This time she took quite a few things from the family home (all her clothes, her Christmas gifts, the familys stereo and some money) so, in the hopes that a warrant might assist in locating her sooner, Colleens father filed criminal charges against his daughter. Women, many of them just girls, really, started disappearing in 1982. And now were doing it., Ms. Gaspar described a certain amount of comfort that came with not wondering if shes going to call me or knock on my door, or how many grandkids do I have? But, she added, When you go to bed each night, and you think about the last of her moments, thats not peace., For parents of the other Green River victims, support groups that formed in the 80s gave them a place to mourn together. June 2003:In exchange for the prosecutor not seeking the death penalty, Ridgway agreed to plead guilty to all murders that he committed in King County. Join the Wicked Horror Staff. But those communities have long since dissolved. I was able to hold it together until toward the end, where my defenses finally started falling apart, she said in an interview, her voice still tinged with disbelief. Gisele A. Lovvorn Cynthia, who often went by Cookie, got a job through a private contractor to paint apartments, and worked with a friend, Opal Mills, another of Ridgways victims. The two girls found in the water, later identified as Marcia Chapman, 31, and Cynthia Hinds, 17, were both found to have pyramid-shaped rocks lodged in their vaginal cavities. Not a whiner. She recalled sitting with a young Wendy in her high chair and teaching her to enunciate new words. Gisele was only 17 years old when she was murdered by that animal sitting over there who we have to call a manDying would be too easy for him. Seattle? Some of them had histories of prostitution, and many were last seen along Pacific Highway South near Sea-Tac airport. Anthony McNabb, got right to the point: Theyd come with news about Ms. Gaspars daughter, Wendy. You can always change this later in your Account settings. The assailant was dubbed the Green . Cynthia Jean Hinds Sorry! We have set your language to November 5, 2003: Gary Leon Ridgway pled guilty to 48 counts of Aggravated Murder in the First Degree. November2001: Gary Leon Ridgway was arrested and subsequently charged with the murders of Cynthia Jean Hinds, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Carol Ann Christiansen. Burial Details Unknown Tammie Charlene Liles Flowers have been left. Wendy strayed a bit, as some teenagers do, she said. Never returned. The wondering became an obsession. The thing that caught my eye was tennis shoes. Born February 5th, 1959, Gail Mathews grew up much too fast. Good mother., Like Wendy and Dub, 17 year old Cynthia Hinds dropped out of high school after falling in with the wrong crowd. Arguments would ensue when her parents would speak negatively of Martin and say that he was a bad influence. According to Smith and Guillen's book, The Search for the Green River Killer, the man standing then asked Ainsworth if he found anything, to which Ainsworth replied, "Just this old singletree." There was a problem getting your location. Despite the counseling she was receiving, Alma returned to prostitution and left the center. 26 Feb 1966 - 28 Aug 1982. This is a "Bird's Eye" aerial image of the bridge, which is also known as Peck Bridge. November 5, 2003: Gary Leon Ridgway pled guilty to 48 counts of Aggravated Murder in the First Degree. He agreed to provide complete, truthful and candid information concerning the crimes that he had committed in King County and answer all questions during interviews conducted by the detectives or the prosecuting attorney. Try again later. There were women whose bodies were found but not identified. He found a third body, that of a young girl who was partially clothed. By August 15, 1982, a total of five bodies had been found on or along the Green River. At the time of her death, the 16-year-old was reportedly living in a foster home. Click Here!! Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. They then drove out to his "usual spot", where they had sex in his truck. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 18 year old Shirley Sherrill was once on the drill team and loved to dance. Over the next several months, at least 10 more women went missing from the Seattle area. Her remains were found July 15, 1982. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. On July 15th, 1982, Gallan Hirschi and his friend Robert spent the day riding their bikes. Mary Exzetta West Search above to list available cemeteries. