Green River Killer May 2026

In the late 1990s, advances in DNA technology allowed detectives to link forensic evidence from early crime scenes to Ridgway.

As of April 2026, Ridgway is serving 49 consecutive life sentences and is reportedly in poor health, with recent reports indicating he is receiving end-of-life care in prison. Case Overview Green River Killer

He pleaded guilty to 48 murders in 2003 to avoid the death penalty, and in 2011 pleaded guilty to a 49th murder. However, he has confessed to killing over 70 women, and investigators believe the true number may be even higher. Arrest and Conviction In the late 1990s, advances in DNA technology

Ridgway strangled victims by hand or ligature and dumped their bodies in remote, forested areas, often returning to them for sexual acts. However, he has confessed to killing over 70

Gary Ridgway , known as the , is one of the most prolific serial killers in United States history, convicted of murdering 49 women and girls in Washington state during the 1980s and 1990s. A paint detailer by trade, Ridgway targeted vulnerable women—primarily sex workers and runaway teenagers—operating largely in the King County area near Seattle.