/ Green River Killer

Families attest to victims' humanity

06:38 PM PST on Wednesday, November 5, 2003

By JIM KLOCKOW / KING5.com

SEATTLE - They disagreed over the death penalty. They disagreed about closure. But the families of the Green River Killer's victims want it known that Gary Ridgway's victims were people, sisters, daughters and, in some cases, mothers.

"My sister was a human being irregardless of how the press portrays how she made her living," said Deanna Sherrill, sister of Shirley Marie Sherrill, who disappeared in 1982 at the age of 18.

Many of the victims were prostitutes, whom Ridgway thought he could kill with impunity.

KING At the age of 25, Sarah King says she's outlived her mother, Carol Christensen, who was murdered by Gary Ridgway at the age of 21.

The deal with prosecutors, in which Ridgway provided details and evidence in 48 killings, practically guarantees that he'll avoid the death penalty in Washington.

The deal was acceptable for many families, especially those of the 41 victims whose fate only became clear once Ridgway began cooperating with detectives.

"Without the plea bargain, we would have been in the same place we were last week," said Kandice Watt, sister to Roberta "Bobbi Joe" Hayes, who disappeared in 1987. "We were one of the 41 families as well."

For others, the victims seem to live on.

Sarah King is the daughter of Carol Christensen, who disappeared in 1983.

Multimedia

KING 5's Deborah Feldman reports on the families Reading of Ridgway statement Ridgway enters guilty pleas King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng King County Sheriff Dave Reichert A defense attorney's perspective

Related Stories

Legal expert analyzes Ridgway's motive Violence in Ridgway's past Green River victims - the list victim images Green River killings timeline Other serial killers Impact on death penalty Comment from crime writer Ann Rule

Court documents Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

Prosecutor's summary of evidence The plea agreement Ridgway's statement Second amended information

"I was almost six when she died," King said. "I've outlived her already. I'm 25, she was 21."

King said her last memory of her mother was getting a bath. Her mother had brought her the gift of a rabbit for Easter.

"I remember trying to get the bunny in the bath and she wasn't having that," she recalled.

In spite of her loss, King said she did not believe in the death penalty for Ridgway.

"Everybody dies sooner or later, and I truly believe that whether he dies now or later, he's going to go to the same place," she said.

Jose Malvar wasn't so understanding.

When Malvar's sister, Marie Malvar, disappeared in 1983, Malvar's father spent the time he wasn't working at two jobs, driving the streets looking for a pickup truck that Malvar's then boyfriend said he'd seen Marie get into.

He did so for weeks or even months, according to Malvar, and the stress split up the family.

Eventually, the elder Malvar did find the truck, which was traced to Gary Ridgway.

Contacted by police, Ridgway denied knowing Malvar.

Jose Malvar did find solace however, on learning that Malvar had put up a fight.

"Marie was a very outgoing person. She wasn't scared of nobody," he said.

Some family members described the effect that the victims' disappearances had on them.

"I found myself buying girls things at Christmas time," said Helen Dexter, whose daughter, Constance Naon, disappeared at the age of 21 in 1983.

Dexter was clearly angry that Ridgway hadn't been caught sooner.

"Ridgway was on the streets many more years than he should have been," she said.

Dexter has since set up a scholarship in her daughter's name at the Holy Names Academy girls school in Seattle, "because I want her to be remembered for something other than this, something fruitful," she said.

She described he daughter as a "beautiful girl," with a job and a boyfriend.

"We knew the day she was gone, because she didn't disappear on us," Dexter said.