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Green River Killer

What is green river killer?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Name Gary Leon Ridgway[1]
Byname Green River Killer[1]
Born February 18, 1949, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[1]
Arrest 2001[3]
Guilty plea 2003[2]

The Green River Killer is Gary Leon Ridgway, an American serial killer from Washington state who pleaded guilty in 2003 to 48 murders, with the investigation beginning after bodies were found in the Green River in 1982.

Context

Gary Leon Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, is an American criminal and serial killer from Washington state [1]. He pleaded guilty in 2003 to 48 murders, while King County says his crimes were linked to at least 48 women [1][2]. The investigation began after bodies were found in the Green River in 1982 [2]. Ridgway was arrested in 2001 after his DNA was positively identified on one of the victims [3]. He was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole [3]. The Green River case was one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history [2]. Ridgway agreed to plead guilty to all murders he committed in King County in exchange for the prosecutor not seeking the death penalty [2]. The term is sometimes confused with the Green River homicides case itself, which refers to the investigation and killings tied to Ridgway [2][3]. A serial killer is someone who murders multiple people over a period of time, often with a pattern.

Documented claims

  • Ridgway pleaded guilty in 2003 to 48 murders. [1]
  • The investigation began after Wendy Lee Coffield's body was found in the Green River on July 15, 1982. [2]
  • Ridgway was arrested after his DNA was positively identified on one of the victims. [3]
  • He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [3]

Questions and answers

Who is the Green River Killer?

The Green River Killer is Gary Leon Ridgway, an American serial killer from Washington state [1].

How many murders did Ridgway plead guilty to?

He pleaded guilty in 2003 to 48 murders [1].

When was Ridgway arrested?

He was arrested in 2001 after his DNA was positively identified on one of the victims [3].

What was Ridgway's sentence?

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole [3].

Sources

  1. Gary Ridgway | Biography, Mother, Childhood, & Murders — britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Green River homicides investigation — kingcounty.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. FBI Seattle History — fbi.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People