Original subtitles

- HE WANTED TO GO UP IN THE WOODS.

THAT'S WHEN I KNEW SOMETHING WAS STRANGE.

HE STARTS CHOKING ME.

- THIS IS BEING DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE NASTIEST HOMICIDES...

- IT IS THE LARGEST SERIAL MURDER CASE IN THE COUNTRY.

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER HAD STRUCK 49 TIMES.

- IT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING OF FEAR.

- I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN KILLING THAN THE SEX.

- SHE WAS MY LITTLE SISTER.

- JUST A NORMAL, EVERYDAY AVERAGE GUY.

- I KILLED 'EM BEFORE I GOT A CHANCE TO TORTURE 'EM.

- NOTHING BUT A FAMILY MAN.

- ANGRY RESIDENTS ARE DEMANDING

POLICE DO MORE TO STOP THE KILLINGS.

- THE TASK FORCE WAS LAUNCHED AUGUST 16, 1982.

- HE WAS ARRESTED IN 2001.

- MY WORLD JUST DISAPPEARED.

- IT WAS A SECRET. HOW WAS HE ABLE TO DO THAT?

- YOU HAVE A PRE-PAID CALL FROM

AN INMATE AT WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY.

- WHAT ALLOWED YOU TO MURDER THE YOUNG GIRLS?

- "I KILLED SO MANY WOMEN,

I HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING THEM STRAIGHT."

IS THAT TRUE?

- YES.

- GARY IS A MONSTER.

- MONSTER.

- IT'S DEVASTATING.

- HOW DO YOU PLEAD? - GUILTY.

- I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL.

SON OF A BITCH.

- MY NAME IS KRISTEN RIDGWAY.

MY UNCLE IS GARY RIDGWAY,

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

IN 2003, MY UNCLE ADMITTED TO KILLING 48 WOMEN.

- AND YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT

THE SENTENCE WILL BE LIFE IN PRISON,

WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE OR EARLY RELEASE?

- YES, I DO.

- I WISH FOR HIM TO HAVE A LONG, SUFFERING, CRUEL DEATH.

- GARY'S CONFESSION RIPPED APART

NOT ONLY THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS,

BUT OUR FAMILY, AS WELL.

- IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, OKAY.

IT JUST HIT ME IN THE FACE.

- HIS ARREST AFFECTED GREG AND ME AND KRISTEN.

WE--WE BOTH WERE JUST DEVASTATED.

- I WENT INTO SHOCK.

I WENT INTO HIDING. I WENT INTO DENIAL.

- FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN OUR FAMILY.

WE COMPLETELY WITHDREW.

I THINK GARY IS A MONSTER.

- GARY WAS CHARGED WITH MURDERING 48 WOMEN.

BUT HE CLAIMS TO HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 70.

- "I KILLED SO MANY WOMEN,

I HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING THEM STRAIGHT."

IS THAT TRUE?

- YES.

- MANY OF THE VICTIMS' REMAINS ARE STILL MISSING.

- WHAT HE DID

CAST THIS HUGE BLANKET OF SHAME

ON EVERYBODY THAT WAS A RIDGWAY.

- GARY'S BROTHERS ARE STILL RAW.

- MM-HMM. - HIS SON IS RAW.

KRISTEN, YOU'RE RAW.

THE FAMILIES-- THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES...

- YEAH. - THEY'RE ALL RAW.

both: YEAH.

- FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS,

MY MOTHER DORENE, AUNT TINA, AND COUSIN JENNIFER

WHEN THERE'S 49 WOMEN WHO'VE-- YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE FAMILIES

- NOT HAVING THAT CLOSURE FOR YOUR FAMILY

AND FOR THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES... - MM-HMM.

- IT'S JUST TORTUROUS. IT'S TORTURE.

AS A FAMILY, WE NEED TO DECIDE,

WHAT CAN OUR ROLE BE?

HELP THIS--THIS...

THE CONSEQUENCES OF GARY'S ACTIONS.

- RIGHT. - HE'S STILL ALIVE NOW.

HE'S STILL ALIVE TODAY.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A REASON,

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

- RIGHT, YEAH. - YEAH.

SO IF WE COME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY

AND WE ASK HIM ABOUT THE BODIES,

MAYBE WHILE HE'S STILL ALIVE

THAT HE WASN'T WILLING TO GIVE THOSE INTERROGATORS.

- IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THIS TRAGEDY,

WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.

WE HAVE TO TEST OUR MEMORIES

TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE TO STOP IT.

- JULY 4, 1982,

GARY AND MARY AND MY PARENTS, MY BROTHER,

WE WERE ALL THERE AT OUR PROPERTY, THE TRIPLE R,

AND WE WERE ENJOYING A HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

AND IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES

THAT WE REALLY HAD A GET-TOGETHER ON OUR PROPERTY.

I NEVER HEARD GARY GET MAD.

I NEVER SAW GARY CUSS.

I NEVER SAW HIM BE ANYTHING BUT A GENTLEMAN

TO EVERYBODY.

- WHAT THE FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW

IS THAT GARY HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR SOLICITING PROSTITUTES.

- I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THAT LIFE OF HIS.

HE APPEARED TO BE NOTHING BUT A FAMILY MAN.

- GARY LEFT THAT PARTY TO GO TO THE SEA-TAC STRIP,

WHERE HE WOULD MEET HIS FIRST VICTIM,

WENDY COFFIELD.

- WENDY COFFIELD WAS OUT AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW.

SHE WAS VERY YOUNG.

A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY YOUNG LADY,

AND SHE WAS IN TACOMA A LOT. SHE WAS IN SEATTLE.

SO SHE WAS OUT IN THE STREETS MEETING A LOT OF PEOPLE,

STREET PEOPLE, AND BASICALLY HANGING AROUND AREAS

WHERE THERE WERE PROSTITUTION.

I THINK A LOT OF YOUNG LADIES ENDED UP IN GARY RIDGWAY'S CAR

BECAUSE HE WAS UNASSUMING.

HE COULD BASICALLY CONVINCE YOU OF SOMETHING

YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO,

AND THAT--THAT WAS GARY.

- HE WAS JUST A NORMAL, EVERYDAY AVERAGE GUY.

HE SEEMED NORMAL. HE SEEMED LIKE A JOVIAL GUY.

WHICH I JUST-- I JUST CAN'T COMPREHEND.

- I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT--

ONE OF HIS VICTIMS.

HE LOOKS JUST LIKE MOST OF THE OTHER GUYS,

SO I DON'T KNOW,

BUT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOT IN HIS CAR.

TWO BOYS RIDING THEIR BICYCLES ACROSS THE RIVER

LOOKED DOWN AND SAW WENDY COFFIELD'S BODY.

- WELL, WENDY COFFIELD WAS THE FIRST.

- SHE WAS. - AND SHE WAS FOUND HERE.

- SHE'S THE ONE WHO WAS FOUND,

AND HE GOT THE NAME "THE GREEN RIVER KILLER" AFTER THAT.

- YEAH. - BECAUSE I--I'M PRETTY SURE

IT WAS BECAUSE OF FINDING HER BODY

IN HERE, LIKE, RIGHT OVER THERE.

- WHEN GARY RIDGWAY FIRST STARTED KILLING WOMEN IN 1982,

IT WASN'T FEELING LIKE A SERIAL MURDER CASE.

IT WAS JUST MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING?

AND THE GREEN RIVER, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA,

IT'S JUST KIND OF THE LAST PLACE

YOU'D THINK THAT A SERIAL KILLER REALLY WOULD BE.

- THERE WAS NOT A HINT.

THERE WAS NOT A CLUE THAT HE HAD ANY PROBLEM.

HE JUST SEEMED LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE GUY NEXT DOOR.

I SAW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BECAUSE I WASN'T LOOKING FOR ANYTHING.

DEBRA BONNER, WHO I WAS PROSECUTING,

BUT SHE DIDN'T COME TO COURT BECAUSE SHE WAS DEAD.

- DEBBIE BONNER, IT WAS FOUND BY A YOUNG MAN

WHO WAS WORKING AT A SLAUGHTERHOUSE NEARBY.

AND HE WAS SMOKING A CIGAR, LOOKING DOWN,

SAW THE WATER MOVING, AND HE WENT DOWN TO LOOK

AND IT WAS BONNER, NUDE, AND VERY SCARY-LOOKING TO HIM.

- WENDY COFFIELD AND DEBRA LYNN BONNER WERE INITIAL VICTIMS.

I CAN STILL REMEMBER HER FACE.

I MEAN, SHE LOOKED SO YOUNG AND SO...

I DON'T KNOW. THEY, JUST THOSE...

IT'S SO LONG AGO BUT IT WAS SO SAD.

- I FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH THE GREEN RIVER TASK FORCE

IN AUGUST OF 1982.

I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO DAVE REICHERT,

WHO WAS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR.

- POLICE STARTED THINKING THAT THEY MAY HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM

AND A SERIAL CASE

WHEN THREE MORE REMAINS ARE FOUND IN THE GREEN RIVER.

SUDDENLY THERE'S THIS MAN GOING DOWN THE RIVER

LOOKING FOR BOTTLES AND THINGS TO SELL,

AND HE LITERALLY STARTS BUMPING INTO BODIES.

TWO ARE IN THE RIVER. THEY DISCOVER ONE ON THE BANK.

SO ESSENTIALLY, VERY QUICKLY YOU SUDDENLY HAD FIVE.

- THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE INVESTIGATIVE AREA

WAS JUST PANIC AND CHAOS.

THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER HERE.

WE WANT TO SOLVE IT.

THAT'S KILLING THESE YOUNG WOMEN.

- THE SITUATION THAT EVOLVED,

WHICH WAS JUST THIS PROLIFIC KILLER.

BODY AFTER BODY AFTER BODY AFTER BODY.

I MEAN, UNSOLVED HOMICIDES ALL AROUND SEATTLE

WITH THIS KIND OF SHADOW FIGURE THAT WALKED AMONGST US.

AND SO IT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING OF FEAR.

- WE HAD NO IDEA THE GREEN RIVER KILLER

WAS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO US.

- EVERYONE WAS SCARED OF THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

EVERYONE THOUGHT, IF YOU'RE WALKING ON THE SEA-TAC STRIP

OR IF YOU'RE--IF YOU'RE WALKING BY THE GREEN RIVER

WHERE THEY FOUND THESE BODIES

THAT MAYBE YOU WOULD GET PICKED UP.

WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH IT. NO ONE REALLY

THEY JUST KNEW THAT WOMEN WERE SHOWING UP DEAD.

