Newly unsealed court documents reveal that Green River Killer Gary Ridgway was transported to King County in September, 2024 to assist law enforcement in the search for undiscovered victims’ remains, many of whom were murdered in Burien and South King County decades ago.
Ridgway, who preyed on women and teenage girls in the 1980s, was convicted of 49 murders, many of them occurring in or near Burien, SeaTac, Kent, and unincorporated King County. Some of his victims were last seen alive along Pacific Highway South, an area he frequently targeted.
While his killing spree spanned Washington and Oregon, South King County was considered the center of his crimes.
In 1984, human remains of 14-year-old Wendy Stephens were discovered near a little league baseball field in Burien. She is believed to be the Ridgway’s youngest victim.
Stephens had run away from her home in Denver, Colorado, in 1983. Her remains were found in a wooded area that is now part of Sea-Tac International Airport. The identification was made possible through genetic genealogy efforts by the King County Sheriff’s Office and the DNA Doe Project.
One of Ridgway’s earliest known victims, 16-year-old Wendy Coffield, was found strangled in the Green River near Kent in 1982, leading to the serial killer’s infamous nickname. Among his many other confirmed victims in the South King County area were Tammie Liles, Debra Estes, and Kelli McGinness, all of whom were found in or near Burien.
According to prosecutors, Ridgway returned to King County from the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla on Sept. 9, 2024, under a King County Sheriff’s Office institutional hold. He remained at the King County Jail until Sept. 13, 2024, before being sent back to Walla Walla to serve out the rest of his life sentence.
Why Was Ridgway Back in King County?
Under the terms of his 2003 plea agreement, Ridgway is required to meet with detectives to provide information about unsolved homicide cases.
Before his September transport, Ridgway agreed to accompany investigators to locations in King County where he believed he had deposited remains of victims who have not yet been found.
Previous searches, based solely on his verbal descriptions, had failed to locate some sites, and detectives hoped his in-person guidance could lead to new discoveries.
Sealing the Transport Order for Safety
Authorities sought a court order to seal the transport details in September, citing concerns about potential public interference, media attention, and the safety of detectives and corrections officers escorting Ridgway.
“All of the involved parties have significant concerns for the safety of the defendant, the transport team from DOC, and the KCSO detectives if the public were to learn details of this plan,” the court filing stated.
The King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes detectives continue to handle the ongoing investigation.
The 2003 Plea Agreement: Trading Death Penalty for Answers
In 2003, then-King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng opted to spare Ridgway the death penalty in exchange for his full cooperation in identifying victims.
“Gary Ridgway does not deserve our mercy, and Gary Ridgway does not deserve to live,” Maleng said at the time. “The mercy provided by today’s resolution is not directed toward Gary Ridgway, but toward the families who suffered so much.”
At least one additional murder charge was filed and sentenced in 2011, after Ridgway led authorities to another victim’s remains.
Burien Connection to Green River Killer & Ted Bundy Investigations
While working security at the University of Puget Sound, longtime well-known Burien Police Sgt. Henry McLauchlan was the first to identify Ted Bundy as a suspect. He ran Bundy’s license plate and provided crucial information to investigators.
Sgt. McLauchlan also contributed to the investigation of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer.
After a distinguished 46-year career with Burien Police/King County Sheriff’s Office, Sgt. McLauchlan retired in January, 2025.
A Message to the Victims’ Families
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion acknowledged the trauma that news about Ridgway brings to the families of his victims.
“Every time that Gary Ridgway’s name is in the news, we know it is incredibly difficult and traumatizing for the families of his many victims,” Manion said. “Those victims and the people who loved them are not forgotten, and that’s who we are focused on today.”
