Gary Ridgway is one of America's most brutal serial killers. From the beginning of the 80s until 1998, he committed atrocious crimes against young women and girls. As a rule, a maniac picked up only runaways or ladies of easy virtue, had sexual intercourse with them, and then strangled them - first with his bare hands, and then began to use a noose. The serial killer left the bodies of naked women without clothes and jewelry on the banks of the Green River. Nevertheless, he was detained in the fall of 2001. Gary Ridgway admitted to committing 71 murders, although the police managed to prove only 49 of them. Learn more about all this from this article.
Gary Ridgway Biography
Born a serial killer in Salt Lake City in Utah in February 1949. Gary's family was complete. He lived with his father and mother. However, according to relatives, the boy’s childhood was very difficult due to the heavy nature of his mother. For this reason, the future maniac often had to watch family scandals. Later it will become known that Gary Ridgway had a sexual attraction and hatred for his mother.
During training at school, the future killer did not differ in special intelligence. In addition, many of his classmates noted that Gary was quite peculiar and secretive. At the age of 16, he stabbed a six-year-old boy. Gary did this only because he wanted someone to take his life.
In high school, the future maniac signed up for the fleet as a volunteer. He served in the army in Vietnam, where he took part in hostilities. His two marriages ended in divorces. One of the ex-wives gave birth to a son in 1975. The latter became a marine and lives in San Diego.
Committed acts
Between 1982 and 1998, the maniac raped and killed 49 women. At least only this number of acts carried out is proved by the police.
Ridgway committed crimes near the cities of Tacoma and Seattle in Washington. This mainly happened in the summer of the 80s and 90s. In most cases, the victims of the maniac were women of easy virtue and runaway girls, whom the killer picked up on the highway. He left the bodies of the latter without clothes and jewelry on the banks of a river called the Green River. Hence the maniac and got his nickname - "The Killer with the Green River." Gary Ridgway killed women in his house, car or in uninhabited places.
How did
Gary Leon Ridgway picked up women and girls on the track. Then he rubbed trust in them with the help of a photograph of his son. Then the maniac seduced his victims and smothered his hands. Many of those killed were very resistant. In order not to fall under suspicion due to the scars on the hands left by his victims, Gary subsequently began to use the noose. Thus, the maniac acted very uniformly and for a long time did not attract any attention.
How to become a suspect
Serial killer Gary Ridgway tried to confuse the police in every way so that it would not go on his trail. The maniac even began to leave the bodies of the victims not only by the river, but also in the forest zone. Nevertheless, a careful disguise did not help to hide the deed.
In 1983, one of the women of easy virtue, which the killer picked up on the highway, told police that Gary began to strangle her during intercourse. The latter resisted strongly and was able to escape. Thus, the woman miraculously remained alive.
Already in 1984, the maniac very successfully passed the polygraph test. This helped him temporarily relieve his suspicions. Nevertheless, already in 1987, he took hair and saliva for examination. The tests made helped the police in a further investigation.
Interesting facts from the life of a maniac
In 1985, the maniac began dating a girl who three years later became his wife. Later, the latter told reporters that her husband spent a lot of time outside their home. He explained this by taking extra shifts at work.
Ridgway himself told reporters that after he met his wife (Judith Mawson), his desire for committing atrocious crimes eased. The latter, in turn, later said that, becoming the wife of Gary, she saved several lives. In addition, it became known that the serial killer and his wife preferred to make love in nature. When the ex-wife showed these places, the detectives were shocked. After all, it was there that the remains of the bodies of murdered women and girls were discovered.
The arrest took place
The serial killer was finally detained by the police and arrested in late November 2001. The basis for this was the samples of his analyzes, which, according to the DNA examination, completely coincided with the traces of seminal fluid and hair that were found on the bodies of the victims of the maniac.
At first, Gary was accused of only 4 murders, which he committed about two decades ago. Later, three more women were added to this number of victims. Because traces of paint were found on the bodies of the latter, which was used at the enterprise where the maniac worked.
Two years after Gary’s arrest, 48 murders were charged. This was enough to take the maniac's life by using the death penalty. Nevertheless, the authorities agreed with a brutal killer. Because in exchange for a life sentence, Gary promised to show those places where the rest of his victims were buried.
Court
The bloodiest maniac in US history was sentenced to 48 terms in life without the possibility of release. In addition, the court appointed him 480 years in prison for hiding evidence. At the meeting, the maniac cried a lot and asked for forgiveness from the relatives of the victims.
Filmed a film about Gary Ridgway
In 2005, the movie “The Killer from the Green River” based on real events was presented to the audience. The main character here is Gary Ridgway himself. Despite the fact that the movie was supposed to be documentary, its content does not coincide with what it really was. In the film, Gary has a house, a beautiful wife and son. The wife of a maniac constantly refuses to be close to him, because she has a headache. The serial killer himself brings women of easy virtue into the house, makes love to them, and then takes his life. In addition, the actor who played the role of Gary, does not at all look like the latter in reality.
Number of victims
Initially, the maniac pleaded guilty only to the commission of forty-eight murders. In addition, he pointed to the places where the police found the remains of the bodies of raped and strangled women. Later, Ridgway announced the implementation of 62 killings.
In February 2011, a trial was again held against the cruel maniac. He was charged with 49 killing a 20-year-old girl. The maniac’s involvement in the deed has been proven. Nevertheless, the court did not change the earlier sentence.
According to some reports, the bloody maniac admitted to committing 71 murders. Only young women and girls are on the list of victims. Age - from 12 to 38 years. Gary Ridgway took their lives. Photos of the victims are presented below.
No remorse
The lawyers who defended the maniac could not believe that the murders of women were committed by such a kind and quiet man as Gary Ridgway. The latter did not refuse to give an interview. In addition, during a conversation with reporters, he said that he regrets that he did not bury the bodies of many of his victims. Nevertheless, the maniac did not repent of having committed such atrocities that young women and girls lost their lives through his fault.
Also, the maniac stubbornly hid that he loved to have sexual intercourse with the corpses of his victims. But over time, spoke about his "unhealthy addiction." When asked why he did this, he answered very simply: "There was no need to pay for it." The bloody killer did not consider himself a sick person. During the forensic psychiatric examination, he did not reveal any deviations. Despite the fact that he studied very poorly at school, he always had a very good memory. In addition, it is worth noting that his level of intelligence is 83.
He also had in his use four cars of different colors and brands. For this reason, the maniac for so long could not figure out the police. Even the detectives were confused by how thoughtfully the serial killer works.