THIS OMINOUS NOTION OF A-- OF A GREEN RIVER KILLER WAS--

WAS EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT SEATTLE.

- EVERY DAY, ALL OF US WERE OBSESSED WITH THIS CASE.

I MEAN, EVERY DAY WE'D COME IN

AND WE'D TRY TO SORT THROUGH EVIDENCE.

THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SUSPECTS IN THE BEGINNING.

PEOPLE WERE CALLING IN TIPS.

AND YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WAS IN 1982.

OKAY, WE DIDN'T HAVE CELL PHONES,

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANSWERING MACHINES IN OUR OFFICE,

WE DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS,

SO IT WAS A STRUGGLE.

[camera shutter snapping]

I MEAN, IT JUST ATE YOU UP INSIDE

BECAUSE YOU WERE FINDING

ALL OF THESE WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN JUST TOSSED AWAY

LIKE GARBAGE.

SO IT WAS FRUSTRATING.

THE VICTIMS ARE NOT JUST PROSTITUTES.

AS FAR AS THE DETECTIVES WHO ARE WORKING HERE FEEL,

AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT

FINDING SOMEONE WHO'S KILLING PEOPLE.

I WAS DEDICATED. I WAS WORKING ON THIS THING.

I WAS NOT GONNA GIVE UP.

I WANTED TO SOLVE IT.

RIGHT AFTER THE VICTIMS WERE FOUND ALONG THE GREEN RIVER,

WE FIGURED HE'S LEFT FIVE.

HE'S PROBABLY GONNA LEAVE ANOTHER ONE.

SO WE ARE STAKING OUT THE RIVER.

AND I REMEMBER LISTENING TO THE NEWS BROADCAST

AND SEEING THE HELICOPTER FLYING OVER

YOU JUST BLEW IT FOR US."

IF HE'S WATCHING TV, WHICH HE PROBABLY WAS,

HE'S NOT COMING BACK NOW.

I MEAN, WE HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH HIM,

BUT NOW WE DON'T.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE VICTIMS STARTED GETTING PLACED

IN MORE REMOTE LOCATIONS.

- YOU GUYS WERE UP THERE, HAVING YOUR PICNIC,

AND GARY AND I JUST HAPPENED TO BE RIGHT HERE.

"DORENE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT GREEN RIVER KILLER?"

JUST LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE...

I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST...

AT THE TIME, I WAS TAKING CARE OF YOU,

I WAS WORKING FULL TIME,

AND I-I DIDN'T HAVE TIME REALLY TO THINK ABOUT CURRENT EVENTS.

"I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED JUST TO HEAR THAT

"THAT PERSON LEFT THESE YOUNG WOMEN, THESE YOUNG GIRLS,

ON THE GROUND." I SAID TO HIM,

DIDN'T BURY THOSE WOMEN."

I CAN STILL REMEMBER HIM NODDING HIS HEAD AND--

- DID HE START BURYING THE BODIES AFTER THAT?

- YEAH, THAT'S WHEN HE AT THAT POINT STARTED BURYING WOMEN.

- GARY LEON RIDGWAY'S MY MIDDLE BROTHER

IN A FAMILY OF THREE BOYS.

THERE WASN'T A LOT OF MONEY IN THE FAMILY.

DAD OFTEN WORKED HEAVY CONSTRUCTION,

AND MOM ALSO ENDED UP HAVING TO WORK.

AT THAT TIME IT WAS PERMISSIBLE

FOR A GUY WHO WAS NINE OR TEN YEARS OLD

TO TAKE CARE OF HIS BROTHERS, AND I OFTEN DID THAT, TOO.

- HIS TESTED IQ WAS 85,

WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE AVERAGE IQ OF A PRISON INMATE.

AS A CHILD, HE HAD THE FACTORS

THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOPATHY,

OR GROWING UP TO BE VIOLENT.

BEDWETTING, FIRE SETTING, AND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

THERE IS A VERY STRONG GENETIC LOADING

ON BECOMING A PSYCHOPATH.

HE PROBABLY INHERITED THE GENETIC MAKEUP

HE MARRIED HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, CLAUDIA KRAIG,

WHERE HE BEGAN EXPERIMENTING WITH PROSTITUTES.

- WHEN GARY CAME BACK FROM VIETNAM,

HE WAS CAUGHT WITH A SHOCK BECAUSE HE FOUND OUT HIS--

HIS WIFE HAD RUN OFF WITH ANOTHER MAN.

- IN 1973, GARY MARRIED HIS SECOND WIFE, MARCIA WINSLOW.

THEY HAD ONE SON, MATTHEW.

- GARY AND MATTHEW CAME IN,

AND MATTHEW WAS ALL REAL EXCITED AND HAPPY

BECAUSE THEY'D COME BACK FROM GREENWATER,

AND THEY'D HAD A LADY FRIEND WITH THEM.

AND HER AND GARY HAD TAKEN A WALK,

AND I SAID, "WELL, WHERE IS SHE?"

"WELL, DAD SAID SHE'D JUST DECIDED TO WALK HOME."

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A LITTLE ODD,

BUT, YOU KNOW, I CONTINUED TO GO BACK AND MAKE SUPPER,

AND THE SUBJECT WAS DROPPED.

- GARY RIDGWAY IS A SEXUAL SERIAL KILLER,

THAT OF NECROPHILIA.

IT IS TOTAL CONTROL WHILE THE VICTIM IS DEAD

AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE A NON-RESPONSIVE, NON-COMPLAINING

SEXUAL OBJECT WHO WON'T LEAVE.

IT DOES BECOME THE FAVORITE M.O. OF SOME SEXUAL SERIAL KILLERS

TO STRANGLE WITH THEIR HANDS.

AND IT'S THE MOST COMMON WAY THAT SERIAL MURDER VICTIMS DIE.

- GISELLE LOVVORNE WAS FROM CALIFORNIA.

SHE HAD HOOKED UP WITH, I BELIEVE, JIM TINDAL.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE BUMMING AROUND AND SEEING NEW PLACES,

AND--AND BASICALLY HE WAS HER BOYFRIEND/PIMP.

SO THEY WERE IN SEATTLE AND STAYING AT A HOTEL

AND ONE AFTERNOON SHE DECIDED TO HITCHHIKE

AND THEN HE NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.

OR WHERE THEY WERE HANGING OUT.

IT WASN'T THEIR AGE. IT WASN'T THEIR RACE.

IT WASN'T THEIR COLOR OF THEIR HAIR.

IT WAS MORE OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

SOME OF THEM PROBABLY WEREN'T FULL-TIME,

REALLY ENTRENCHED PROSTITUTES.

THEY WERE DOING IT MAYBE JUST FOR, YOU KNOW,

TO HELP PAY THE BILLS.

- I'M JENNY GRAHAM,

AND MY SISTER, DEBRA ESTES, WAS MURDERED BY GARY RIDGWAY.

BECAUSE THINGS WERE BROKEN AT HOME,

BECAUSE THINGS WERE VERY ABUSIVE AT HOME,

BOTH MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER STARTED RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME.

SHE LEFT TRYING TO FIND SAFETY,

AT THAT POINT IN TIME,

I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PROSTITUTION BEING INVOLVED.

IN MY KNOWLEDGE,

SHE HAD A ROOF OVER HER HEAD. SHE HAD FOOD.

SO WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THAT SHE WAS NOT BEING BEATEN,

NOT BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED IN ANY WAY.

SO IN MY MIND, SHE WAS IN A BETTER PLACE.

- THE WOMEN ON THE STREET ARE ON THE STREET

BECAUSE OF SOME HORRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCE

THAT LANDED THEM THERE.

AND NOW THEY'RE CAUGHT UP

IN A LIFE THAT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO GET OUT OF.

AND NOW THEY GOTTA PAY FOR IT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

- THEY WOULD DISAPPEAR.

YOU KNOW, THEY'D BE GONE FOR MONTHS.

WHEN SHE CAME HOME, HER FRIEND BECKY MARRERO WAS WITH HER.

ANYWAY, SHE CAME HOME TO GET SOME THINGS.

AND I REMEMBER THAT SHE AND I HAD GOTTEN INTO IT A LITTLE BIT

BECAUSE I HAD NOTHING TO BEGIN WITH,

SO WE ENDED UP GETTING INTO AN ARGUMENT BEFORE SHE LEFT.

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW HER.

[cries]

I'M SORRY.

- IF IT'S A 14 OR 15 OR 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL,

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING, RIGHT?

BECAUSE THAT'S A CHILD.

WELL, THE GREEN RIVER KILLER KILLED A LOT OF CHILDREN, OKAY?

AND HE'S NOT KNOWN AS A CHILD-KILLER.

- THOSE VICTIMS WERE ONLY ABOUT TEN YEARS OUT OF KINDERGARTEN.

IT JUST BREAKS YOUR HEART.

BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MUCH

OR THEY COULD HAVE.

- IN SEATTLE, ANOTHER GRIM DISCOVERY TODAY

THAT COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE STRING OF GREEN RIVER MURDERS,

WHICH HAVE SHAKEN THAT WEST COAST CITY.

- EXPLORER SCOUTS HAVE FOUND THE REMAINS OF ANOTHER HUMAN BODY...

- IN THE LAST MONTH,

THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF TWO MORE WOMEN HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND.

- THE THING IS ABOUT GARY IS,

HE IS A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

- MY MOM'S FIRST EXPERIENCE MEETING GARY,

SHE WAS DATING MY DAD,

WHO WAS LIVING WITH GREG AND DORENE RIDGWAY.

AND MY DAD TOOK HER TO A HALLOWEEN PARTY

AT THE RIDGWAYS' HOUSE,

AND...

THERE WAS A GUY WITH A MASK AND A CAPE,

LEAVES AND, I DON'T KNOW, LITTLE BRANCHES AND THINGS.

MY MOM ASKED HIM,

"WHAT CHARACTER ARE YOU? WHAT--WHO ARE YOU DRESSED AS?"

AND--AND HE SAID, "OH, THE RIVER MAN."

AND, YEAH, THAT WAS MY MOM'S FIRST--FIRST TIME MEETING GARY.

- KRISTI VORAK ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT, YOU KNOW, DISAPPEARS,

AND SHE'S STILL MISSING.

SANDRA MAJOR DISAPPEARED CHRISTMAS.

IN FACT, HER FAMILY HAD CALLED THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

AND FILED A MISSING PERSONS REPORT,

BUT APPARENTLY THAT WAS NOT PASSED ON TO KING COUNTY POLICE,

SO IT CREATED A GAP IN THE INVESTIGATION.

