Green River, Running Red

When I heard that Gary Ridgway had been arrested for some of the Green River killings, I remember being surprised--not by his identity (though I'd never heard of him), but by the fact that an arrest had been made. I believed that the Green River Killer (GRK) would join Jack the Ripper as an unidentified serial killer. I'm happy that I was wrong.

In Green River, Running Red, Ann Rule provides a detailed account of the investigation, the victims, and Gary Ridgway. Here are a few things I found particularly interesting:

• Ridgway was a suspect early in the investigation, but he passed a polygraph test and there wasn't enough direct evidence to charge him at that time.
• The boyfriend of one of the victims traced her to Ridgway's house, but she was no longer there. Again, there wasn't enough evidence to pursue it any further.
• Ridgway's coworkers learned that he had been questioned by police and started calling him Green River Gary. Little did they know at the time how accurate that name was.
• Ridgway's wife, Judith, knew nothing about his other life. She described him as a kind and loving husband. She was his third wife--he was divorced from the first two--and they were married for more than 10 years. She is now thinking about writing a book about her marriage to Ridgway.
• For several months, Ridgway was removed from prison and was instead housed with the Green River task force as he confessed to his crimes and helped task force members find the bodies of several missing victims.

Ridgway did not receive the death penalty. He was sentenced to 48 consecutive life sentences as part of a plea bargain that required his cooperation in finding the bodies of his victims.

Green River, Running Red receives 4 out of 5. It's an interesting read, though not as good as The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule's book about serial killer Ted Bundy, a man she knew personally. Rule's friendship with Bundy brings a unique aspect to the story that makes it truly exceptional.

Alyssa