The Case of the Other Green River Killer Victims
Gary Ridgway was convicted of murdering 49 women between 1982 and 1998, although he claimed responsibility for many additional killings. Because the circumstances and investigative significance of individual victims vary considerably, this consolidated case file records the remaining confirmed and attributed victims who are not represented by separate CrimeTrakr case files.
Overview / Background
The Green River Killer investigation began in July 1982 after the body of 16-year-old Wendy Coffield was found in the Green River near Kent, Washington. Within weeks, additional victims were discovered, revealing a serial killer operating primarily in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Ridgway eventually admitted responsibility for dozens of murders. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to 48 counts of aggravated first-degree murder and received 48 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He later pleaded guilty to the murder of Rebecca Marrero in 2011, bringing his conviction total to 49. The remaining victims documented here include women whose cases were confirmed as part of Ridgway's convictions but were not selected for individual CrimeTrakr case files.
Crime Scene
Ridgway used numerous locations throughout King County and surrounding areas to conceal or dispose of victims. Bodies and remains were recovered from the Green River, wooded areas, ravines, roadside locations and other secluded sites, including areas around Sea-Tac Airport, Auburn, Enumclaw and southern King County. Some victims remained unidentified for years before investigators connected their remains to missing-person cases.
Investigation
The Green River Task Force investigated hundreds of disappearances and homicide leads over many years. Ridgway became a suspect during the early investigation but remained free for almost two decades because investigators lacked sufficient forensic evidence to prosecute him. A major breakthrough came through advances in DNA testing. Biological evidence recovered from several victims was compared with a saliva sample Ridgway had provided to investigators in 1987. The results established forensic links between Ridgway and the murders. He was arrested on November 30, 2001. Following his arrest, Ridgway provided investigators with extensive information about his victims and disposal locations. His cooperation formed the basis of the 2003 plea agreement.
Outcome
Ridgway pleaded guilty to 48 murders in 2003 and was sentenced to 48 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Rebecca Marrero after her remains were discovered in Auburn, adding a 49th life sentence. Investigators continue to examine other deaths and disappearances that may be connected to Ridgway. He claimed to have killed substantially more women than those for which he was convicted, but those additional claims have not all been conclusively established.
Notes
This consolidated file covers victims for whom CrimeTrakr does not have a separate individual case file.
Other Information
- Ridgway claimed to have murdered substantially more women than the 49 victims for whom he was convicted.
- The exact number of additional victims remains unknown.
- Some suspected victims have never been located or conclusively linked to Ridgway.
- King County continues to maintain an investigation into unidentified and potentially connected Green River victims.
Additional Confirmed or Attributed Victims
Sandra Denise Major, 20 - Disappeared December 24, 1982. Her remains were discovered in December 1985.
Alma Ann Smith, 18 - Disappeared March 3, 1983. Her remains were found in April 1984.
Delores LaVerne Williams, 17 - Disappeared in March 1983. Her remains were found in March 1984.
Gail Lynn Mathews, 23 - Disappeared April 10, 1983. Her remains were discovered in September 1983.
Andrea M. Childers, 19 - Disappeared April 14, 1983. Her remains were found in October 1989.
Sandra Kay Gabbert, 17 - Disappeared April 17, 1983. Her remains were found in April 1984.
Martina Theresa Authorlee, 18 - Disappeared May 22, 1983. Her remains were found in November 1984.
Cheryl Lee Wims, 18 - Disappeared May 23, 1983. Her remains were discovered in March 1984.
Carrie Ann Rois, 15 - Disappeared in May or June 1983. Her remains were found in March 1985.
Yvonne "Shelly" Antosh, 19 - Disappeared May 31, 1983. Her remains were found in October 1983.
Constance Elizabeth Naon, 19 - Disappeared June 8, 1983. Her remains were found in October 1983.
Pammy Annette Avent, 16 - Disappeared October 26, 1983. Her remains were discovered near Enumclaw in August 2003.
Delise Louise Plager, 22 - Disappeared October 30, 1983. Her remains were found near North Bend in February 1984.
Kimberly L. Nelson, 26 - Also known as Tina Tomson and Linda Lee Barkey. She disappeared in November 1983 and her remains were found near North Bend in 1986.
Lisa Yates, 26 - Disappeared December 23, 1983. Her remains were found near North Bend in March 1984.
Mary Exzetta West, 16 - Disappeared February 6, 1984. Her remains were found in Seattle's Seward Park in September 1985.
Cindy Anne Smith, 17 - Disappeared March 21, 1984. Her remains were found near Green River Community College in June 1987.
Patricia Michelle Barczak, 19 - Disappeared October 17, 1986. Her skull was discovered in Auburn in 1993.
Roberta Joseph Hayes, 21 - Disappeared in February 1987 after leaving a Portland jail. Her remains were found near Enumclaw in September 1991.
Marta Karlas Reeves, 36 - Disappeared in 1990. Her remains were found near Enumclaw in September 1990.
Patricia Ann Yellowrobe, 38 - Disappeared in January 1998. Her remains were discovered in August 1998. She was the last victim included in Ridgway's 48-count 2003 conviction.
Media
- The Riverman
- Green River Killer
- The Green River Killer: A Detective Story
- Sins of the Father: The Green River Killer
- Mind of a Monster
- Seattle Times
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- King County Sheriff's Office
- Associated Press
- FBI and law-enforcement coverage
- Numerous documentaries and television programmes covering the Green River Killer investigation