- THE FACT THAT HE WAS KILLING

ON THESE HOLIDAYS OR THESE SPECIAL OCCASIONS,

INCLUDING CHRISTMAS,

JUST ABSOLUTELY IS A MIND-BLOWER TO ME.

I-I MEAN, 'CAUSE WE WERE HAVING GOOD TIMES.

WE WERE--WE WERE WITH THE FAMILY.

WE WERE MAKING MEMORIES OF THESE JOYOUS OCCASIONS.

- I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT A LOT OF GARY RIDGWAY'S MURDERS

TOOK PLACE AROUND

FAMILY GATHERINGS OR HOLIDAYS

INDICATES THAT THESE WERE VERY STRESSFUL TIMES FOR HIM,

AND HE HAD TO LOOSEN THE PRESSURE.

AND KILLING, EVIDENTLY, LOOSENED PRESSURE.

- GARY RIDGWAY WAS A SUSPECT EARLY ON IN THE INVESTIGATION.

ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONNECTION WITH MARIE MALVAR.

- MARIE MALVAR DISAPPEARED APRIL 1983.

THE BOYFRIEND AND MARIE'S DAD CALLED POLICE

BECAUSE THE BOYFRIEND SAYS SHE GOT IN A VEHICLE.

THE BOYFRIEND TRIES TO FOLLOW,

BUT DOESN'T QUITE CATCH THE LIGHT RIGHT.

SO IN FACT THE DAD AND THE BOYFRIEND PIMP

DRIVE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

EVENTUALLY, THEY GO INTO A DEAD END,

AND IN FACT THAT'S THE PICKUP THAT HE SAYS THAT MARIE GOT IN.

SO THEY CALL DES MOINES POLICE.

TWO OFFICERS COME OUT

AND BASICALLY, THEY GO, "LOOK. WELL, THERE'S NO ONE HERE."

WELL, YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT A BODY TO BE SITTING THERE.

GARY HAD BEEN TOO METICULOUS AND SO FORTH.

BUT MARIE MALVAR WAS ONE WHO FOUGHT VERY HARD

AND SCRATCHED GARY TREMENDOUSLY.

HE SAYS THAT HE HID HIS ARM AGAINST THE FENCE,

SO THE SERGEANT AND THE OTHER OFFICER COULDN'T SEE IT.

WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY,

THEY PROBABLY MISSED ONE OF THEIR BEST OPPORTUNITIES

TO CATCH GARY. AND WE'RE TALKING 1983.

- AN INVESTIGATION JUST WENT ON AND ON AND ON,

AND WE WOULD SEE THESE VISIONS ON TV

OF TROMPING AROUND OUT IN THE BRUSH AND THE RIVER

AND MORE BODIES, YOU KNOW, AND MORE BODIES AND MORE BODIES.

AND REALLY NOTHING CHANGED.

- SEATTLE WAS WONDERING, "WHAT'S GOING ON?"

SO KING COUNTY POLICE FINALLY DECIDED

THAT IN 1984 THEY WOULD HAVE A TASK FORCE.

- IT WAS HEADED BY BOB KEPPEL.

BOB KEPPEL HAD ALSO BEEN

THE HEAD OF THE TED BUNDY TASK FORCE.

- IT TYPICALLY TAKES QUITE A LOT OF EFFORT AND TIME

IN THE TED BUNDY CASES, WE HAD AT MOST 3,500 NAMES.

IN THE GREEN RIVER CASES, THERE WERE OVER 77,000 NAMES.

THIS IS SUCH AN UNPRECEDENTED CASE

THAT DETECTIVES WORKING IT HAVE TO CONSIDER THE PROCESS

VERSUS THE ACTUAL GOAL END.

- SO THEY START ACCUMULATING BASICALLY LISTS OF PEOPLE

WHO KNEW, SAY, WENDY COFFIELD,

WHO KNEW BONNER, WHO WAS CLOSE TO THEM.

YOU FINALLY HAVE A SYSTEMATIC WAY

OF LOOKING AT VICTIMS, THE MISSING, AND THE SUSPECT.

- WE HAD MEETINGS EVERY DAY

TO UPDATE EVERYONE ON WHAT THE SUSPECTS' NAMES WERE,

WAS THERE ANY MORE INFORMATION.

WE HAD REACHED OUT TO THE FBI TO GET A PROFILE.

- WHITE MALE. USED PICKUP TRUCK.

MARITAL DISCOURSE.

IT WAS SORT OF A FRAME THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT,

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T NAME INDIVIDUALS.

- GARY DID NOT FIT THE SERIAL KILLER PROFILE.

I DON'T THINK THE POLICE BELIEVED

- THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF FOLKLORE

ABOUT THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN TACOMA WAS A SUSPECT,

THAT PROMINENT MAJOR CRIMES KING COUNTRY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY

WAS A PRIME SUSPECT.

AND ALL AROUND THE COURTHOUSE, EVERYONE KNEW IT.

AND YOU'D SEE HIM, AND YOU'D JUST BE, LIKE,

HE'S THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

- WE HAD A CAB DRIVER WHO CAME IN AND SAID

HE KNEW ONE OF THE GIRLS.

HE ENDED UP BEING SOMEONE THAT WAS

HEAVILY LOOKED AT AS A SUSPECT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

- MELVIN FOSTER WAS AN ENIGMA.

THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN MELVIN,

BECAUSE HE WAS SO VOCAL TO THE PRESS.

- FOR NEARLY A MONTH NOW, UNDERCOVER OFFICERS HAVE BEEN

STATIONED IN THIS AREA, KEEPING A 24-HOUR WATCH

ON MELVIN FOSTER, WHO LIVES JUST UP THE ROAD FROM HERE.

- TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE FORCING LAW ENFORCEMENT

TO LOOK AT HIM AS A SUSPECT.

THAT INCLUDED ALL THE TELEVISION MEDIA AND THE NEWSPAPERS.

- DID YOU KILL ALL THOSE WOMEN OR WHAT?

- NO, BUT I WISH I DID.

I WISH I DID KNOW WHO DID.

- THEY WANTED MELVIN FOSTER AS THE SUSPECT.

BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THE KILLER WOULD EVER

ACT LIKE MELVIN FOSTER.

- WE WERE JUST APPALLED AND ANGRY,

AND WE WANTED THIS PERSON CAUGHT AND PUNISHED,

BECAUSE THIS WAS JUST INHUMAN.

WE WERE JUST AS AFRAID AND DISMAYED

AS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

WE WERE ALL GATHERED AROUND AS A FAMILY, WATCHING A PROGRAM

ABOUT THE GREEN RIVER KILLER, AND HE JUST--

HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.

AND WE WERE HAVING THIS BIG OLD FAMILY DISCUSSION

AND "OH, MY GOD," AND HE JUST WAS VERY QUIET THAT DAY.

- HOW COULD YOU HOLD THAT WITHIN YOUR BEING?

TO NOT BE ABLE TO-- TO LET IT LOOSE TO ANYBODY?

IT WAS A SECRET. JUST HE KNEW THAT.

HE WAS THE ONLY ONE. AND HE WAS ABLE TO SIDESTEP THAT

ALL OF THOSE YEARS. HOW WAS HE ABLE TO DO THAT?

POLICE ARE HUNTING A MASS MURDERER BELIEVED TO HAVE KILLED

AS MANY AS 21 PROSTITUTES IN THE LAST 22 MONTHS.

- THE GIRLS ARE OFTEN TEENAGERS, MANY RUNAWAYS.

- SOME OF THE CHALLENGE WAS IDENTIFYING THE YOUNG WOMEN

- A LOT OF THE GIRLS USED ALIASES, YOU KNOW.

BETTY JONES WAS ONE OF THE NAMES THAT DEBBIE ESTES USED.

THERE ARE PICTURES OF HER BASICALLY

IN DIFFERENT DISGUISES.

AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THESE TWO PICTURES,

- MY MOM STARTED TRYING TO LOCATE MY SISTER.

MY MOM FOUND HER PICTURE IN THE PROSTITUTION FILES

AND THE POLICE SAID, "NO, THIS IS BETTY JONES.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HER FOR TWO YEARS."

THAT'S DEBRA ESTES."

SO THAT WAS--THAT WAS A SHOCK.

AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I KNEW ANYTHING AT ALL

ABOUT PROSTITUTION BEING INVOLVED.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY SISTER WAS DEAD.

- POLICE IN WASHINGTON STATE BELIEVE THEY'VE FOUND

THE REMAINS OF ANOTHER VICTIM

OF THE SO-CALLED "GREEN RIVER KILLER."

- CAROL CHRISTENSEN WAS NOT A PROSTITUTE.

SO SHE WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

PICKS HER UP, THEY GO TO HIS HOUSE,

AND, UH--HE KILLS HER.

- WHEN I SAW THE PICTURES OF CAROL CHRISTENSEN,

I KNEW THIS WAS THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

SHE HAD A TROUT ACROSS HER NECK,

A WINE BOTTLE ON HER STOMACH, WHICH WAS EMPTY,

AND SHE HAD A SACK ACROSS HER FACE.

SHE HAD HER HANDS CLASPED, AND ON TOP OF HER HAND

WAS A PILE OF SAUSAGE.

MY FEELING WAS, THE GREEN RIVER KILLER

DID THAT FOR HIMSELF.

HE WAS ENJOYING THAT WHOLE PROCESS

OF DECORATING HER BODY WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS

THAT WE NEVER FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE.

- PROBABLY BECAUSE POLICE WERE SO CLOSE WITH MARIE MALVAR

THAT NOW HE HAS TO CHANGE SOME OF HIS M.O.

- I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION

THE CAPTAIN AT THE TIME OPTED TO INCLUDE HER,

UM, BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT WHAT WAS THERE

WAS SENDING A MESSAGE, AND SO SHE WAS ADDED TO OUR LIST.

- THEY SAY, UH, "OH, HE ONLY HAS AN IQ OF THIS MUCH."

WELL, I'M SORRY, BUT YOU CAN'T KEEP THIS MANY MURDERS QUIET

FOR THIS MANY YEARS WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF CUNNING.

- GARY RIDGWAY PULLED THE STRINGS.

AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW SMART I AM."

I THINK THAT WAS PART OF HIS MAKEUP.

- I MET GARY, UM, BEFORE I EVER MET MY HUSBAND,

ABOUT 1983.

AND I'D GOTTEN OFF OF WORK AND I WAS WALKING ALONG

THE ROAD AND HE STOPPED AND OFFERED ME A RIDE.

