February 04, 2018

031 - Serial Killer Files Part 3: The Green River Killer

31 minutes

Episodes

This is part of a series of episodes on Serial Killer Files.

Serial Killer Files Part 1: The Night Stalker

Serial Killer Files Part 2: Ed Gein - The Real Psycho

Serial Killer Files Part 3: The Green River Killer

The Green River Killer

The Green River Killer terrorized the state of Washington in the 80’s and 90’s. This is a story of a man who was well hidden within the society in plain sight. As always, be advised, it ain’t pretty.

Born: Feb 18, 1949, Salt Lake City, Utah

Crime: 49 convicted murders

Targets: Sex workers, underage runaway, vulnerable women

Locations: Seattle and Tacoma (Green River)

Killing span: 1982 - 1998 (presumed to be as recent as 2001)

Date of Apprehension: Nov 30, 2001

Family and Personal Life:

Domineering mother towards whom he had lustful feelings

Bedwetting episodes leading to low self-esteem

Lust and hate towards women

Low IQ (in the eighties). Below average student

Married thrice

First wife: Claudia Kraig Barrows (1970-72)

Highschool sweetheart

Cheated on him while he was in Vietnam

Divorced in 1972

Second wife: Marcia Lorene Brown (1973-81)

Ridgway became extremely religious

Birth of son, Matthew, resulted in a change in the relationship.

Ridgway became abusive and Marcia filed for divorce

This divorce is said to be one reason why Ridgway began murdering

Third wife: Judith Lorraine Lynch (1988-2002)

Career:

Served in Vietnam for two years

Worked at the Kenworth Truck Factory after discharging from the Navy

Killing Spree:

Gary Ridgway is said to have killed 71 women during the span of 1982-1998.

Most of the murders took place between 1982-84 and he is said to have killed many that he lost count.

The bodies were dumped in the Green River, giving him the name The Green River Killer.

He would also visit the corpse later to have sex with it.

He contaminated the body with gum, cigarettes, and other materials to throw off the police.

The Green River Task Force

A task force of 25 full-time detectives was set up to investigate the murders.

The team included Dave Reichert, Robert Kepper, and John E. Douglas.

Ted Bundy, another serial killer, helped in the case to find out the behaviour, psychology, and motivation behind the murders.

He suggests the possibility of necrophilia and suggests the police to stake out fresh grave to capture the killer.

Modus Operandi:

Ridgway picked up women from Pacific South Highway

Lured them using his family man personality and the picture of his son

Took them to secluded areas and strangled them to death

He used his hand in the beginning but began using ligatures to avoid injuries

Most of the murders were committed in the woods, his truck or his room

Close calls:

He was arrested in 1982 and 2001 with regards to prostitution

One of his victims, Rebecca Gardey escaped from his chokehold

Sketches made during the eighties matched Ridgway, but no arrests were made

He underwent a polygraph test and passed in 1984

His saliva and hair samples were collected in 1987, but the technology back then could not connect him to the murders

Breakthroughs:

The saliva and hair samples came to use when DNA technology in the 2000s helped develop a profile of the killer.

The DNA profile of Ridgway matched with the evidence found at the crime scenes and victims’.

The paint traces found in the ligature and clothing of the victim traced back to Kenworth Truck Factory.

Notes:

Gary Ridgway stabbed a six-year-old boy when he was 16 just to know how it feels to kill someone.

Image: Wikipedia

...more

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By Ep.Log Media

33 ratings

February 04, 2018

031 - Serial Killer Files Part 3: The Green River Killer

31 minutes

Episodes

This is part of a series of episodes on Serial Killer Files.

Serial Killer Files Part 1: The Night Stalker

Serial Killer Files Part 2: Ed Gein - The Real Psycho

Serial Killer Files Part 3: The Green River Killer

The Green River Killer

Born: Feb 18, 1949, Salt Lake City, Utah

Crime: 49 convicted murders

Targets: Sex workers, underage runaway, vulnerable women

Locations: Seattle and Tacoma (Green River)

Killing span: 1982 - 1998 (presumed to be as recent as 2001)

Date of Apprehension: Nov 30, 2001

Family and Personal Life:

Domineering mother towards whom he had lustful feelings

Bedwetting episodes leading to low self-esteem

Lust and hate towards women

Low IQ (in the eighties). Below average student

Married thrice

First wife: Claudia Kraig Barrows (1970-72)

Highschool sweetheart

Cheated on him while he was in Vietnam

Divorced in 1972

Second wife: Marcia Lorene Brown (1973-81)

Ridgway became extremely religious

Birth of son, Matthew, resulted in a change in the relationship.

Ridgway became abusive and Marcia filed for divorce

This divorce is said to be one reason why Ridgway began murdering

Third wife: Judith Lorraine Lynch (1988-2002)

Career:

Served in Vietnam for two years

Worked at the Kenworth Truck Factory after discharging from the Navy

Killing Spree:

Gary Ridgway is said to have killed 71 women during the span of 1982-1998.

Most of the murders took place between 1982-84 and he is said to have killed many that he lost count.

The bodies were dumped in the Green River, giving him the name The Green River Killer.

He would also visit the corpse later to have sex with it.

He contaminated the body with gum, cigarettes, and other materials to throw off the police.

The Green River Task Force

A task force of 25 full-time detectives was set up to investigate the murders.

The team included Dave Reichert, Robert Kepper, and John E. Douglas.

Ted Bundy, another serial killer, helped in the case to find out the behaviour, psychology, and motivation behind the murders.

He suggests the possibility of necrophilia and suggests the police to stake out fresh grave to capture the killer.

Modus Operandi:

Ridgway picked up women from Pacific South Highway

Lured them using his family man personality and the picture of his son

Took them to secluded areas and strangled them to death

He used his hand in the beginning but began using ligatures to avoid injuries

Most of the murders were committed in the woods, his truck or his room

Close calls:

He was arrested in 1982 and 2001 with regards to prostitution

One of his victims, Rebecca Gardey escaped from his chokehold

Sketches made during the eighties matched Ridgway, but no arrests were made

He underwent a polygraph test and passed in 1984

His saliva and hair samples were collected in 1987, but the technology back then could not connect him to the murders

Breakthroughs:

The saliva and hair samples came to use when DNA technology in the 2000s helped develop a profile of the killer.

The DNA profile of Ridgway matched with the evidence found at the crime scenes and victims’.

The paint traces found in the ligature and clothing of the victim traced back to Kenworth Truck Factory.

Notes:

Gary Ridgway stabbed a six-year-old boy when he was 16 just to know how it feels to kill someone.

Image: Wikipedia

...more

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