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If tears could build a stairway, She had always been a brilliant student and had dreams of attending Yale to study computer science after graduating high school. The victim was Wendy Lee Coffield, a 16-year-old girl from Puyallup. After giving birth to a healthy baby boy, she put him up for adoption and married a man named Kenneth Mathews, 24, in 1977. Ridgway's victims | Tacoma News Tribune She eagerly agreed to testify in court when she was last seen by detectives on September 20th. Stigma complicated matters, according to Dr. Taylor. Tracy Winston At some point Gail began working as a sex worker. Debbie May Abernathy Shed do anything for anybody., Unfortunately there is little known about Marcia Chapmans early life. As word of the so-called Green River Killer spread throughout the community, Mr. Reichert said, families began keeping their daughters close. In a statement made by Sandras family they said We are grateful to finally know what happened to Sandra after all these years. They said, Nope, just call her Bones 10.. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Patricia Barczak Thats when we knew that we had a serial killer, Mr. Reichert said. Dub seemed to have a good relationship with her parents but things were tense by July of 1982. She was last seen around 2 p.m. on February 6th, 1983 at Rainier Avenue South and South Ferdinand Street at a bus stop outside the Red Lion Hotel. Within a month, fourother bodies were found on the riverbank:Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. Formerly known as Jane Doe B-16 or Bones 16, Sandra was eventually identified in 2012 after one of her cousins saw a television show about the Green River Killer and submitted DNA to the King County Sheriffs Office. They took a report, filed it. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Alma Ann Smith Immediately they noticed the presence of an unknown but closely related family member. Just a day or two later, sometime in August 1983, Wendy ran away for the last time. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Robert Williams last saw his daughter alive on August 10th, 1982, during one of her shifts at a South Seattle barbecue restaurant. . In the fall of 2019, the King County Sheriffs Office contacted Colleen Fitzpatrick, a co-founder, along with Margaret Press, of the DNA Doe Project. Cecile Gaspar wasnt home when the men first showed up. But it seemed absurd that her daughter could be the victim of a serial killer. Tina Marie Thompson Dubs mother, Shirley, described her as kind hearted and fun loving she had so many friends, black and white. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Mary began going to group sessions at the Youth Eastside Services to get herself back on track. I was like, OK, well, they dont need that, and Im not getting what I need there.. April Buttram By 1982 Gail was living on welfare, moving from one friends house to the next and trying to see her daughter as much as possible. There is little information readily available on 17 year old Delores Williams. Some time before dark, she and her husband returned to their small town in southwest Colorado, just outside Mesa Verde National Park. But what Ms. Gaspar remembered most is the time they spent outside, some of her fondest memories with her daughter. Mary Sue Bello They were human beings., That summer, Wendy Stephens disappeared for the better part of a month. and bring you home again. She loved everybody. Reay further determined that Chapman, a mother of two who had gone missing two weeks earlier, had been dead for over a week. Following an examination of the bodies at the scene, Chief Medical Examiner Donald Reay determined that all three girls died of strangulation. Shed hug anyone. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Murder of Wendy Lee Coffield - YouTube She was last seen on October 8th on her way to get cigarettes at a nearby convince store. Their daughter was born later that year. Theclay reconstructions were done by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to assist us in identifying the women. I remember telling her, Be a little girl for a while. Carrie Ann Rois She was only 16 years old. In Denver, Ms. Gaspar looked frantically for Wendy, scouring the neighborhood by car and gathering intelligence from her daughters friends. By 1984, the number of dead or missing women . Resend Activation Email. There isnt much information available on her early life though it seems she was close with her family including her sister, mother, and later, her daughter, Shaunt. The sheer number of women he killed, and over such a long period of time, meant so many unknowns: There were women he confessed to killing whose bodies were found and identified, but what had they endured in their last hours? and secret tears still flow, Back then, there werent amber alerts or social media search pages. Wendy Lee Coffield, 16, July 8, 1982, at state receiving home, Tacoma. On August 2nd, 1982, Marcias mother reported her missing. based on information from your browser. Then on July 15, 1982, two boys discovered in the Green River the body of a 16-year-old, Wendy Lee Coffield, whod gone missing a week earlier. GreenRiverKillings. Failed to delete memorial. Aug. 12, 1982 - Body of Debra Bonner, 23, found in Green River. Shirley Marie Sherrill To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The officer disbelievingly walked into the shallow river and reached out toward the ghostly form. