green River task force reduced to one investigator. No killer has been found despite years of investigative work.
Aug. 6, 1998 — Wrecking crew finds body of Patricia Ann Yellow Robe, 38, Seattle. Death certificate says she died of accidental drug and alcohol overdose, but investigators later tell relatives she was among the Green River killer's victims.
Nov. 2, 1999 — New DNA process used to identify remains found near Green River in 1986 as Tracy Ann Winston, 19, last seen near Northgate in Seattle in 1983.
February 2000 — State crime lab begins using sophisticated new DNA testing method.
March 2001 — Crime lab begins using new process to test Green River killer evidence.
Nov. 30, 2001 — Gary Leon Ridgway, a married man from Auburn who painted trucks for Kenworth Truck Co. in Renton, arrested in connection with four slayings. Ridgway's DNA is linked to three victims. Ridgway is jailed without bail.
Dec. 5, 2001 — King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng files aggravated first-degree murder charges against Ridgway in deaths of Marcia Chapman, Cynthia Hinds, Opal Mills and Carol Christensen.
Dec. 18, 2001 — Ridgway pleads innocent to those four murder counts.
Sept. 22, 2002 — Prosecutors recommend a March 2004 trial date for Ridgway. More than 375,000 documents received by defense from prosecutors in past few months.
Oct. 5-6, 2002 — Crews search wetland in Kent for more remains, nothing found.
Oct. 18, 2002 — Trial date set for March 16, 2004.
March 27, 2003 — Ridgway charged with three more counts of aggravated first-degree murder in deaths of Wendy Lee Coffield, Debra Estes and Debra Bonner. A total of 49 women are listed as victims of the serial killer.
April 3, 2003 — Ridgway pleads innocent to Coffield, Estes and Bonner murder counts.
May 13, 2003 — Trial date delayed to July 14, 2004.
Mid-June 2003 — Ridgway secretly transferred out of King County Jail to an undisclosed location in custody of sheriff's office.
Aug. 16, 2003 — Detectives and search crews find human skeletal remains in a wooded area near Washington 410 east of Enumclaw. Authorities will not confirm reports that Ridgway is cooperating with investigators in hopes of avoiding the death penalty.
Aug. 18, 2003 — Remains found near Enumclaw identified as Pammy Annette Avent, 16, Seattle, who disappeared in October 1983.
Aug. 21-23, 2003 — Detectives find human bones in wooded area in Kent.
Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, 2003 — Detectives find human bones found in wooded area near Snoqualmie, in east King County.
Sept. 4, 2003 — Task force searches site near North Bend, nothing found.
Sept. 6, 2003 — Task force searches three locations east of Enumclaw, nothing found.
Sept. 26, 2003 — Remains found near Snoqualmie have been identified as April Dawn Buttram, 17, last seen in 1983.
Sept. 28-29, 2003 — Skeletal remains, including skull, found in wooded area near Auburn.
Oct. 1, 2003 — Bones found near Auburn identified as Marie M. Malvar, 18, who disappeared April 30, 1983.
Green River killer investigators uncover bones near Kent, Wash. recently. (KING Photo)
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Josi Rockholt
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 29 Dec 2001
Posts: 10136
Location: Boston, Ma
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| Wed Nov 05, 2003 3:27 pm |
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Wow. I'd be scared half out of my mind living there.
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Jeremy
J's Guy
Joined: 03 Oct 2002
Posts: 7823
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
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| Sat Nov 08, 2003 4:31 pm |
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I glad they caught the sick piece of.... 
How could someone kill that many people  
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Josi Rockholt
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 29 Dec 2001
Posts: 10136
Location: Boston, Ma
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| Sat Nov 08, 2003 5:57 pm |
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Maybe they had a bad childhood or something.
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Thomas
Pool Princess
Joined: 08 Jul 2001
Posts: 19730
Location: Manchester
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| Sat Nov 08, 2003 5:58 pm |
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That really justifies mass murder.
-------signature-------
Gloss rhymes with hair!
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