Jessica Limbacher Period 3

Jessica Limbacher Period 3

Gary Leon Ridgway

“The Green River Killer”

Background

1.  Born in Salt Lake City, Utah.

2.  Witnessed many harsh fights between his parents

3.  Abused by mother

4.  Tortured and killed cats

5.  Troubled teenage years; tested at below average intelligence

6.  Joined Navy and went to Vietnam where he did see combat

a.  Spent time with prostitutes here and contracted gonorrhea

7.  Married high school sweetheart who later cheated on him in an affair

a.  Marriage dissolved after a year and he continued his sexual endeavors with prostitutes

b.  Second wife also cheated on him, but also gave birth to his first child (a boy) in 1975

c.  Also had a third wife whom he divorced

8.  Forced wives to perform public sex in inappropriate places multiple times a day

a.  Described himself as “having an obsession with sex” and a love- hate relationship with prostitutes

9.  Became fanatically religious and often went door-to-door preaching

a.  Would cry alone in woods after reading the Bible

10.  Was working at the Kenworth trucking factory in Renton, Washington

First Crime

1.  In his twenties, he stabbed a six-year-old boy (who survived) after leading him into the woods

a.  Was never caught or charged with a crime

2.  Rumored to have drown another boy as a teenager by wrapping his legs around him while swimming and holding him under water

a.  Again, never charged with any crime here

Famous Crimes

1.  In November of 2001, he was arrested for the murders of 4 women by DNA evidence

a.  Forensic evidence of the composition of paint fragments (used only at the company where he worked) linked him to more victims later on

2.  In 2003, he pled guilty to 48 charges of aggravated first degree murder (Class A felony, murder committed with premeditation, often alongside another serious crime)

a.  Strangled victims (prostitutes or runaways picked up along the highway) with ligatures

b.  Dumped bodies in forested or secluded areas

c.  Returned to bodies to engage in sexual intercourse (this is known as necrophilia)

3.  Took a plea bargain that excluded him from the death sentence if he cooperated with authorities in locating the bodies of his other victims