HE TRIED TO PICK-- PICK ME UP ALONG HERE,

RIGHT OVER THERE WHERE THE BRIDGE IS.

AND, UH, I DIDN'T HITCHHIKE

AND I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY HE FELT.

SO I--I, UH, SAID "NO, THANK YOU,"

AND HE WASN'T PLEASED.

THE MORE HE TRIED TO PRESSURE ME INTO THE CAR,

HE KEPT TRYING TO?

- OH, YEAH, HE KEPT TRYING TO GET ME.

- SO YOU JUST SAW-- YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS.

- NO.

I WALKED DOWN THE STREET AFTER HE LEFT.

AND I PROCEEDED TO WALK UP TO A PHONE BOOTH

HALF AN HOUR AFTER I USED THAT PHONE BOOTH,

KIMBERLY NELSON DISAPPEARED FROM THE SAME PHONE BOOTH.

- WHEN I DID FIRST MEET GARY THE SECOND TIME,

I KNEW I KNEW HIM FROM SOMEWHERE BUT I COULDN'T PLACE

WHERE IT WAS, AND IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE

FOR ME TO FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT I-- I NEVER MADE ANY CONNECTION.

IT FREAKS ME OUT,

WHEN I REALIZE NOW, YOU KNOW,

I COULD'VE BEEN ONE OF HIS VICTIMS.

THERE WAS SOMETHING STRANGE ABOUT GARY,

BUT I NEVER FELT ANYTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

- THESE ARE THE CUES THAT I LOOK BACK ON TODAY.

THEY WERE EVERYWHERE THAT GARY COULD POSSIBLY

HAVE BEEN THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

BUT I DIDN'T SEE THEM.

- ABOUT 1984, A WOMAN NAMED REBECCA GUY

GOES TO AUTHORITIES, AND SAYS THAT

SHE HAD BEEN ASSAULTED A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE.

THAT SHE WAS PICKED UP BY GARY,

THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE SEX IN THE CAR.

SO THEY GO INTO THE WOODS AND THEN

HE TRIES TO CHOKE HER AND KILL HER.

GARY LOST HIS ATTENTION FOR A SECOND.

SHE GOT AWAY, RAN.

- THAT WAS HOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KILLER BECAME KNOWN.

SIZE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT.

- I DID THINK IT WAS GARY.

AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT WOULD TIE HIM.

- MY FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT GARY RIDGWAY

WHEN HIS NAME FIRST CAME UP, WAS THAT HE WAS THE KILLER.

GARY RIDGWAY HAD BEEN ARRESTED A COUPLE OF TIMES

NOW WE HAVE TO WORK ON FIGURING OUT A WAY

TO GET EVIDENCE LINKED TO HIM

SO WE COULD ARREST HIM.

- THIS IS THE GREEN RIVER NEAR SEATTLE,

WHICH GAVE ITS NAME TO THE WORST STRING

OF UNSOLVED SERIAL MURDERS IN U.S. HISTORY.

- PART OF OUR INVESTIGATION INVOLVED GOING TO THE JAIL

TO TALK TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN BOOKED FOR PROSTITUTION.

"HAVE YOU SEEN ANYBODY ON THE STREET,

"ANYBODY THAT YOU WERE SCARED OF,

ANYBODY THAT YOU HAD A BAD FEELING ABOUT?"

UH, YOU KNOW, "DID YOU KNOW ANY OF THE VICTIMS?"

AND KELI MCGINNESS WAS ONE OF THE WOMEN

THAT WAS TALKED TO IN THE JAIL.

AND SHE SAID, "I KNEW SOME OF THE VICTIMS,

"AND DON'T WORRY, 'CAUSE I-- I'LL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER," AND WE'RE LIKE,

I'LL BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP. I'LL BE ABLE TO TELL."

AND TURNS OUT, NO, UM, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO TELL.

SHE WAS A VICTIM OF GARY RIDGWAY,

THE GREEN RIVER KILLER,

AND ONE OF THE THREE WHOSE BODIES HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERED.

- OVER THE YEARS I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT THE VICTIMS

AND HOW THEY SUFFERED.

BUT KELI MCGINNESS SPECIFICALLY, SHE'S COME TO ME IN DREAMS.

- KELI WAS, UM, A KIND OF

A PRECOCIOUS YOUNG CHILD.

AND SHE WAS-- FROM THE VERY BEGINNING--

FULL OF ENERGY AND FULL OF LIFE.

IT WAS UPSETTING TO ME THAT, UM, THE YOUNG GIRLS

AND THE VICTIMS OF GARY RIDGWAY

WERE STEREOTYPED AS GIRLS WHO HAD A BAD UPBRINGING,

THAT THEY CAME FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

AND IT CERTAINLY WASN'T TRUE OF KELI

AND I'M SURE NOT OF MANY OF THOSE GIRLS.

SHE WAS JUST BEING A REBELLIOUS TEENAGER

AT THAT POINT.

AND THIS WAS THE VERY LAST THING THAT I WOULD'VE EXPECTED

WOULD'VE HAPPENED, THAT SHE WOULD RUN AWAY,

STAY ON THE STREETS, TAKE THE ADVICE

AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF A BOYFRIEND TWO YEARS OLDER

AND LET HIM, UH, PUT HER OUT ON THE STREET,

PUT HER IN HARM'S WAY, AND-- AND AT THE HANDS OF--

OF THIS HIDEOUS MONSTER THAT WAS MURDERING GIRLS.

- KELI WOULD BE GARY RIDGWAY'S PRIME TROPHY.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL OF HIS VICTIMS,

AND HE WANTS TO KEEP HER IN DEATH TO HIMSELF.

- THE PORT OF SEATTLE POLICE ONCE SAW GARY

AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD NEAR THE SEATTLE AIRPORT,

AND HE WAS WITH A YOUNG LADY AND SHE WAS USING AN ALIAS.

FURTHER INVESTIGATION INDICATED

THAT THAT WAS KELI MCGINNESS.

KELI MCGINNESS WAS WITH GARY RIDGWAY

IN AN AREA WHERE TWO OR THREE SET OF REMAINS WERE FOUND,

AND PLUS NEAR OTHER DUMP SITES.

[phone ringing]

- I GOT A FRANTIC TELEPHONE CALL FROM KELI'S BOYFRIEND,

WHO CLAIMED THAT HE HADN'T HEARD FROM HER

AND COULDN'T FIND HER.

SHE HAD GONE OUT ON WHAT SHE CALLED A DATE

AND LEFT HER-- HER PURSE IN THE MOTEL,

AND DIDN'T COME BACK.

I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE POLICE.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME DRIVING THROUGH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS

LOOKING FOR HER.

- WHEN WE'D GO TO THE PARENTS WE WERE TRYING

TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CHILD.

WHEN THEY LAST SAW THEM, WHO THEIR FRIENDS WERE,

WHAT KIND OF CLOTHES DID THEY TYPICALLY WEAR?

UM, WHAT WERE THEY DOING, DID THEY KNOW

WHAT THEY WERE DOING WHEN THEY WEREN'T AT HOME

OR HAD THEY RUN AWAY?

- WHEN THE POLICE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO

CONTACT THE GREEN RIVER TASK FORCE,

I WAS JUST ILL. I WAS SICK.

I WAS IN DENIAL A-A LOT THAT, UM,

SHE REALLY WASN'T GONE, THAT SHE WASN'T DEAD.

I-I KNOW I WAS IN DENIAL, BUT AT TIMES I WOULD TELL MYSELF

THAT PERHAPS SHE, UM, PERHAPS SOMEONE ABDUCTED HER,

OR BY HER OWN WILL SHE WENT TO CHINA

AND SHE WAS MAYBE WORKING OVER THERE,

AND THAT SOMEDAY I'D OPEN THE DOOR

AND MY DAUGHTER WOULD WALK THROUGH IT.

SHE WAS 18 WHEN GARY RIDGWAY STRANGLED HER.

- IN THE 1980s, GARY CONVINCED MY GRANDPARENTS TO BUY PROPERTY

AT LEISURE TIME CAMPGROUND,

WHERE WE WOULD GO ON VACATION AS A FAMILY.

GARY OFTEN SAID THAT HE BURIED KELI MCGINNESS HERE.

POLICE FOUND THE REMAINS OF THREE WOMEN.

NONE OF THEM WERE KELI.

I'D LIKE TO FIND HER REMAINS.

THE BONES OF TINA THOMPSON, SHE'S 22...

- AWW. - WERE FOUND ON JULY 25TH.

- THEN YOU WONDER IF WHEN HE WAS GOING

ON THOSE WALKS ALL BY HIMSELF,

IF HE'S GOING BACK TO THE PLACES WHERE THEY WERE FOUND.

- VISITING HIS VICTIMS, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER THAT NO ONE KNOWS OF.

- WHEN WE WOULD COME HERE WITH GARY

AND HE ALWAYS WOULD TAKE THESE LONG WALKS,

AND ME AND JUDITH WOULD SIT AND CHEW THE FAT

AND CROCHET AND WHATEVER, AND IT'S JUST SO STRANGE.

YOU KNOW, "WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?"

DID I STAND ON SOMEONE'S GRAVE?

DID I SLEEP ON SOMEONE'S GRAVE?

- THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I WAS PROBABLY SEVEN.

I MEAN, I JUST AM WALKING DOWN THIS LITTLE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY HERE

AND I'M THINKING,

"DID HE DO IT HERE? DID HE DO IT THERE?

"WHERE DID HE DO IT?

HOW IS SOMEONE CAPABLE OF THAT?"

I FEEL ASHAMED.

I FEEL ASHAMED TO HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HIM.

I FEEL ASHAMED THAT...

HE AND I HAVE THE SAME DNA.

THIS PLACE IS ONLY IMPORTANT FOR ME NOW

SOLELY BECAUSE IT'S THE PLACE OF--OF WHERE THESE--

THESE WOMEN WERE BURIED.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS ANYMORE.

- WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S FIRE.

AND IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT ALL THE TIMES

THAT THEY HAD GARY ON THE RADAR SCREEN.

- GARY RIDGWAY HAD BEEN ARRESTED A COUPLE OF TIMES

FOR FREQUENTING PROSTITUTES.

- PORT OF SEATTLE, THEY COME ACROSS HIM ONE DAY,

PARKED, AND BASICALLY HE'S VERY CLOSE TO A VICTIM,

BUT HE SAYS HE WAS RELIEVING HIMSELF

AND HE WAS LET GO.

- AS PROSECUTORS, WE-- IN OUR FILES BACK AT THAT TIME,

WE HAD PICTURES OF THE TRUCK OF RIDGWAY.

