Reason for Green River Killer Gary Ridgway's Seattle visit released
Reason for Gary Ridgway's 2024 Seattle visit released
The reason behind why Gary Ridgway was temporarily booked back into Seattle's King County Jail in September 2024 has been released.
SEATTLE - The reason behind why Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, was temporarily booked back into King County Jail in September 2024 has been released.
A judge recently unsealed the order, which revealed King County Sheriff’s detectives transported Ridgway back to Seattle in an effort to find undiscovered remains of the serial killer's victims, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Ridgway and King County detectives went to various locations where he believed he left remains of victims that had not yet been recovered, the order states. The process happened between Sept. 9-13, and was planned to take several days given Ridgway's age and health.
Green River Killer Gary Ridgway returned to Seattle's King County Jail
Gary Leon Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, has been booked into the King County Jail, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Ridgway, 76, has routinely met with detectives since 2003 as part of his plea agreement. The meetings, which previously took place at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, were regarding the investigations of unsolved homicide cases.
According to prosecutors, previous efforts to find the locations of Ridgeway's victims based on verbal descriptions were not successful. Ridgway indicated in a prior interview that he believed he could find the locations in person. Thus, he was booked back into King County Jail on an institutional hold.
It's unclear if Ridgway actually helped detectives find any previously undiscovered remains.
A judge initially sealed Ridgway's transport order, citing that the case "garnered and continues to garner extensive local, state, national and international media attention," and if the public were to learn details about the plan, it could "jeopardize the open investigation into these unsolved homicide cases."
A judge signed an order to unseal the transport order on Friday.
"Every time that Gary Ridgway’s name is in the news, we know it is incredibly difficult and traumatizing for the families of his many victims," said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. "Those victims and the people who loved them are not forgotten, and that’s who we are focused on today."
Last known remains of Green River Killer case identified 40 years later
The last known remains of the Green River Killer case have been identified by the King County Sheriff's Office, nearly 40 years later.
Ridgway now remains at the Washington State Penitentiary, where he's serving 49 consecutive life sentences.
The Source: Information in this story is from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
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