4.  Confessed to killing approximately 72 women

5.  Ridgway is now serving a life sentence in Washington State Penitentiary without possibility of parole

Confirmed Victims

Name / Age / Disappeared / Found /
1 / Wendy Lee Coffield / 16 / 1982-07-08 !July 8, 1982 / 1982-07-15 !July 15, 1982
2 / Gisele Ann Lovvorn / 17 / 1982-07-17 !July 17, 1982 / 1982-09-25 !September 25, 1982
3 / Debra Lynn Bonner / 23 / 1982-07-25 !July 25, 1982 / 1982-08-12 !August 12, 1982
4 / Marcia Fay Chapman / 31 / 1982-08-01 !August 1, 1982 / 1982-08-15 !August 15, 1982
5 / Cynthia Jean Hinds / 17 / 1982-08-11 !August 11, 1982 / 1982-08-15 !August 15, 1982
6 / Opal Charmaine Mills / 16 / 1982-08-12 !August 12, 1982 / 1982-08-15 !August 15, 1982
7 / Terry Rene Milligan / 16 / 1982-08-29 !August 29, 1982 / 1984-04-01 !April 1, 1984
8 / Mary Bridget Meehan / 18 / 1982-09-15 !September 15, 1982 / 1983-11-13 !November 13, 1983
9 / Debra Lorraine Estes / 15 / 1982-09-20 !September 20, 1982 / 1988-05-30 !May 30, 1988
10 / Linda Jane Rule / 16 / 1982-09-26 !September 26, 1982 / 1983-01-31 !January 31, 1983
11 / Denise Darcel Bush / 23 / 1982-10-08 !October 8, 1982 / 1985-06-12 !June 12, 1985
12 / Shawnda Leea Summers / 16 / 1982-10-09 !October 9, 1982 / 1983-08-11 !August 11, 1983
13 / Shirley Marie Sherrill / 18 / 1982-10-20 !October 20–22, 1982 / 1985-06-00 !June 1985
14 / Rebecca "Becky" Marrero / 20 / 1982-12-03 !December 3, 1982 / 2010-12-21 !December 21, 2010
15 / Colleen Renee Brockman / 15 / 1982-12-24 !December 24, 1982 / 1984-05-26 !May 26, 1984
16 / Sandra Denise Major / 20 / 1982-12-24 !December 24, 1982 / 1985-12-30 !December 30, 1985
17 / Alma Ann Smith / 18 / 1983-03-03 !March 3, 1983 / 1984-04-02 !April 2, 1984
18 / Delores LaVerne Williams / 17 / 1983-03-08 !March 8–14, 1983 / 1984-03-31 !March 31, 1984
19 / Gail Lynn Mathews / 23 / 1983-04-10 !April 10, 1983 / 1983-09-18 !September 18, 1983
20 / Andrea M. Childers / 19 / 1983-04-14 !April 14, 1983 / 1989-10-11 !October 11, 1989
21 / Sandra Kay Gabbert / 17 / 1983-04-17 !April 17, 1983 / 1984-04-01 !April 1, 1984
22 / Kimi-Kai Pitsor / 16 / 1983-04-17 !April 17, 1983 / 1983-12-15 !December 15, 1983
23 / Marie M. Malvar / 18 / 1983-04-30 !April 30, 1983 / 2003-09-26 !September 26, 2003
24 / Carol Ann Christensen / 21 / 1983-05-03 !May 3, 1983 / 1983-05-08 !May 8, 1983
25 / Martina Theresa Authorlee / 18 / 1983-05-22 !May 22, 1983 / 1984-11-14 !November 14, 1984
26 / Cheryl Lee Wims / 18 / 1983-05-23 !May 23, 1983 / 1984-03-22 !March 22, 1984
27 / Yvonne "Shelly" Antosh / 19 / 1983-05-31 !May 31, 1983 / 1983-10-15 !October 15, 1983
28 / Carrie Ann Rois / 15 / 1983-05-31 !May 31 – June 13, 1983 / 1985-03-10 !March 10, 1985
29 / Constance Elizabeth Naon / 19 / 1983-06-08 !June 8, 1983 / 1983-10-27 !October 27, 1983
30 / Kelly Marie Ware / 22 / 1983-07-18 !July 18, 1983 / 1983-10-29 !October 29, 1983
31 / Tina Marie Thompson / 21 / 1983-07-25 !July 25, 1983 / 1984-04-20 !April 20, 1984
32 / April Dawn Buttram / 16 / 1983-08-18 !August 18, 1983 / 2003-08-30 !August 30, 2003
33 / Debbie May Abernathy / 26 / 1983-09-05 !September 5, 1983 / 1984-03-31 !March 31, 1984
34 / Tracy Ann Winston / 19 / 1983-09-12 !September 12, 1983 / 1986-03-27 !March 27, 1986
35 / Maureen Sue Feeney / 19 / 1983-09-28 !September 28, 1983 / 1986-05-2 !May 2, 1986
36 / Mary Sue Bello / 25 / 1983-10-11 !October 11, 1983 / 1984-10-12 !October 12, 1984
37 / Pammy Annette Avent / 15 / 1983-10-26 !October 26, 1983 / 2003-08-16 !August 16, 2003
38 / Delise Louise Plager / 22 / 1983-10-30 !October 30, 1983 / 1984-02-14 !February 14, 1984
39 / Kimberly L. Nelson / 21 / 1983-11-01 !November 1, 1983 / 1986-06-14 !June 14, 1986
40 / Lisa Yates / 19 / 1983-12-23 !December 23, 1983 / 1984-03-13 !March 13, 1984
41 / Mary Exzetta West / 16 / 1984-02-06 !February 6, 1984 / 1985-09-08 !September 8, 1985
42 / Cindy Anne Smith / 17 / 1984-03-21 !March 21, 1984 / 1987-06-27 !June 27, 1987
43 / Patricia Michelle Barczak / 19 / 1986-10-17 !October 17, 1986 / 1993-02-00 !February 1993
44 / Roberta Joseph Hayes / 21 / 1987-02-07 !February 7, 1987 / 1991-09-11 !September 11, 1991
45 / Marta Reeves / 36 / 1990-03-05 !March 5, 1990 / 1990-09-20 !September 20, 1990
46 / Patricia Yellowrobe / 38 / 1998-01-00 !January 1998 / 1998-08-06 !August 6, 1998
47 / Unidentified White Female / 12–17 / 1983-05-00 !Died prior to May 1983 / 1984-03-21 !March 21, 1984
48 / Unidentified White Female / 14–18 / 1980-12-00 !December 1980 – January 1984 / 1986-01-02 !January 2, 1986
49 / Unidentified Female

Quote

“I don't believe in man, God nor Devil. I hate the whole damned human race, including myself... I preyed upon the weak, the harmless and the unsuspecting. This lesson I was taught by others: Might makes right.”

Nickname

Green River Killer

Popular Culture

T.V. mini series: The Capture of the Green River Killer

Book: Chasing the Devil by Sheriff David Reichert

Theory

I believe the sociological theory that best explains my criminal, Gary Ridgway, is the Differential-Association Theory. This theory states that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others. I think Ridgway learned some of his violently deviant behaviors from his abusive mother as a child. Additionally, his parents fought a lot and their fights were described as “harsh.” Obviously, Ridgway grew up in a household where he saw violence (deviant behaviors) on a daily basis which helped him grow up to become the killer he is.

Also, he spent a lot of his time with prostitutes who are defined as being socially deviant by most of society. These individuals only served to support Ridgway’s deviant behavior and fueled his obsession with sex. Throughout the years he was committing murders, Ridgway only improved upon his killing techniques and his motive to kill only increased over time. Now, Ridgway is probably serving as a model for other criminals who are incarcerated alongside of him. Basically, he has so much experience with killing his victims and hiding their bodies that he could share his secrets with other upcoming criminals.

Thus, I believe Gary Ridgway should not be rehabilitated while he is in jail. To me, this man seems like a violent sociopath and he committed his murders over decades of time. So, I don’t think he is remorseful for his actions in any way and I do not believe that he could function in a normal society. Additionally, why should he get the opportunity for a second chance? None of his victims did. In my opinion, Ridgway is a violent deviant and is exactly where he’s supposed to be. He should be confined to a cell in prison for the rest of life. Therefore, I agree with his lifetime sentence with no possibility of parole.