HOW TED BUNDY PROFILED THE GREEN RIVER KILLER

While sitting in Florida’s death row, waiting for his pending execution, Ted Bundy painted a profile of who the Green River Killer was. Bundy wrote a 22 page letter to chief criminal investigator, at the time, Robert Keppel and King County detective, who became sheriff, Dave Reichert. The two went to Florida and interviewed Bundy. According to Keppel, “Bundy was right on the money all the way around. He knew what to expect out of this guy. That’s the experience of a real killer.”

According to Bundy, “He lives alone. Never married and failed in relationships with women.” Bundy was close with this prediction. Gary Ridgway had been married twice, with a son from the second wife, before the killings happened. From 1982 to 1984 is when most of his killings were done. Ridgway has his son in the truck during some of the killings on weekends that he had his son. After Ridgway’s capture, he told the police if his son knew what was going on, he would have killed his own son. In 1985, Ridgway found a loving girlfriend. The killings stopped. In 1988, Ridgway married for the third time. The killings stopped until 1990. His third wife knew nothing of the Green River Killer since she never watched the news. She said he was a very loving man and a hard worker. She was with him at the time of his arrest.

Reichert asked Bundy “Do you think that he parks his vehicle?” To which Bundy replied, “Oh sure and just watches. My feelings about the guy is he’s very low key and inoffensive.” Ridgway would park his truck and watch the prostitutes and cars. “I think there’s an excellent chance that he picked up a number of prostitutes that he has later released for any number of reasons. He knows what these girls are like and what they need. Employment, money, or drugs,” suggested Bundy. Along with calling some of the victims by phone. Ridgway admitted he promised them extra money, to help find them jobs, and he did keep contact with some victims by phone. He never worried about any promises made.

Bundy told the investigators they already knew who the killer was. “There’s a chance this guy has already been reported. Field card here, arrested there, reported over here, license plate shows up over here,” said Bundy. Once again Bundy was right on key. By the time the 80s were over, Ridgway was contacted by the police at least 10 times. Some were routine stops. Others were for the disappearance of some of the victims.

Bundy suggested that victim Amina Agisheff was not one of the Green River Killer’s victims. “It seems to me those circumstances, but not necessarily, eliminates Agisheff as a victim of the Riverman.” The circumstances were based off Agisheff being 36, compared to the others ages, and the small amount of time between Agisheff’s disappearance and the disappearance of 16 year old Wendy Coffield. When Ridgway was captured, he admitted he did not kill Agisheff, saying, “Why if it isn’t mine? Because I have pride ….. in what I do, I don’t wanna take it from anybody else.”

