Just saw on FOXNews that the suspected Greeen River Killer is being arraigned.
IS IT HIM???
Uh, yeah, almoist two years ago.
Go to this site
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=6420&slug=WST%20Green%20River%20Killings
(I’m on UNIX and can’t link) and stay away from Fox news!
Yes, it’s him: Gary Alan Ridgeway.
He is having a plea hearing as I type this-- I have it live on the radio, most of the local stations are carrying it. He is scheduled to plead guilty to 49 counts of first-degree aggravated murder, in exchange for life without the possibility of parole.
The debate this has engendered is whether it is appropriate for a serial murderer to be able to bargain information on who he has killed, and where the bodies are, in exchange for having the death penalty taken off the table. That’s basically what Ridgeway has done. The State of Washington has agreed to the plea bargain in order to discover as much as possible about the victims and the locations of their remains, and to save the State the $3-5 million it is estimated it would cost to actually have him put to death. Many of the family members have a real problem with this; they think he should stand trial, and they think he should be put to death.
Ridgeway has been cooperating with the authorities in attempting to recall who he killed and where he left their bodies. They are currently reading his plea statement, in which he says he killed prostitutes because he despised them; because he didn’t want to pay them for sex; because he knew they would not be reported missing right away, if ever; and because he thought the public and police would not care as much about the disappearance of prostitutes (in which, unfortunately, he was correct, at least under the number became really high).
It should also be noted that Ridgeway may – probably will – be arraigned on charges in Oregon for murders he is believed to have committed there. I don’t know if he is cooperating with the Oregon authorities or not. But his plea agreement in Washington State will not apply to any crime committed in Oregon.
This guy’s statement is amazing.
-I killed so many women I don’t remember their names.
-I liked to leave them in “clusters” and drive by the “clusters” later.
-I killed prostitutes because I hate most prostitues and they are easy to pick up and in many cases would they would not be reported missing.
Wow.
The sheer volume of these crimes is staggering, and the civility of the hearing (though necessary and proper) is a little surreal. In the hearing (which I’m listening to), they’re running through each of the murders subject to the plea, one by one. The prosecutor reads Ridgeway’s statement: “You said ‘I picked up Jane Doe at X location on a date between ___ and ___, intending to kill her. I strangled her to death and left her body at Y location.’ Is that correct?” And Ridgeway says “Yes,” or “That’s correct,” as calmly as if he’s saying “with a side of fries.” They’ve been at it for a little over an hour now, and they have about 12 counts yet to go through.
i remember about a year ago the same guy (im quite sure its the same guy) was suspected of 4 of the murders, no it turns out he did all 49.