Green River Killer Gary Ridgway's statement to the court
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SEATTLE, Washington (CNN) -- Green River Killer Gary Ridgway pleaded guilty Wednesday to 48 counts of aggravated murder as part of a plea-bargain in which he submitted a written statement that was read aloud in court by prosecutor Jeff Baird:
The Judge has asked me to state what I did in my own words that makes me guilty of these crimes. This is my statement:
I killed the forty-eight (48) women listed in the State's second amended information.
In most cases, when I murdered these women, I did not know their names. Most of the time, I killed them the first time I met them and I do not have a good memory for their faces. I killed so many women I have a hard time keeping them straight.
I have reviewed information and discovery about each of the murders with my attorneys, and I am positive that I killed each one of the women charged in the Second Amended Information. I killed them all in King County. I killed most of them in my house near Military Road, and I killed a lot of them in my truck, not far from where I picked them up. I killed some of them outside. I remember leaving each woman's body in the place where she was found.
I have discussed with my attorneys the "common scheme or plan" aggravating circumstance charged in all these murders. I agree that each of the murders I committed was part of a "common scheme or plan." The plan was: I wanted to kill as many women I thought were prostitutes as I possibly could.
I picked prostitutes as my victims because I hate most prostitutes and I did not want to pay them for sex. I also picked prostitutes as victims because they were easy to pick up without being noticed. I knew they would not be reported missing right away, and might never be reported missing. I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught.
Another part of my plan was where I put the bodies of these women. Most of the time I took the women's jewelry and their clothes to get rid of any evidence and make them harder to identify. I placed most of the bodies in groups, which I call "clusters." I did this because I wanted to keep track of all the women I killed. I liked to drive by the "clusters" around the county and think about the women I placed there. I usually used a landmark to remember a "cluster" and the women I placed there. Sometimes I killed and dumped a woman, intending to start a new "cluster," and never returned because I thought I might get caught putting more women there.
My statements as to each count are as follows:
Count I (1):
In King County, Washington, sometime between July 8, 1982 through July 15, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Wendy Lee Coffield to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in the Green River.
Count II (2):
In King County, Washington, sometime between July 25, 1982 through August 12, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Debra Bonner to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in the Green River.
Count III (3):
In King County, Washington, sometime between August 1, 1982 through August 15, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Marcia Chapman to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in the Green River.
Count IV (4):
In King County, Washington, sometime between August 11, 1982 through August 15, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Cynthia Hinds to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in the Green River.
Count V (5):
In King County, Washington, sometime between August 12, 1982 through August 15, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Opal Mills to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body next to the Green River.
Count VI (6):
In King County, Washington, sometime between September 20, 1982 through May 30, 1988, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Debra Estes to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I buried her body near the Fox Run Apartments in Federal Way.
Count VII (7):
In King County, Washington, sometime between May 2,1983 through May 8,1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Carol Christensen to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in a wooded area in Maple Valley.
Count VII (8):
In King County, Washington, on or about July 17, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death I strangled Gisele A. Lovvorn to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the southern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count IX (9):
In King County, Washington, on or about August 29, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Terry R. Milligan to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count X (10):
In King County, Washington, on or about March 3, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Alma A. Smith to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count XI (11):
In King County, Washington, sometime between March 8, 1983 through March 17, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Delores L. Williams to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count XII (12):
In King County, Washington, on or about April 10, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Gail Matthews to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count XIII (13):
In King County, Washington, on or about April 17, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Sandra K. Gabbert to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count XIV (14):
In King County, Washington, sometime between May 31, 1983 through June 15,1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Carrie A. Rois to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Star Lake Road.
Count XV (15):
In King County, Washington, on or about September 15, 1992, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Mary B. Meehan to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the southern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XVI (16):
In King County, Washington, on or about April 14, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Andrea Childers to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the southern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XVII (17):
In King County, Washington, on or about June 8, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Constance E. Naon to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the southern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XVIII (18):
In King County, Washington, on or about July 18, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Kelly M. Ware to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her, After killing her, I left her body near the southern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XIX (19):
In King County, Washington, on or about September 26, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Linda Rule to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Northwest Hospital.
Count XX (20):
In King County, Washington, on or about October 8, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Denise D. Bush to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off a dirt road in the neighborhood of Riverton. I later transported some of her remains to a place just off the Bull Mountain Road, near Tigard, Oregon. I left the remains there, with the remains of Shirley Sherrill. I did this in order to throw off police investigators so that I could continue killing prostitutes.
