Green River Killer Gary Ridgway Returns to Washington State Penitentiary

WALLA WALLA, Washington — Gary Ridgway, also known as the “Green River Killer,” is back at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla after being booked into the King County Jail Monday morning, the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) confirmed. Ridgway, 75, is currently serving 49 consecutive life sentences for murder.

KCPAO spokesman Casey McNerthney said Ridgway was booked into the King County Jail at 10:42 a.m. Monday into “institutional custody” by the King County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office has not confirmed why Ridgway was transferred to the King County Jail Monday morning.

DOC officials confirmed Friday evening that Ridgway was back at the Washington State Penitentiary after being transferred from the King County Jail.

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“Since Gary Ridgway’s arrest in 2001 in connection with the Green River murder investigation, KCSO has continued to actively investigate potentially related cases,” KCSO spokesperson Brandyn Hull told KOMO News in a statement.

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Ridgway was dubbed the Green River Killer after the remains of his first five victims were found near the Green River before his identity was known.

BACKGROUND

In 2003, Ridgway pleaded guilty to murdering 48 women in King County between 1982 and 1998. Deputies arrested Ridgway in November 2001 after advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to link his saliva to a sample taken in 1987 that matched DNA found on four of the victims.

As part of Ridgway’s 2003 plea deal, former King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng agreed not to seek the death penalty against Ridgway in exchange for his confession and details about the killings. As part of the plea deal, McNerthney said, Ridgway agreed to plead guilty in “all” future King County cases “where his confession could be corroborated by reliable evidence.”

SEE ALSO | Last known remains linked to Green River killer identified through DNA

McNerthney said Ridgway could still face the death penalty if convicted of murder outside of King County. In April 2023, Washington state officially abolished the death penalty.

Investigators said Ridgway preyed on victims in the Seattle area, most of whom were young women in vulnerable situations, such as sex workers or runaways. Although Ridgway was considered a suspect, his role in the victim’s death went unconfirmed for nearly two decades.

In January 2024, the King County Sheriff’s Office reported identifying the last known remains of one of Ridgway’s victims. KCSO identified the remains as Tammie Liles. She had previously been identified as “Bones 20.” Ridgway was convicted of that victim’s death on December 18, 2003.

Ridgway was convicted of his 49th count of murder in 2011.