WE HAD SKETCHES IN ALL OF OUR FILES.

BECAUSE WE WERE CONSTANTLY BEING ASKED TO LOOK AT PEOPLE

THAT WE DEALT WITH AS PROSECUTORS

AS POTENTIAL SUSPECTS.

- SO DENISE BUSH DISAPPEARED.

SHE AND HER PIMP STAYED IN A HOTEL WATCHING SOAP OPERAS.

AND SO, UH, THEY NEEDED CIGARETTES.

SO THEY SAY "WELL, LET'S FLIP A COIN."

AND DENISE LOST, AND SHE HAD TO GO TO THE STORE

TO GET CIGARETTES. SO SHE VANISHES.

- I REMEMBER IN 1985, GARY TOOK MATTHEW

ON A CAMPING TRIP TO OREGON.

- MY RECOLLECTION OF DENISE BUSH IS PRIMARILY ABOUT

WHERE SHE WAS FOUND, UM, ALONG PACIFIC HIGHWAY SOUTH

AND THEN PARTS OF HER REMAINS WERE ALSO FOUND IN OREGON.

- HER SKULL IS FOUND IN OREGON.

SO THEN POLICE ARE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS,

SAYING WHAT'S GOING ON?

- IT GOT US CONCERNED THAT,

MAYBE HE'S GONNA TAKE SOMEBODY A LOT FURTHER

THAN JUST PORTLAND.

- WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN OREGON?

- TAKING MATTHEW FOR, UH, A VACATION, I THINK.

- WOULD IT HAVE BEEN SHORTLY AFTER YOU RETRIEVED THE SKULLS?

- YES.

- WHERE DID YOU HIDE THE SKULLS WHEN YOU DROVE DOWN THERE?

- I PUT 'EM IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR IN PLASTIC BAGS.

- WHY THERE?

- I WAS TAKING MATTHEW OVER THERE

AND HE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE.

- BUT NO HISTORY, NO CONNECTION TO THAT SPOT?

- NO, NO CONNECTION, NOTHING.

- GARY WAS LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE.

I STILL, TO THIS DAY, CAN'T GRASP THE MAGNITUDE OF,

OF THE AGONY HE'S CAUSED OTHERS AND, YOU KNOW,

THE AGONY HE'S CAUSED HIS OWN FAMILY.

- IN 1984, 30 WOMEN HAD BEEN KILLED

BY THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

WE DID NOT KNOW THAT GARY WAS UNDER POLICE SURVEILLANCE.

- WE WERE INTERESTED IN PEOPLE

WHO HAD EXPERIENCE WITH PROSTITUTES,

AND HE WAS ONE OF THEM.

- YOU HAVE A CALL FROM AN INMATE

AT WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY.

- WHAT ALLOWED YOU TO MURDER THE YOUNG GIRLS?

- EVERY TIME YOU THINK YOU FOUND THE LAST VICTIM,

YOU'D FIND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER.

- THEY HADN'T CAUGHT THE KILLER.

AND MORE WOMEN WERE STILL DISAPPEARING.

- WE FOUND HIM. HE'S THE ONE.

- GARY RIDGWAY'S BEEN ARRESTED AND HE'S THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

- MY HEART STOPPED.

- DEBBIE WAS MY LITTLE SISTER. SHE WAS MY LITTLE SISTER.

- I'M SO SORRY FOR WHAT YOU'VE LOST.

- 37 WOMEN ARE DEAD, 9 MORE STILL MISSING,

AND POLICE HAVE SPENT $10 MILLION HUNTING

THE MOST DEADLY SERIAL KILLER IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

- IN 1985 I WAS GOING TO PARENTS WITHOUT PARTNERS.

I SAT ACROSS FROM GARY AND--AND HE ASKED ME TO DANCE.

WENT OUT TO DINNER WITH HIM, I THOUGHT

HE WAS QUITE THE GENTLEMAN.

HE'D OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME AND--

AND WAS JUST SO KIND AND POLITE.

AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

I WAS SO PROUD OF GARY, WHENEVER HIS SON WAS THERE WITH HIM,

TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM,

AND HE WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL FATHER.

IT WAS JUST REALLY NICE KNOWING THAT THIS PERSON

THAT I'M DATING, HE LOVES HIS CHILD

AND A NICE FAMILY.

GARY ASKED ME, HE SAID, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IN WITH ME?"

THEN, UH, WE DECIDED TO GET MARRIED.

- HE'D GO TO WORK EARLY, YOU KNOW,

AND JUDITH WOULD HAVE HIS LUNCH ALL READY.

AND THEN AFTER WORK HE'D COME OVER AND SIT DOWN,

HAVE A BEER.

OR SOMETHING TO EAT OR WHATEVER AND...

THE DOG WOULD SNIFF HIM FOR HOURS

AND HOURS AND HOURS.

TURNED OUT, THERE WAS A LOT TO SMELL.

YOU KNOW, A LOT TO INVESTIGATE.

- SO IN 1987, THE TASK FORCE STARTED GEARING UP

TO GO AFTER GARY RIDGWAY OFFICIALLY,

BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY THINGS THAT MATCHED UP.

- WE SERVED A SEARCH WARRANT ON HIS HOUSE IN 1987.

- SOME POLICE CAME, AND PICKED ME UP

FROM MY DAYCARE CENTER THAT I WORKED AT.

THEY WERE ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT

A SUSPECT OF THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

I WAS IN SHOCK, AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T

KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SOMEONE WAS GONNA BE SEARCHING OUR HOUSE AND I SAID NO,

HE--HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THEY PICKED GARY UP, TOOK HIM SOMEPLACE

TO TALK TO HIM.

AND ASK HIM QUESTIONS.

- HE WAS AN IMPORTANT SUSPECT BECAUSE

THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY CASES

WITH EXECUTIONS OF SEARCH WARRANTS.

THE CAB DRIVER WAS ONE, AS I REMEMBER.

RIDGWAY WAS ANOTHER.

- I WAS MAYBE SIX.

BUT I DO SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER

BEING IN MY GRANDPARENTS' DRIVEWAY.

THEY HAD TAKEN THE DODGE TRUCK

THAT GRANDMA MARY AND GRANDPA TOM OWNED.

I REMEMBER MY GRANDMA BEING UPSET.

SHE COULDN'T EVEN TALK TO ME.

- THAT'S WHEN THE FBI TOOK TOM AND MARY ASIDE,

AND ASKED THEM QUESTIONS AT THEIR HOUSE.

I JUST THOUGHT, MARY, THIS IS RIDICULOUS,

THAT GARY WOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

WE KNOW HIS BACKGROUND. WE KNOW THAT GARY

DOESN'T HAVE IT IN HIM TO KILL WOMEN AND--

I JUST DISMISSED THE WHOLE THING.

- AND THEY SEARCH HIS HOUSE, EVERYTHING.

FIBER EVIDENCE, WHERE IS IT? THEY CAN'T FIND IT.

I MEAN THEY CANNOT FIND A SHRED OF EVIDENCE TO CHARGE HIM.

- THE FEELING OF THE PROSECUTORS OFFICE

AND THE POLICE WAS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH,

TO PROSECUTE HIM. FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS,

I MEAN THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE.

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE 'EM.

- HE TAKES A POLYGRAPH AND HE PASSES IT.

- GARY PASSED A LIE DETECTOR TEST.

I SAID, SEE, THAT'S PROOF POSITIVE.

- GARY RIDGWAY PASSED A POLYGRAPH.

SO DID TED BUNDY.

THAT KINDA TELLS YOU EVERYTHING.

- BASED ON THAT POLYGRAPH,

THEY TURN IT INTO AN INACTIVE FILE.

BUT ROUTINELY, THEY DID HAVE HIM SUCK ON GAUZE.

AND THEY GOT, UH, SOME SALIVA FROM HIM.

- SALIVA SWABS COULD HELP NARROW DOWN YOUR SUSPECT POOL.

- BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON IT YOU'RE LIKE,

WHY DID THEY GET IT WRONG?

LIKE, WHY DIDN'T THEY CATCH HIM THEN?

- IN THE 1980s, DNA WAS NOT WHAT WE'RE ALL USED TO NOW.

DNA WAS BRAND NEW. IT WAS NOT SOPHISTICATED.

YOU WOULD THEN HAVE BEEN FACED WITH A WHOLE HOST OF LITIGATION.

WAS IT TAKEN RIGHT? WAS IT STORED RIGHT?

WAS THE METHODS USED RIGHT?

AND THEN THE HARDEST PART THEN TOO

WOULD HAVE BEEN CONVINCING A JURY

THAT DNA EVIDENCE WAS GOOD AND SOLID.

- WHEN GARY CAME HOME,

HE HAD TOLD ME THAT THEY MADE A MISTAKE.

AND THAT HIS TRUCK LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE ELSE'S.

AND HE CONVINCED ME AND HIS FAMILY THAT,

UH, IT WAS A MISTAKE.

AND THEN AFTER A WHILE ALL OF THAT CALMED DOWN.

AND UH, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT ANYMORE.

AND HE WAS STILL THE SAME GARY THAT I KNEW.

- FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY, POLICE FOUND A BODY

IN THE GREEN RIVER, 16-YEAR-OLD WENDY COFFIELD,

THE FIRST VICTIM OF WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN

AS THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

TODAY, THE KILLER IS STILL AT LARGE,

GREATER SEATTLE HAS BECOME HIS BURIAL GROUND.

- EVERY TIME YOU THINK, YOU'VE FOUND THE LAST VICTIM,

ANOTHER YEAR WOULD GO BY, AND YOU'D FIND ANOTHER ONE.

AND ANOTHER YEAR. AND ANOTHER.

ONE OF THE VICTIMS, WHICH WAS A SURPRISE TO US,

WAS BURIED, OUTSIDE AN APARTMENT HOUSE.

- THEY DISCOVERED A BONE AT THAT POINT

AND THEN CALLED THE POLICE, AND THE CAME OUT

AND, YOU KNOW-- FOUND HER REMAINS.

AND ENDED UP CONFIRMING THROUGH THE DENTAL CHARTS

THAT THAT WAS INDEED DEBBIE.

- SHE WAS FOUND JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE STEVENS HOTEL,

WHICH WAS ACROSS THE STREET

FROM WHERE HER MOM AND DAD HAD A BUSINESS.

AND SHE HAD NOT GONE VERY FAR.

- DEBBIE WAS MY LITTLE SISTER.

SHE WAS MY LITTLE SISTER.

