Post by walter on May 7, 2018 18:35:04 GMT
He certainly was a monster. But they only had has DNA from 4 of his earliest murders: Marcia Chapman, Opal Mills, Cynthia Hinds, and Carol Ann Christensen - who were dumped in the Green River. After that he began burying his bodies, and by the time they were discovered years later, his DNA wasn't present any more.
They could definitely have executed him for those four murders, and it would have been justice of a kind for sure. But in a sick way, Gary Ridgway also shows the advantages of sometimes NOT executing these monsters, especially the cooperative kind.
So even though the only had DNA from 4 cases, because they took the death penalty off the table, they were able to get his confessions to FORTY-FOUR additional murders, so 44 more families learned what had happened to their daughters/sisters. An initial 48 murder convictions instead of just 4.
He previously wasn't suspected of murdering Linda Rule in 1982. Because many investigators thought he had died or been imprisoned by 1985 he wasn't suspected of having any involvement in the deaths of Patricia Barcaz in 1986, Roberta Hayes in 1987, Marta Reeves in 1990 and Patricia Yellowrobe in 1998. Yet he confessed to these 5 murders, plus the murder of a still unidentified young lady known only as Jane Doe B-20. More closure.
He has subsequently also confessed to killing Becky Marrero whose remains weren't found until 2010 - they couldn't have closed the case if he'd been executed before her remains were found!
He gave directions to authorities to find the bodies of April Buttram and Marie Malvar. Two more families got a body to bury. He has given locations for other victims like Kelly Kay McGinnis, but the remains haven't yet been found.
Part of his plea was that he would plead guilty to future victims if bodies were found etc...
He may yet confess to many more, lead police to more remains, help identify a few Jane Does, give more families closure.
My opinion only!
