Research Paper On Gary Ridgway

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Gary Leon Ridgway was 52 years old when he was arrested in connection to seven murders of prostitutes, drug addicts, and young female runaways in the Seattle, Washington area (Hickey, p. 32, 2016). He was a painter that ultimately helped police link him to the murders by using microscopic paint particles. In addition, DNA evidence was also used to help connect him to the murders. Police also suspected him in committing over 40 more murders of women working or living on the streets (Hickey, p. 32, 2016). All of his victims were between the ages of 15 and 26, with the exception of three women who were in their 30’s (Hickey, p. 32, 2016). The majority of the murders happened during the mid-1980’s. These killings became known as the Green River Murders because bodies started to surface along the Green River outside of Seattle. This murder investigation was …show more content…

In 1980, a prostitute accused him of choking her but the police let him go (Hickey, p. 32, 2016). In 1982, he was field interviewed by the police with a prostitute named Kelli McGinness was in his parked car and later in June of 1983 McGinness disappeared (Hickey, p.32, 2016. That same year he was arrested and pled guilty for solicitation of an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute. Fast forward to 1985, Ridgway was the prime suspect in the disappearance of Marie Malvar, who was last seen with him. Semen DNA samples were collected from Ridgway, however, at the time only blood type could be determined and couldn’t be used for identification purposes. He also passed a polygraph test while proclaiming his innocence. With evidence being circumstantial and no conclusive physical evidence it kept investigators from ever arresting Ridgway for the murders for fear he would be acquitted. Even though he was a prime suspect for the murders and questioned about them, he continued to murder for another 15 years (Hickey, p. 33,

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