The search for Green River Killer victims resumes

The notorious Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, is making headlines once again after the King County Sheriff’s Office searched for the remains of another victim near Duvall.

The Seattle Times reports that the search was unsuccessful, but the area is one Ridgway mentioned upon his arrest nearly 15 years ago. Law enforcement hadn’t done a thorough search of the area prior to Thursday.

Ridgway is being held in Washington state, following some controversy last year, according to The Olympian’s archives. He was moved to a federal prison in Colorado because he posed a threat to prison security in Washington, according to the state Department of Corrections. The main fear was that even in solitary confinement, the Green River Killer was a threat because he has had years to study his surroundings for weaknesses, even as prison staff members have grown accustomed to his routines.

The move was meant to mitigate the possibility he could escape or harm staff.

But following an outcry from law enforcement, Ridgway was moved back to Washington.

Ridgway was arrested in November of 2001 in connection to four Green River killings, according to The News Tribune’s archives. In June of 2003, Ridgway and the King County Prosecutor’s Office signed a plea deal in which prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty as long as Ridgway agreed to “provide complete, truthful and candid information concerning his crimes in King County and answer all questions during interviews conducted by the police or the Prosecuting Attorney.”

In November of 2003, Ridgway pleaded guilty to 48 counts of aggravated first-degree murder. He was sentenced later that year to life in prison.

In 2011, he pleaded guilty to a 49th count of aggravated first-degree murder.

This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 11:14 AM with the headline "The search for Green River Killer victims resumes."