A four-part documentary series is streaming free on STV Player, exploring the crimes of Gary Ridgway, a serial killer convicted of 49 murders. Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, has confessed to killing over 70 women and girls.
The Crimes of Gary Ridgway
Ridgway was active for 20 years during the 1980s and 1990s in the Seattle area. He targeted vulnerable women, often sex workers, and dumped their bodies in the Green River valley, earning him his moniker. He evaded capture until 2001, when advancements in DNA technology led to his arrest.
He pleaded guilty to 48 killings in 2003, and his 49th murder charge came in 2011. Initially denying wrongdoing, he later revealed he went "patrolling" for victims after his job as a truck painter, a job he held for 30 years.
Chilling Confession
In a taped statement, Ridgway said: "To me, women are something to have sex with... kill and take the money back." The new series includes actual clips of police interviews with Ridgway as he recounts his motives.
"One of the USA's most prolific serial killers, Gary Ridgway, terrorised Washington for years. This is the story of his cruel crimes and how he was eventually captured," the programme's synopsis reads.
Viewer Discretion Advised
Across four episodes, viewers hear from those close to the case, with dramatised re-enactments and police interview footage. The series begins with a warning about "material that may be disturbing" and urges viewer discretion.
Other documentaries about Ridgway include 2020's The Green River Killer: Mind of a Monster and the 2022 feature-length film Sins of the Father: The Green River Killer. Green River Killer: Hunting the Monster is now streaming free on STV Player.
