Seattle
The man suspected of being the most prolific serial killer in American history has confessed to 48 murders in a bid to escape the death penalty, according to news reports this week. In a plea deal, Gary Leon Ridgway, 54, is expected to admit to being the Green River Killer, who targeted mainly prostitutes and runaways in Washington. The first bodies were found by the Green River south of Seattle in 1982. Detectives thought the murders stopped in 1984, but Ridgway reportedly admitted killing a woman as late as 1998. “I find it incredible that an individual was able to cause that many deaths,” said the father of one victim, “to perpetrate that much suffering and misery on so many people.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How far does religious freedom go in prison? The Supreme Court will decide.The Explainer The plaintiff was allegedly forced to cut his hair, which he kept long for religious reasons
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat goneSpeed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, changeSpeed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