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? You can set your cookie preferences below. Hair styles are only a best guess. On July 15, 1982, two teenage boys, who live in nearby Kent, Washington, spot a body in the Green River floating against the Meeker Street Bridge. Before her disappearance, Wendy was, in her mother's words, a "magical kid." Born on Oct. 10, 1968, she was the only daughter of Ms. Gaspar and her then-husband, Charles Stephens (who died in 2014). Ridgeway was charged with the murder of Wendy in April of 2003. She was just an immature teenager who was trying to find her way in life. The couple had no proper means of income, no car and were living out of motels. Around the country, Mr. Ridgways sentencing brought renewed attention to the investigation. Thus began one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history. Marie was popular around customers for being so friendly. My mind had gone in a lot of different directions, she said. When Wendy was 11, they moved with Ms. Gaspars second husband, Alan Hodde (who died in 2010), to a suburb of Denver, a short walk from Wendys new school and the hospital where Ms. Gaspar worked as a nurse. 2. . In July 1982, the first body had been found floating in the Green River in King County, Washington. Way too much true crime. Wendy had run away from home 36 years prior, and Ms. Gaspar had long since stopped waiting for a call. The police detectives at the scene quickly realized that there was a serial killer on the loose. The discovery of the body behind a meat packing plant was the first clue police had to the developing nightmare of the Green River serieal killer's actions. However, please be aware that not allowing certain cookies may impact your experience of the site. He led the police to crime scenes, including where he killed Wendy. Terri adored her baby boy but she dropped out of school and never had the chance to go back. Never has done anything like this. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. (Photo by Kurt Smith, copyright MOHAI, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection, 2000.107), Members of an Explorer Search & Rescue unit comb a field north of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Not a crier. Marie Malvar Way too much coffee. She was so young and died before she ever really got to live, she said. Her brother, Terry, stated She still was a human being and she still had family that cared and loved her just like all the other ones had family that cared and loved them. As the winter of 1982-83 wore on, Ms. Gaspar did her best to keep track of her daughter. Despite almost everyone in her large family having allergies to them, as a child Mary would often bring home stray cats and try to hide them in her room. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. On July 15, 1982, the body of Wendy Lee Coffield was found in the Green River. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Within hours of Sandras last known sighting, 16 year old Kimi-Kai Pitsor was seen for the last time in Downtown Seattle. Today, the remains of two women are still unidentified, and others are suspected but unconfirmed victims. you were gone before I knew it, Along with the circumstances of Wendy's young life, when the 15-year-old girl, desperate for love and safety, tragically encountered a remorseless serial . And who are these women? The oldest of three daughters, Shirley grew up in a tightknit family and was working as a sex worker by 1982. Failed to delete flower. Ms. Gaspar sought professional help for her daughter, hoping counseling could elicit answers: Where did she go? Death certificate says she died of accidental drug and alcohol overdose, . November2001: Gary Leon Ridgway was arrested and subsequently charged with the murders of Cynthia Jean Hinds, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Carol Ann Christiansen. Martina T. Authorlee She left her family home though she called her parents often to check in became pregnant and miscarried twice and was experimenting with drugs, mostly marijuana and LSD. For more details, please read our Privacy & Cookie Policy. But she caught a glimpse of the visitors through her doorbell camera and, noticing their tucked-in shirts, she shrugged them off as Mormon missionaries. Murder Victim. Call (collect if necessary): 206-263-2130, Call between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to arrange to speak with a detective. Denise had traveled up to Seattle sometime in the fall of 1982 with her boyfriend. It is impossible to put into words how much her murder has devastated and destroyed my family. Wendy Lee Coffield was 16 years of age and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. Try again later. In Colorado, life had taken a turn in the Stephens household. The persistent sneezing was usually her undoing. Were they actually dead? Green River Killer Gary Ridgway: Photos from the archives - seattlepi.com Shed open the paper to read about the latest victim count and wonder: Who can do this and not get caught? Conviction - Gary Ridgway: The Green River Killer When her aunt and cousin joined unexpectedly, the gathering became a sort of impromptu family reunion with Wendy at the center, back to her chatty, convivial