Ridgway victims were ….. 1. Wendy Lee Coffield, 16 -- July 8, 1982, last seen in Tacoma. Body found in Green River July 15, 1982, near Kent. 2. Gisele Ann Lovvorn, 17 -- July 17, 1982, near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Found Sept. 25, 1982, south of airport. 3. Debra Lynn Bonner, 23 -- July 25, 1982, south of Sea-Tac airport. Found Aug. 12, 1982, in the Green River near Kent. 4. Marcia Faye Chapman, 31 -- Aug. 1, 1982, south Seattle suburbs, Pacific Highway South near the airport, known as the Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, Green River. 5. Cynthia Jean Hinds, 17 -- Aug. 11, 1982, near the Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, on bank of Green River near Kent. 6. Opal Charmaine Mills, 16 -- Aug. 12, 1982, at a public phone booth off Sea-Tac strip. Found Aug. 15, 1982, Green River, Kent 7. Terry Rene Milligan, 16 -- Aug. 29, 1982, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 1, 1984, off Star Lake Road in south King County. 8. Mary Bridget Meehan, 18 -- Sept. 15, 1982, on Pacific Highway South. Found Nov. 13, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs. 9. Debra Lorraine Estes, 15 -- Sept. 20, 1982. Found May 30, 1988, in Federal Way. 10. Linda Jane Rule, 16 -- Sept. 26, 1982, last seen leaving a motel room on Aurora Avenue North, on her way to Kmart to shop for clothes. Location where and date when remains were found not immediately available. 11. Denise Darcel Bush, 22 -- Oct. 8, 1982, last seen around noon on Pacific Highway South. Body appears first to have been left in wooded area in Tukwila, south of Seattle. Some skeletal remains found there Feb. 10, 1990. Her skull was found June 12, 1985, in Tigard, Ore. Investigators believe killer moved part of her remains. 12. Shawnda Leea Summers, 17 -- Oct. 9, 1982, downtown Seattle. Found Aug. 11, 1983, north of Sea-Tac airport. 13. Shirley Marie Sherrill, 18 -- between Oct. 20 and Nov. 7, 1982, in Seattle's International District. Remains found June 14, 1985, in Tigard, Ore., along with those of No. 11, Denise Bush. 14. Colleen Renee Brockman, 15 -- about Dec. 24, 1982. Family last saw her Dec. 23, 1982. Found May 26, 1984, near Sumner, Pierce County. 15. Alma Ann Smith, 18 -- March 3, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 2, 1984, in Star Lake area. 16. Delores LaVerne Williams, 17 -- March 8, 1983, at bus stop on Pacific Highway South. Found March 31, 1984, near Star Lake. 17. Gail Lynn Mathews, 24 -- April 10, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Sept. 18, 1983, near Star Lake. 18. Andrea M. Childers, 19 -- April 16, 1983. Found Oct. 11, 1989, south of Sea-Tac airport. 19. Sandra Kay Gabbert, 17 -- April 17, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found April 1, 1984, in Star Lake area. 20. Kimi-Kai Pitsor, 16 -- April 17, 1983, in Seattle. Skull found Dec. 15, 1983, near Auburn cemetery. Other remains found there January 1986. 21. Marie M. Malvar, 18, April 30, 1983, at a store on Pacific Highway South. Found Sept. 29, 2003, near Auburn. 22. Carol Christensen, 21 -- May 3, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found May 8, 1983, in Maple Valley. 23. Martina Theresa Authorlee, 18 -- May 22, 1983, at hotel on Pacific Highway South. Found Nov. 14, 1984, near Enumclaw. 24. Cheryl Lee Wims, 18 -- May 23, 1983, in Seattle. Found March 22, 1984, just north of Sea-Tac airport. 25. Yvonne Shelly Antosh, 19 -- May 31, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Oct. 15, 1983, near Lake Sawyer. 26. Carrie A. Rois, 15 -- May 31 to June 13, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs. Found March 10, 1985, in Star Lake area. 27. Constance Elizabeth Naon, 21 -- June 8, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Found Oct. 27, 1983, just south of Sea-Tac airport. 28. Kelly Marie Ware, 22 -- July 19, 1983, at a Seattle bus stop. Remains found Oct. 29, 1983, in south Seattle suburbs. 29. Tina Marie Thompson, 22 -- July 25, 1983, Sea-Tac strip motel. Found April 20, 1984, near state Highway 18 and Interstate 90. 30. April Dawn Buttram, 17 -- Aug. 18, 1983, when police spoke to her in south Seattle suburbs. Found Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, 2003, in a wooded area near Snoqualmie, about 26 miles east of Seattle. 31. Debbie May Abernathy, 26 -- Sept. 5, 1983, when she left her apartment to go to downtown Seattle. Found March 31, 1984, 12 miles east of Enumclaw. 32. Tracy Ann Winston, 19 -- Sept. 12, 1983, in Seattle's Northgate Mall. Found March 27, 1986, near the Green River in Kent. 33. Maureen Sue Feeney, 19 -- Sept. 28, 1983, at Seattle bus stop. Found May 2, 1986, off Interstate 90 near North Bend. 34. Mary Sue Bello, 25 -- Oct. 11, 1983, on the Sea-Tac strip. Found Oct. 12, 1984, east of Enumclaw. 35. Pammy Avent -- Oct. 26, 1983, 4600 block of 44th Avenue South, Seattle. Found Aug. 16, 2003, off state Highway 410 near Enumclaw. 36. Delise Louise Plager, 22 -- Oct. 30, 1983, at a bus stop in south Seattle suburbs. Found Feb. 14, 1984, near Interstate 90 east of North Bend. 37. Kimberly L. Nelson, also known as Tina Tomson and Linda Lee Barkey, 26 -- Nov. 1, 1983, at bus stop on Pacific Highway South. Found June 14, 1986, off Interstate 90 near North Bend. 38. Lisa Yates, 26 -- Dec. 23, 1983, in south Seattle. Found March 13, 1984, off Interstate 90 east of North Bend. 39. Mary Exzetta West, 16 -- Feb. 6, 1984, in south Seattle. Found Sept. 8, 1985, in Seattle's Seward Park. 40. Cindy Anne Smith, 17 -- March 21, 1984, hitchhiking on Pacific Highway South. Found June 27, 1987, off Highway 18 near Green River Community College. 41. Patricia Michelle Barczak, 19 -- October 1986 along Pacific Highway South near Sea-Tac Airport. Skull found seven years later by a survey crew working along Highway 18 in Auburn. 42. Roberta Joseph Hayes, 21 -- Last seen leaving a Portland, Ore., jail in 1987. Remains found Sept. 12, 1991, along Highway 410 east of Enumclaw. 43. Marta Reeves, 37 -- Disappeared 1990. Remains found September 1990 along Highway 410 near Enumclaw. 44. Patricia Yellow Robe, 38 -- Disappeared 1998. Found Aug. 6, 1998, in a vacant lot on Des Moines Way South near Highway 99.