- WHEN DEBBIE ESTES WAS FOUND,

OF COURSE, ALL THE RELATIVES OF GIRLS

WHO HAD NOT BEEN FOUND, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK THAT

SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN IN THEIR FAMILY.

- THERE WAS A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE TASK FORCE WAS WORKING

TO FIND THE BODIES, THEY WERE WORKING TO FIND THE KILLER,

AND THERE WASN'T ANY, YOU KNOW, DEFINITIVE ANSWERS.

THE SEARCH FOR KELI WENT ON AND ON FOR MANY YEARS.

- EVENTUALLY, THEY'RE SPENDING $2 MILLION A YEAR.

PEOPLE KNEW THAT THE RESOURCES WERE GONNA

START DISAPPEARING, AND THEY DID.

- ABOUT 1989 IS WHEN WE WERE DISBANDING THE TASK FORCE.

RESOURCES WERE SHORT.

AND, UH...

PEOPLE WERE BEING REASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT UNITS.

- IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION,

YOU TRY TO HOLD IT TOGETHER,

AND YOU TRY NOT TO LET THINGS GET TO YOU,

AND IT WAS STARTING TO GET TO ME.

I THINK IT'S MORE OF A CHALLENGE

THAN ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS POINT.

'CAUSE I WANNA OUTLAST THE GUY.

I WANNA BE AROUND TO WATCH HIM GO BEHIND BARS.

AND I'LL STAY HERE UNTIL THEN.

- AND BY 1990, BASICALLY, IT WAS OVER.

AND IT SHOULDN'T'VE BEEN OVER

BECAUSE THEY HADN'T CAUGHT THE KILLER.

AND MORE WOMEN WERE STILL DISAPPEARING.

AND MORE WOMEN WERE STILL DISAPPEARING.

- BY 2000, I WAS THE CHIEF OF DETECTIVES

WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WE KNEW WHOEVER THE GREEN RIVER KILLER WAS

HADN'T BEEN ARRESTED AND HADN'T BEEN CHARGED.

IT WAS STILL AN OPEN INVESTIGATION.

- WE WERE JUST AN AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY.

LIFE WAS PRETTY NORMAL FOR US RIDGWAYS

UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2001.

[police siren] - HE GOT ARRESTED, AGAIN,

BY A DECOY, FOR PROSTITUTION.

- AFTER GARY CAME HOME FROM JAIL, THEN,

GARY TOLD ME THAT HIS CAR DIED AS HE WAS DRIVING THROUGH

A FOUR-WAY STOP, AND HE GOT PICKED UP.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY GAVE HIM A TICKET.

AND I-I BELIEVED HIM.

WE SPENT THANKSGIVING WITH HIS OLDER BROTHER

AND HIS WIFE AND FAMILY.

- GARY DID NOT MENTION A THING

ABOUT BEING ARRESTED FOR PROSTITUTION.

- HE CAME TO THANKSGIVING, AND HE WAS ACTING WEIRD.

- HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE.

HE SAT ON THE COUCH WITH HIS HANDS FOLDED,

AND THAT WASN'T GARY.

GARY WAS ALWAYS MOVING AROUND.

- I DO REMEMBER ASKING MY PARENTS, SAYING,

"MOM, WHAT'S WRONG WITH GARY?"

- SHE SAID THAT HE-- "MOM, DIDN'T YOU NOTICE

THAT HE WAS QUIET? THAT HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING?"

I DIDN'T SEE ANY BEHAVIOR

THAT IN FACT HE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY

HAVE BEEN JUST ARRESTED. - RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME,

HE WAS SEEN PICKING UP A PROSTITUTE AGAIN,

SO WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE SHERIFF

AND SOME OF THE KEY INVESTIGATORS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT,

HAVE OVERLOOKED. LET'S LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE.

LET'S SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS STILL THERE, WHAT'S USABLE.

SO IN 1980s, IT WAS GOOD POLICE PROCEDURE TO TAKE SALIVA SWABS

FROM PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE DOING INVESTIGATIONS ON.

DOING THAT WITH GARY RIDGWAY WAS EXCELLENT,

SO WE HAD THIS LITTLE PIECE OF DNA LEFT

THAT WE COULD HAVE TESTED.

WE WERE ABLE TO COMPARE THAT SALIVA SWAB TO THE SEMINAL FLUID

THAT WAS TAKEN FROM ONE OF THE VICTIMS.

I SAID "OKAY, LET'S DO IT." WE DID IT.

AND IT CONNECTED THE DOTS WITH GARY RIDGWAY.

FOUR DAYS AFTER THANKSGIVING, THEN NOVEMBER 30TH,

THAT'S WHEN SOME DETECTIVES KNOCKED ON THE DOOR,

AND THEY WANTED TO COME IN AND TALK TO ME ABOUT GARY RIDGWAY.

THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE PICKING UP GARY AT KENWORTH

AS WE SPEAK.

HELD THE DOOR OPEN WITH THEIR FOOT AND THEN THEY CAME IN,

AND INTERROGATED ME FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS,

AND I WAS JUST IN IMMEDIATE SHOCK,

AND I WAS SAYING "NO, THIS CAN'T BE.

THERE'S ANOTHER GARY RIDGWAY IN BELLEVUE OR SOMEPLACE ELSE."

AND I WAS DEVASTATED AND CONFUSED AND--

IT'S LIKE A BIG BRICK WALL DROPPED IN FRONT OF ME,

AND...

AND MY WORLD JUST DISAPPEARED.

- TODAY AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 P.M.,

DETECTIVES FROM THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

ARRESTED A 52-YEAR-OLD MAN.

- I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A FRIEND THAT SAID,

"WHAT'S GARY'S MIDDLE NAME?"

AND I STATED "WELL, IT'S LEON, I THINK."

SHE SAID "TURN ON THE TV," AND I TURNED ON THE TELEVISION,

AND THERE'S MY BROTHER-IN-LAW,

YOU KNOW, ARRESTED FOR BEING THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

- WE WERE JUST DEVASTATED. NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

HOW DO WE--HOW DO WE HANDLE THIS SITUATION?

AND HOW DO WE COME TO GRIPS WITH, YOU KNOW,

LETTING KRISTEN KNOW? - WHEN WE FIRST FOUND OUT

THAT GARY WAS ARRESTED AS BEING THE GREEN RIVER KILLER,

MY HEART STOPPED.

HE WAS IN THE NEWS, ON ALL THE PAPERS, ON THE TV.

NEWS VANS WERE CIRCLING OUR HOUSE.

IT WAS TERRIFYING AND THREATENING.

- SHE'S LIKE "GARY RIDGWAY HAS BEEN ARRESTED,

AND HE'S THE GREEN RIVER KILLER."

RIGHT AT THAT POINT, I TURNED MY HEAD

AND I SORT OF LOOKED OFF,

AND WHEN I LOOKED, I COULD SEE IN THE BAR

THERE WERE TWO TV SCREENS. AND I--MY HEART JUST SUNK.

I FELT SICK IMMEDIATELY, AND I STARTED CRYING.

- GARY LEON RIDGWAY, NOW IN CUSTODY.

- ON THE DAY THAT THEY ARRESTED HIM, AND--

I WAS HOME.

HIS FACE WAS ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN.

AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY ARRESTED THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.

THAT WAS A SHOCK.

- HIS ARREST WENT FLYING AROUND THE COURTHOUSE, LIKE WILDFIRE.

AND ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE THE SHERIFF SAID

"WE FOUND HIM, HE'S THE ONE. HE'S THE GREEN RIVER KILLER."

IT WASN'T LIKE THE USUAL "ALLEGED SUSPECT"

OR THAT KIND OF THING. VERY DIRECT.

- WHEN HE GOT ARRESTED, IT WAS LIKE...

A DEEP BREATH. FINALLY, FINALLY.

WHEN I SAW HIM, I JUST LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID

"YOU LITTLE [bleep]." EXCUSE ME.

BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

- MY FAMILY WAS IN COMPLETE DENIAL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING

THAT HE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY DONE.

THEY WERE 100% ON HIS DEFENSE.

HE HADN'T CONFESSED AT THIS TIME.

HE WAS STILL SAYING THAT HE DIDN'T DO IT.

- I DID NOT THINK HE WAS GUILTY.

I THOUGHT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THE QUESTION.

- I WROTE GARY A LETTER AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED.

I SAID, UM...

"WE WILL BELIEVE EITHER UNTIL YOUR DEATH

OR UNTIL YOUR CONFESSION THAT YOU'RE NOT GUILTY."

- YOU KNOW, HER LETTER ALSO HELPED CONVINCE ME.

I HAD TO GET GARY TO CONFESS, OR I HAD TO GET HIM SET FREE.

I WAS GONNA CONTINUE LOOKING FOR THAT SMOKING GUN UNTIL I DIED.

- SHE STARTED SAYING, "WELL, IT'S NOT HIM.

"HE PASSED A POLYGRAPH.

HE, UM... HE WAS CLEARED, HE WAS CLEARED."

SHE WAS REALLY DOING EVERYTHING SHE COULD

TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE.

- IF SHE KNEW THAT HE WAS GUILTY,

THERE'S NO WAY SHE WOULD HAVE DEFENDED HIM.

NO ONE WOULD'VE. WE ALL THOUGHT HE WAS INNOCENT,

BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS ONCE.

THE DETECTIVES, THEY ALREADY MESSED UP ONCE.

AND SO NOW, WHEN IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN,

YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT'S TRUE.

- ONE TIME I WOULD GO OVER TO DORENE'S HOUSE,

AND SHE SAID "DID YOU SEE THIS?"

SEATTLE WEEKLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS CALLED.

AND IT WAS A PICTURE OF GARY WITH A GREEN FACE.

AND WHEN SHE SHOWED THAT TO ME,

I JUST SCREAMED,

AND STARTED CRYING.

MY ARMS WERE FLYING AND HITTING HER.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE THAT TIME,

I WAS HAVING A DREAM ABOUT GARY,

AND HE WAS TRYING TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH ME,

BUT HE WAS GREEN. HE HAD A GREEN FACE.

WE JUST HOPED AND PRAYED THAT...

IT WOULD ALL WORK OUT FOR THE BEST,

BUT IT DIDN'T.

- SO HE WAS ORIGINALLY ARRESTED ON FOUR COUNTS OF MURDER,

AND THEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER

GETTING MORE EVIDENCE FROM THE DETECTIVES,

THEY RELEASED A NEW STATEMENT

SAYING THAT THERE WERE THREE ADDITIONAL VICTIMS

THAT THEY COULD LINK TO GARY.

