Green river killer biography

Claiming to have murdered as many as 80 women, Gary Ridgway—known as the Green River Killer for the Seattle location where many of his victims were discovered—was America’s deadliest convicted serial killer when, in 2003, he pleaded guilty to 48 counts of murder. Eight years later, he again pleaded guilty to a 49^th count when the remains of one of his victims were discovered.

Over 20 years, Ridgway methodically sexually assaulted and strangled scores of women, many of them prostitutes or runaways, dumping their bodies across a wide area of King County to confuse authorities. Investigators believe that, throughout his murderous spree, the seemingly mild-mannered Ridgway never spoke to anyone of his killings or kept trophies of the grisly crimes. All the while, he maintained his longtime job as a truck painter at the Kenworth Truck plant in Renton and married for the third time.

Here’s the twisted path that led him to life imprisonment at Washington State Penitentiary, where he remains today.

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Gary Ridgway

1949-present

Gary Ridgway Today: A Victim of the “Green River Killer” Has Been Newly Identified

For decades, officials in Washington state have held onto a set of human remains they believed were linked to serial killer Gary Ridgway. On December 19, the King County Sheriff’s Office announced it had identified the victim: Lori Anne Razpotnik, a 15-year-old who ran away from her home in nearby Lewis County in 1982 and was never seen again.

Officials discovered her remains in December 1985 while investigating a report of a car that had driven over an embankment in Auburn and named them “Bones 17” until they could be identified through DNA technology. In 2002, Ridgway directed investigators to the area, admitting he had placed two victims there. The Green River Killer is currently serving multiple life sentences at Washington State Penitentiary.

Razpotnik’s mother, Donna Hurley, told The New York Times she had repeatedly wondered if Ridgway played a role in her daughter’s disappearance but dismissed it. “It was easier to go on with life thinking that she was a

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Gary Ridgway

American serial killer (born 1949)

"Green River Killer" redirects here. For the 2005 film, see Green River Killer (film).

Gary Ridgway
Ridgway's mugshot, November 2001
Born	Gary Leon Ridgway (1949-02-18) February 18, 1949 (age 75) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Other names	The Green River Killer
Spouses	Claudia Kraig Barrows ​ ​ (m. ; div. )​ Marcia Lorene Brown ​ ​ (m. ; div. )​ Judith Lorraine Lynch ​ ​ (m. ; div. )​
Children	1[1]
Conviction(s)
Criminal penalty	49 life sentences without the possibility of parole
Victims	49 convicted 71–90+ confessed and suspected
Span of crimes	1982–1998 confirmed (possibly as recent as 2001)
Country	United States
State(s)	Washington, Oregon
Date apprehended	November 30, 2001
Imprisoned at	Washington State Penitentiary

Gary Leon Ridgway (born