Gary Ridgway: The Green River Killer

1981 fear struck the Seattle, Washington area as bodies began to appear along the Green River. The body count continued to grow until 2003, when Gary Ridgway was apprehended by the officers of the King County Green River Taskforce. Gary Ridgway, or “The Green River Killer” as the media would begin to call him, quickly became one of the most infamous serial murders in US history. With 48 confirmed murders and claims of up to as many as 71 murders, Gary Ridgway has become one the most prolific serial killer in the United States to date.

On July 15, 1981 police recovered the body of Wendy Lee Coffield who was later determined to be the first confirmed kill of the green river killer. Ridgeway had intercourse with all the victims before strangling them to death. Then dump the bodies in or around the green river, giving him the title of the Green River Killer. He would also engage in necrophilia by returning to some of the bodies of the

women that he murdered and raping them. Ridgeway prayed on women prostitutes many of them teenagers.
Even with an IQ in the low to mid 80’s Gary Ridgeway was an intelligent and deceptive man, enough so that he was able to baffle police and avoid arrest for nearly 20 years.

He was mindful of forensics and did his best to avoid leaving any trace evidence to link him to the crime. Ridgway told police that he “studied serial killers in books, newspapers, and magazines to learn for their mistakes.” (Helfgott & Meloy Criminal Psychology 2013). Ridgeway made drastic changes in the murder of Carol Christiansen in an attempt to throw off the polices investigation. When she was found she was fully clothed and posed with the ligature used to kill her still around her neck. “She was laying on her back with an empty bottle of wine on her stomach, ground sausage in her hands, and two trout laid across her upper torso.” (Helfgott & Meloy Criminal Psychology 2013). “He also left false clues around the dump sites to throw off suspicion, including gum and cigarettes that had been used by other people.” (Grey "Gary Ridgway: The Green River Killer"

2016).
In December of 2001 he was charged with the deaths of four women. “In November 2003, as part of a plea agreement to avoid the death penalty, Ridgway admits to the murder of forty-eight women” (crimeandinvestigation.co.uk). He claimed to have killed as many as 75-80 women but due to lack of remains he has not been charged with these deaths. Some believe that he is lying about these additional murders as an attempt at fame.
The question that runs through everyone’s mind when something like this happens is, how or why would be compelled to kill not only once but time and time again. Unfortunately, there is no one answer that applies to every killer, the closest we can come to comprehend their reasoning is to look at their past and behavior and apply it to what we know about psychology.