- WE DID THE DNA, AND IT MATCHED.

AND IT ALL TIED BACK TO GARY RIDGWAY.

- WE WERE IN THE KING COUNTY JAIL POSSIBLY EVERY WEEK,

AFTER HIS ARREST, BELIEVING THAT HE WAS INNOCENT.

- I DID GO TO VISIT GARY IN JAIL,

AND HIS SISTER-IN-LAW AND HIS BROTHER, HIS FAMILY,

KEPT TELLING ME AND CALMING ME DOWN,

AND SAYING THAT HE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS.

- I KNEW THAT THINGS WEREN'T LOOKING GOOD,

BUT IT STILL BELIEVED THAT HE COULDN'T DO IT.

- IT'S ALWAYS THE CASE, IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT FAMILY MEMBERS,

FOR YEARS, EVEN AFTER SOMEONE ADMITS SOMETHING,

STILL ARE IN DENIAL ABOUT A CRIME,

ESPECIALLY A HORRIFIC CRIME, LIKE THIS.

- AND THEN, SOME EVIDENCE CAME OUT IN THE PRESS,

INVOLVING PAINT.

- THIS SEARCH WARRANT ALSO ALLOWED POLICE TO SEARCH

A PAINT LOCKER AT THE MAN'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.

- THEY'D FOUND THIS ONE GIRL.

HER SWEATER SLEEVES WERE

IMPREGNATED WITH LITTLE BLOBS OF PAINT.

- WE ALL STARTED LOSING HOPE.

GREG AND DORENE ENDED UP GOING AND VISITING HIM.

- ACROSS THE GLASS, I SAID "GARY, I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS,

THIS LOOKS REALLY BAD."

- MY DAD SAID "YOU KNOW WHAT, GARY,

"YOU NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, AND IF YOU DID THIS,

I PRAY TO GOD THAT YOU CONFESS."

IT WAS ACTUALLY THE NEXT DAY THAT GARY ENDED UP CONFESSING

TO HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY, MICHELE SHAW.

- THE DEFENSE TEAM WAS THERE AND THEY TOLD ME, YOU KNOW,

THAT GARY ADMITTED TO KILLING 70 OR 72 OR 78 OR--

SOME RIDICULOUS NUMBER.

I WAS PRETTY FLOORED.

- YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST LIKE I WAS SHELL-SHOCKED.

MY MIND WENT BLANK.

- WE WERE DEFENDING HIM FOR TWO YEARS,

AND THEN WHEN HE CONFESSES,

YOU QUESTION EVERYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS TRUE.

- MY HEART BROKE FOR MATT, AND I COULDN'T IMAGINE

WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH AND THE CROSS HE HAD TO BEAR

BECAUSE OF WHAT HIS FATHER DID.

- I LITERALLY WAS ILL.

YOU KNOW, I LEANED OVER AND JUST RETCHED.

I WAS FURIOUS WITH GARY.

YOU KNOW, "WHY--WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?"

YOU KNOW, "WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT'S GOING ON?

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO JUDITH?"

- I HAD A FRIEND COME TO MY HOUSE.

SHE WAS A LAWYER AND SHE HELPED ME WITH MY DIVORCE.

AFTER FINDING OUT ALL THIS EVIL

AND BAD THINGS THAT GARY DID,

BEING A MURDERER, AND...

HE JUST BROKE MY HEART INTO PIECES.

- HE ENJOYED KILLING, IS WHAT I THINK,

AND I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE EVER STOPPED.

- HE FINALLY MADE THE CONFESSION

THAT KELI WAS ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT HE HAD KILLED.

I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SHE WAS GONE,

AND I WOULD NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.

- WHEN RIDGWAY CONFESSED TO 50 OR MORE MURDERS,

HE MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL.

- TO BE ABLE TO SAVE HIS LIFE,

HE AGREED TO TELL THEM

WHERE THE OTHER 12 GIRLS WERE, WHERE HE HAD LEFT THEM

OR HID THEM OR BURIED THEM.

- I WAS HAPPY WITH GARY GETTING A PLEA BARGAIN.

I WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE OTHER VICTIMS WERE,

AND SO IF THAT WAS A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT,

I WAS OKAY WITH THAT.

BECAUSE HE'D BE IN PRISON FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

- WHEN GARY RIDGWAY WAS SENTENCED,

OF COURSE IT WAS A HUGE DAY IN SEATTLE.

- THEY OPENED THE DOOR, AND OUT WALKED THE MONSTER.

THEY MADE HIM TURN AROUND AND LOOK AND FACE US

IN THE COURTROOM, ALL OF THE FAMILIES.

AND...AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO APOLOGIZE TO US.

- I'M SORRY FOR CAUSING SO MUCH PAIN TO SO MANY FAMILIES.

- HE HAD NO COMPASSION.

NO REMORSE.

HE WAS AN JUST AN EMPTY, EMPTY, EMPTY PERSON.

I WAS SICK.

- GARY WON. HE WON WITH A CONFESSION.

HE BEAT THE COPS, HE BEAT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

BOTTOM LINE.

- MR. RIDGWAY, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU AT THIS TIME,

HOW DO YOU PLEAD TO THE CHARGE OF AGGRAVATED MURDER

IN THE FIRST DEGREE AS CHARGED IN COUNT ONE

FOR THE DEATH OF WENDY LEE COFFIELD?

- GUILTY.

- THEY WERE READING OFF THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE WOMEN.

- AS CHARGED IN COUNT TWO, FOR THE DEATH OF DEBRA BONNER.

- GUILTY.

- AND HE WOULD SAY "GUILTY.

"GUILTY.

GUILTY."

I SAT THERE, UNTIL HE SAID ALL OF THEM,

AND, OH, I WAS JUST...

TOTALLY DEVASTATED.

THIS IS REAL.

HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

IT'S JUST INSANE.

- SOME OF THE FAMILY GOT UP AND HAD SOME PERSONAL WORDS TO HIM.

- JUST LOOKING AT THIS MAN

THAT HAS HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE,

THAT HAS TAKEN SO MUCH FROM YOU,

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN HIS FACE IS THERE

AND HE'S A REAL PERSON.

- DEBRA LORRAINE ESTES TURNED 15

JUST DAYS BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE LOOK OF FEAR IN YOUR EYES

WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU WERE FINALLY CAUGHT,

AND NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST WALK AWAY,

LIKE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE.

SHAME ON YOU, GARY RIDGWAY.

YOU'RE CAUGHT.

- YOU ARE A LOSER, YOU'RE A COWARD, YOU ARE NOBODY.

YOU'RE AN ANIMAL. I'M ANGRY, I'LL ALWAYS BE ANGRY.

I WILL NEVER HAVE THAT CLOSURE.

I WILL NEVER HAVE MY SISTER BACK IN MY LIFE.

I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL. SON OF A BITCH.

- THERE'S NOTHING THAT ANYBODY CAN SAY OR EVER DO FOR ME

THAT WILL BRING MY MOTHER BACK.

YOU HAVE USELESS EXCUSES FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE,

AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY,

I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, FORGIVE YOU.

- SHAME ON YOU. SHAME ON YOU, GARY RIDGWAY.

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO OUR DAUGHTERS?

- WE'VE SEEN GARY AS A HUMAN.

WE'VE SEEN HIM AS THAT SIDE OF A GOOD GUY.

BUT THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS ONLY SEEN HIM AS A MONSTER.

- WHY'D YOU HATE THEM SO MUCH? - WHY'D I HATE THEM?

BECAUSE I-- WOMEN HAD CONTROL OVER ME

AND I DON'T LIKE BEING CONTROLLED.

I WAS JUST A WIMP, AND THEN WHEN I WAS--

I HAD CONTROL WHEN I WAS-- WHEN I KILLED THE WOMEN.

THERE'S SOME SCRATCH MARKS HERE.

THESE ARE FROM MALVAR.

I KILLED HER. SHE SCRATCHED ME.

WHEN I WAS KILLING HER, SHE FOUGHT.

SHE SCRATCHED ME HERE.

I WANTED TO KILL THOSE WOMEN.

I AM THE ONE THAT GOT THE SCRATCH MARKS.

I HAD SCRATCH MARKS ON MY BACK, A COUPLE TIMES.

- TELL US ABOUT GISELE LOVVORN.

- TOOK HER THERE WITH MATTHEW IN THE CAR.

WE WALKED INTO A SPACE WHERE WE COULDN'T SEE THE TRUCK,

AND I TOOK HER AND I CHOKED HER.

I TIED THE--

- I TOLD MATTHEW-- HE ASKED ME WHERE SHE WENT,

I TOLD HIM SHE WAS WALKING HOME.

- KNOWING THAT MATTHEW WAS PRESENT WHEN HE WAS

COMMITTING SOME OF HIS CRIMES ENRAGES ME.

HE'S JUST...

DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, SO MANY LIVES.

SO MANY LIVES.

- I CAN REMEMBER YOU EVEN TELLING DR. WEAVER THAT

HAD THINGS GONE JUST A LITTLE SIDEWAYS,

YOU COULD HAVE EVEN KILLED MATTHEW.

YOU SAID THAT TO DR. WEAVER AT ONE POINT IN TIME.

- YEAH, I PROBABLY COULD'VE, YOU KNOW?

- [gasps] IT'S DEVASTATING.

AND I REALIZE-- I DO REALIZE HE'S A KILLER.

BUT WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE.

GOD, TELL ME, WHAT CAN I DO?

WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

SO THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN?

- I DIDN'T EXPECT...

IT TO BE SO DISPASSIONATE AND SO MATTER-OF-FACT.

- THIS IS A PART OF OUR FAMILY. WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION

WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW?

- YEAH. - SO NOW THAT WE'RE HERE,

WHAT IS THE COURSE OF ACTION THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL?

LIKE, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY FEELINGS FOR THAT, OR--

- I MEAN, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME IS...UM...

IS SAYING SORRY. - YEAH.

- I THINK I STRUGGLE WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY PLACE

TO SAY SORRY, IT'S NOT MY ACTIONS,

IT'S NOT SOMETHING I DID. - RIGHT, BUT WE ALL FEEL--

BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT--IF THERE WAS SOME WAY I COULD

COMMUNICATE TO THE WORLD--

- YES, YES, YES. - YOU KNOW, TO THE FAMILIES,

TO THE GIRLS THAT WENT THROUGH THIS.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I COULD COMMUNICATE,

IT WOULD BE THAT I'M SO, SO SORRY.

- DITTO, DITTO. ME AS WELL. - YEAH. OH GOD, YES.

EXACTLY.

