KING5 Seattle News | Green River Killer

Gary Ridgway's wife had no clue

11:16 PM PST on Wednesday, November 26, 2003

By DARIN WATKINS / KING 5 News

SEATTLE – Court documents show that Judith Ridgway never had any idea that her husband was leading a secret life. The information comes from court records of her conversation with detectives – a conversation that first took place right after her husband was arrested for being the Green River killer.

“I killed so many women, I have a hard time keeping them straight,” said Gary Ridgway.

KING

Ridgway's wife thought of her husband as loving and gentle.

Detective Kathleen Larson of the Green River Task Force spoke face to face with Judith Ridgway right after her husband had been arrested.

"No, I don't believe it. He's always been so gentle and caring," said Judith Ridgway.

Judith appeared shocked by the allegations against her husband.

When detectives asked, "Would you mind testifying in court?” Judith replied, “I would tell 'em everything is good about him. He's been the best. I love him."

“I think those are questions she will forever ask herself. I think she will forever ask herself those questions, and knowing what she knows now, are there ever going to be answers to those questions? And she is a good person,” said Det. Larson.

KING

These four women's bodies have never been found.

Many of Ridgway’s confessions were recorded on videotape. He continued to talk with detectives about where to look for victims, but ever since he pleaded guilty, there has been little new information he has been able to provide.

Yet detectives still have four missing women whose bodies have never been found, and there is now a fourth set of human remains of women that detectives are trying to identify.

But information from Ridgway is slowly coming to a halt.

“We've shown him photos of missing women. We've shown him maps of particular areas, but again, Ridgway needs to be forthcoming with information in order to corroborate his claims that he killed these other women,” Larson said.

KING

The identity of these three women has not yet been determined.

Detectives have at least two solid leads on potential grave sites they'd like to examine, plus they are working hard with families of missing women, taking DNA samples and comparing them with the bodies they have discovered. But so far, no luck.

Next January, they will kick off an aggressive campaign with regional dentists giving them dental records of the four bodies they have found to see if they can identify them and put their families at ease.

Gary Ridgway will remain in a secure facility with Green River detectives until his sentencing on December 18. After that he will be remanded to a state prison where he is facing life without the possibility of parole.

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