Gary Ridgway allegedly killed Marcia Fay Chapman, 31, disappeared 8-1-82 SeaTac area, found 8-15-82 along the Green River, Kent area. Dead 1 - 3 weeks. Cynthia Jean Hinds, 17, disappeared 8-11-82 south of Seattle, found 8-15-82, along the Green River, Kent area. Dead 4-7 days. Opal Charmaine Mills, 16, disappeared 8-12-82, found 8-15-82 along Green River, Kent area. Dead 36 hours. Carol Ann Christensen, 21, disappeared 5-3-83, found 5-8-83 near Maple Valley. Dead 3-5 days. He also admitted to killing Jane Doe B-10, who died between Jan. 1, 1982, and March 21, 1984. Jane Doe B-16, who died between Dec. 1, 1982, and Dec. 31, 1985. Jane Doe B-17, who died between Dec. 1, 1982, and Dec. 31, 1985. Jane Doe B-20, who died between July 6, 1976, and Aug. 31, 1993.

“I think he might be … intending to return to the scene to either view his victim, or in fact, interact with the body in some way.” Bundy said. Ridgway confessed to molesting the corpses when he was captured. Ridgway avoided the death penalty by telling the truth about the murders, including his disturbing activates he did with the bodies.

Bundy told investigators they could catch the killer if they staked out the places where he dumped the bodies. Keppel remembered the Green River Task Force tried to stake out the sites but the media would show up and ruin any sort of plan that was in motion by the Task Force. DNA evidence and specks of paint from Ridgway’s truck led to the capture of the Green River Killer. Keppel saw, while talking to Bundy, a hint of jealousy and that Bundy questioned the Green River Killers decisions and intelligence. Keppel stated, “Our man Ridgway is as clever or maybe even cleverer than Bundy ever thought he was. Because this guy has a methodology to him that is unprecedented anywhere. Try and find a killer that’s gone on as along as he had, as intense as he did, with the apparent ability to turn the faucet on and off any length of time that he wants.” Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989.

On November 30, 2001, Gary Ridgway was captured. He knew execution was on the table and didn’t want to die. Ridgeway took the detectives to where he dumped several bodies, told how he killed each one and the evidence left to throw off the police. Ridgway was convicted of 49 killings, confessed to 71 but it is presumed to be about 90 or more victims. It is told that if the police can find one more body that can be linked to the Green River Killings, Gary Ridgway would be sentenced to death. On December 18, 2003, he was sentenced to 480 years to life without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary.

Ted Bundy never got to see the capture of the Green River Killer and he’ll never know how accurate his profile was. Robert Keppel wrote the book “The Riverman: Ted Bundy And I Hunt For The Green River Killer,” which were the discussions of who the Green River Killer was and what to look for to find him. If Ted Bundy wouldn’t have become one of the most notorious serial killers and wasn’t executed, he would have made one excellent criminal profiler.