- GARY IS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE

AT WALLA WALLA STATE PENITENTIARY.

WE REQUESTED A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH HIM,

BUT WERE DENIED ACCESS BY THE PRISON.

[phone ringing]

- YOU HAVE A PREPAID CALL FROM

AN INMATE AT WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY.

- HELLO?

- RIGHT NOW WE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF GARY'S GOING TO BE ABLE

TO CALL US SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED

VIA PHONE, SINCE RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT,

THE PRISON'S NOT ALLOWING US TO GO AND VISIT HIM IN PERSON.

[phone ringing]

- YOU HAVE A CALL

FROM WASHINGTON STATE PENITENTIARY.

- HELLO?

- I'LL JUST GET GOING RIGHT AWAY,

'CAUSE I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THAT MUCH TIME.

SO WE JUST WANT TO, HOPEFULLY,

GET THROUGH SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.

SO WHAT ALLOWED YOU TO MURDER THE YOUNG GIRLS?

I MEAN, HOW DID YOUR CONSCIENCE ALLOW YOU TO GET TO THE POINT

WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THIS, YOU KNOW?

- WELL, THE ACTUAL THING IS

IF I COULD GET AWAY WITH IT, BASICALLY.

YOU GOTTA--YOU KNOW, THE THING IS IF I CAN--

I CAN PICK THEM UP WITHOUT ANYBODY WATCHING THEM,

IF I CAN--IF I CAN GET THEM IN MY CAR, AND IF I CAN TAKE THEM

TO SOME LOCATION TO KILL THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S--

IF I'VE GOT ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, BASICALLY.

- MATTHEW-- HE COULDN'T BE HERE.

WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW YOU DECEIVED HIM

AND HOW YOU USED HIM, IT REALLY HURT HIM.

HE DID HAVE A LETTER THAT HE WANTED ME TO READ ON HIS BEHALF.

HE SAYS, "IF YOU EVER LOVED, CARED,

"OR HAD ANY FEELINGS FOR ME, YOU WOULD MAKE THINGS RIGHT

"WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE HURT.

"THE PEOPLE YOU HURT ARE THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS.

"FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, GIVE US ALL FREEDOM FROM YOU.

"GIVE US ONE ACT OF KINDNESS.

"PLEASE TELL THE TRUTH.

"GIVE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HURT A RELEASE OF THE TERROR

"YOU HAVE CAUSED THEM.

"GIVE THEM FREEDOM OVER YOU

"AS THE LAST ACT THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO ME,

"THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I MADE A DIFFERENCE

FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE."

- IS THAT IT? - YEAH, THAT'S IT.

SO THEY'RE STILL MISSING A LOT OF BODIES.

- THEY'RE STILL MISSING 30--

WELL, I LOSE TRACK.

THERE WAS 49, AND I HAD,

UH...

83--80, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE...

YOU HAVE WHAT, 31?

- I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE VICTIMS

WHO'S NOT BEEN FOUND YET. HER NAME--

- UH-HUH.

- HER NAME IS KELI MCGINNESS. DO YOU HAVE--

- YES, MM-HMM.

- DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION--

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO GIVE ABOUT HER?

IF YOU COULD CALL BACK AFTER THIS--[bleep].

[beep] - [sighs]

- HE'S GONNA CALL BACK.

- OKAY, THE QUESTION'S BACK ON KELI MCGINNESS.

YOU SAID SHE WAS AT JONES ROAD, AND THERE'S A CREEK.

- FIND THE HILL, YEAH, UM...

- YEAH, YOU THREW--YOU SAID YOU THREW HER OVER THE RAVINE

INTO A CREEK. - YES.

- DO YOU THINK THAT I COULD MAYBE FIND HER

IF I WERE TO GO OUT THERE?

- IF YOU HAVE A CADAVER DOG, YOU KNOW.

- WE HAVE A CADAVER DOG, SO WE'RE GONNA GO OUT.

WE'RE GONNA TRY AND FIND SOMETHING,

BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT,

SINCE THESE WOMEN HAVEN'T BEEN FOUND, WE--WE'RE HOPING

THAT IF WE FIND SOMETHING, THAT THEY WILL BE FREED.

- UH-HUH.

[beep]

- I WAS HOPING FOR A LITTLE MORE REMORSE FROM GARY.

I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HEARD MORE.

- HOW ELSE COULD SOMEONE KILL ALL THOSE WOMEN?

YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE REMORSE.

- I'VE SAID ALL ALONG, IT'S NOT ABOUT GARY,

IT'S ABOUT THESE GIRLS, AND, UM,

I DON'T THINK GARY'S GONNA GIVE US ANY MORE FOR THE GIRLS,

SO TO ME, IT'S NOT WORTH TALKING TO GARY ANYMORE.

- IT DOES BOTHER ME THAT HE REALLY DIDN'T SHOW MUCH REMORSE,

AND IT SADDENED ME SO TERRIBLY,

YOU KNOW, THAT HE-- HE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN HIM.

YOU KNOW, DID HE EVER HAVE THAT IN HIM?

I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T--I--MM-MM.

I THINK GARY DOES DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY.

- IF ANYONE DESERVES TO DIE FOR WHAT THEY DID,

GARY RIDGWAY DOES.

- ALL RIGHT, REXY, GO SEARCH.

- IF YOU JUST KEEP GOING UP THIS HILL,

THAT'S WHERE THE RAVINE IS.

- GARY RIDGWAY ONLY HAD A "DEAL" IN KING COUNTY.

SO--AND WITH MISSING WOMEN STILL, IF A BODY'S FOUND--

LIKE KELI MCGINNESS-- IT'S BEEN SPECULATED, MIGHT BE

IN PIERCE COUNTY RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE.

IT STARTS ALL OVER, AND HE COULD FACE THE DEATH PENALTY.

- LET'S JUST CHECK HERE IN CASE HE COMES UP WITH ANYTHING.

- KELI HAS NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 31 YEARS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT GARY RIDGWAY'S NIECES HAVE A PASSION

TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AND HAVE HAD SOME KIND

OF CONNECTION WITH KELI.

I'M SO EVER GRATEFUL THAT THOSE GIRLS

STILL HOLD HER IN THEIR HEARTS

AND ON THEIR MINDS AND WOULD WANT TO MAKE THAT EFFORT.

- IT'S FRUSTRATING TO KEEP LOOKING FOR HER

AND NOT FIND HER.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING JOURNEY,

AND IT'S NOT GOING TO END, I DON'T THINK, EVER.

- I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANY MORE TIME ON GARY RIDGWAY.

HE ISN'T WORTH HAVING IN MY LIFE OR IN MY THOUGHTS.

HE KILLED MY DAUGHTER, BUT HE DIDN'T KILL MY SPIRIT,

AND HE DIDN'T KILL MY LOVE FOR HER AND MY RESPECT

FOR WHO SHE WAS GOING TO BECOME.

THERE'S A BRICK IN A SEA WALL IN SITKA, ALASKA,

THAT SAYS "KELI."

AND SHE LIVES ON THAT BRICK, AND SHE LIVES IN MY HEART,

AND SHE LIVES IN THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE ELSE WHO KNEW HER

AND LOVED HER.

- TOMORROW MORNING I'M SUPPOSED TO GO AND SEE JENNY GRAHAM,

WHO'S THE SISTER OF DEBBIE ESTES,

WHO IS ONE OF GARY'S VICTIMS.

IT REALLY--THE IDEA OF SEEING IF WE COULD REACH OUT A HAND

AND SAY "I'M SORRY"... - YEAH.

- TO SOMEONE-- - YEAH.

- IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WORTH A SHOT.

I WAS HOPING THAT YOU WOULD MAYBE COME WITH ME TO SEE HER.

- I WOULD LOVE TO. I MEAN...

IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO.

- I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD SAY THAT.

- I'M NERVOUS.

- I'M TERRIFIED

'CAUSE I WONDER, LIKE,

DOES IT EVER END, YOU KNOW,

THE PAIN THAT SHE GOES THROUGH?

- YEAH.

- OH.

- [crying] HI. CAN I HUG YOU?

- I'M JEN, TOO.

- THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

- HI.

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL. - NICE TO MEET YOU.

- WILL YOU SIT WITH US? - SURE.

- OKAY.

- HOW ABOUT IF WE DO THIS?

- THERE WE ARE.

- DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS GONNA GO

AND WHAT TO EXPECT AND LITTLE SCARY AND...

PART OF WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, TO A CERTAIN POINT,

GARY'S STILL, YOU KNOW, IN MY DREAMS.

FORGIVENESS IS HARD JUST FOR THE SAKE OF FORGIVING.

JUST BECAUSE GOD SAYS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FORGIVE

OR OTHER PEOPLE THINK YOU'RE A BAD PERSON IF YOU DON'T,

BUT THEY'RE NOT WALKING IN MY SHOES.

- RIGHT. - THEY DON'T FEEL MY LOSS.

THEY DON'T FEEL MY PAIN.

THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THE ANGER.

- I THINK THE EASIEST THING TO DO

IS TO JUST GET ANGRY ABOUT IT, RIGHT? I MEAN--

- I DON'T BLAME--I DON'T BLAME YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, IT'S-- YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN ME.

I COULDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

I WAS A KID MYSELF WHEN MY SISTER DIED.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED,

BUT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED,

BE HONEST ABOUT IT,

BE WILLING, YOU KNOW, TO CALL IT WHAT IT WAS,

AND SAY, "OKAY, WELL, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?"

RIGHT OVER THE FENCE HERE IS WHERE THE BALL FIELD WAS,

AND WHERE DEBBIE WAS,

UM, IT WAS RIGHT BACK IN THIS AREA,

RIGHT BACK HERE.

THE LANDMARKS HELP TO TELL, YOU KNOW, WHERE SHE WAS.

LOOKING UP, YOU KNOW, REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW,

THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST THING THAT SHE SAW.

[sighs]

- I'M SO SORRY FOR WHAT YOU'VE LOST.

I FEEL SO BAD, AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO APOLOGIZE.

AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT I CAN SAY, EXCEPT FOR I'M SORRY.

- I KNOW, I KNOW.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S SINCERE.

I DO, I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS SINCERE,

AND I KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.

YOU DIDN'T DO IT.

- IT'S OKAY.

OH, MY GOD.

OH...

- I WILL ALWAYS MISS HER.

THERE IS NEVER A DAY, EVER, THAT HAPPENS THAT--

YOU KNOW, THAT I DON'T MISS MY SISTER.

IT'S HARD. IT IS REALLY, REALLY HARD.