Count XXI (21):
In King County, Washington, sometime between October 20, 1982 through April 9, 1984, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Shirley M. Sherrill to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body off the Auburn - Black Diamond Road. Later I transported her remains to a place just off the Bull Mountain Road, near Tigard, Oregon. I left her remains there, with the remains of Denise Bush. I did this in order to throw off police investigators so that I could continue killing prostitutes.
Count XXII (22):
In King County, Washington, sometime between October 2,1982, through August 11, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Shawnda L. Summers to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the northern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XXIII (23):
In King County, Washington, on or about May 23, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Cheryl L. Wims to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body near the northern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XXIV (24):
In King County, Washington, sometime between January 1, 1982 through March 21,1984, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled an unidentified woman referred to as Jane Doe "B1O" to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near the northern boundary of Sea-Tac Airport.
Count XXV (25):
In King County, Washington, on or about December 24, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Colleen R. Brockman to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Jovita Boulevard.
Count XXVI (26):
In King County, Washington, on or about April 17, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Kimi-Kai Pitsor to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Mountain View Cemetery.
Count XXVII (27):
In King County, Washington, sometime between December 1, 1982 through December 31, 1985, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled an unidentified woman referred to as Jane Doe "B16" to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Mountain View Cemetery.
Count XXVIII (28):
In King County, Washington, sometime between December 1, 1982 through December 31, 1985, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled an unidentified woman referred to as Jane Doe "B17" to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Mountain View Cemetery.
Count XXIX (29):
In King County, Washington, on or about April 30, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Marie M. Malvar to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off 65th Avenue South near Auburn.
Count XXX (30):
In King County, Washington, sometime between May 22, 1983 through May 23, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Martina Authorlee to death, I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXI (31):
In King County, Washington, on or about September 5, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Debbie M. Abernathy to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXII (32):
In King County, Washington, on or about October 11, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Mary S. Bello to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXIII (33):
In King County, Washington, on or about October 26, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Pammy A. Avent to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXIV (34):
In King County, Washington, sometime between February 7, 1987 through September 11, 1991, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Roberta J. Hayes to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXV (35):
In King County, Washington, sometime between March 1, 1990, through September 20, 1990, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Marta Reeves to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 410.
Count XXXVI (36):
In King County, Washington, on or about May 31, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Yvonne S. Antosh to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Auburn-Black Diamond Road.
Count XXXVII (37):
In King County, Washington, on or about July 25, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Tina M. Thompson to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 18 near 1-90.
Count XXXVIII (38):
In King County, Washington, sometime between August 18, 1983 through September 1, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled April D. Buttram to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 18 near 1-90.
Count XXXIX (39):
In King County, Washington, on or about September 28, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Maureen Feeney to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Highway 18 near 1-90.
Count XL (40):
In King County, Washington, on or about September 12, 1983 through September 15, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Tracy A. Winston to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body in Cottonwood Park near the Green River.
Count XLI (41):
In King County, Washington, on or about October 30, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Delise L. Plager to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body at Exit 38, just off 1-90.
Count XLII (42):
In King County, Washington, on or about November 1, 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Kim L. Nelson to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body at Exit 38, just off 1-90.
Count XLIII (43):
In King County, Washington, sometime in December of 1983, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Lisa L. Yates to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body at Exit 38, just off 1-90.
Count XLIV (44):
In King County, Washington, on or about February 6, 1984, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Mary E. West to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body at Seward Park.
Count XLV (45):
In King County, Washington, on or about March 13, 1984, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Cindy A. Smith to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Green River Community College just off Highway 18.
Count XLVI (46):
In King County, Washington, on or about October 17, 1986, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Patricia M. Barczak to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body near Seattle International Raceway, just off Highway 18.
Count XLVII (47):
In King County, Washington, sometime between August 4, 1998, through August 6, 1998 with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Patricia Yellowrobe to death. After killing her, I left her body just off Des Moines Way South in South Park.
Count XLVIII (48):
In King County, Washington, sometime between July 23, 1971 through August 31, 1993, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled an unidentified woman referred to as Jane Doe "B20" to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I left her body just off Kent Des Moines Road.
In addition to this statement, I agree the Court can also consider the Prosecutor's Summary of the Evidence to determine the factual basis of my plea and at my sentencing.