self. They stopped on the bridge over the Green River to rest. Rivers In Time ProjectKing CountySeattle Public UtilitiesSeattle City Light, Wendy Coffield's body being pulled out of the Green River, 1982, Green River, Meeker Street Bridge, Kent, April 15, 2009, Green River Murder Victim Identified;P Probe Inches Along The Seattle Times, August 18, 1982, p. A13; Carlton Smith, Wendy Juvenile in Jeopardy. On August 2nd, 1982, Marcias mother reported her missing. On July 15, 1982, two teenage boys discovered the body of Wendy Lee Coffield, age 16, floating the Green River between Kent and Tukwila. Gary Leon Ridgway pleads guilty to murdering 48 Green River Killer Andrea M. Childers Soon after, the two men left in the old pick-up truck and Ainsworth continued to float down the river. Kimberly Nelson She had been killed by ligature strangulation. Tracy Winston You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Case Study #2 Serial Killers - Gary Ridgway.docx - 1 Case It was mid-October 2020, and she and her husband, Warren, were spending the day with a grandniece, their weekly babysitting engagement. She was everybodys dream of a kid, she said. It lies 260 yards east of Kent Des Moines Road. Cynthia Jean Hinds But he denied knowledge of the murders, and the police lacked further evidence to proceed. 21 year old Carol Ann Christensen was last seen leaving Barn Door Tavern on Pacific Avenue South on May 3rd, 1983. The man replied that he had not. Coffield was strangled to death with her own pants and dumped in the water. She wanted to be a dancer. Kelly Kay McGinnis was 18 years of age and was last seen on June 28, 1983 at South 216h Street and Pacific Highway South. They were young, mostly teenagers or in their early 20s. Wendy, 16, was a victim of The Green River Killer. On November 30, 2001, a suspect, Gary Leon Ridgway, 52, a longtime resident of the area, will be arrested. Take a second to support Fallon Gannon on Patreon! She was the Princess. From the time she was born, my main job, always, was to look after Opal and keep her safe Garrett recalled Opal wanting to be rich one day so she can take care of their mother and buy her a large house, Even when she was seven, she struck me as someone who cared about others more than herself., Opal was a bright student who dreamed of being a model some day. The Peck Bridge is located where the Frager Road and Kent-Des Moines Road intersect in Kent, Washington. The couple separated in 1980 and decided to share custody, although their daughter spent most of her time with her father. The youngest of two daughters, Wendy was 12 when she and a friend ran away to a nearby truck stop, hoping to catch a ride. They struggled financially, often living in many low-income housing units and tents, and would pick blackberries in the fields during the summer in order to afford food. Wendy Lee Coffield was 16 years old and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. She loved writing. Shed been very close to her grandmother. Maureen Sue Feeney When she was sexually assaulted by a man in September, 1982. A a registered member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Browning, Montana, Carol moved to Grays Harbor, Washington, in 1969. Marta Reeves It was published on August 19th, 1982, just over a month after Wendy's remains were discovered. "I'm saying, stop moving and I'll let you go. As is the case for many young women, Wendy Lee Coffield began acting out pretty much the moment she hit puberty. She sometimes said that it would be better for the baby if her mother adopted Shaunt. The three bodies were not the only ones to be found in and around Washington state's Green River. Marcia Chapman and Cynthia Hinds, victims of the Green River Killer. Looked like a body. And that was over and over again. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. And there would be no forethought. Our outings would be in the mountains, she said. A nonprofit operation run by volunteers, the Doe Project had pioneered the use of forensic genealogy the same technology used to find Californias Golden State Killer in 2018 to identify Jane and John Does. SEATTLE (AP) _ In the three years since 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield was strangled and dumped in the Green River, her killer has slain as many as 42 other young women and eluded a multimillion-dollar police dragnet. Following her parents divorce in 1979, Wendys behavior only got worse with her mother describing her as, wild in a lot of ways but I dont think it was a harmful kind of wild. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The Search for the Green River Killer by Smith and Guillen. 3 Unidentified victims. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. 17 year old Marie Malvar moved out of her family home by 1983 and, working as a waitress in the restaurant her father owned, still saw her family quite often. Hair styles are only a best guess. Love Real Life Ghost Hunting Shows? 9 May 1967 - 11 Mar 1988. The Green River Killer - Serial Killers Info Dr. Taylor joined the team in 1996, and she too was frustrated and galvanized by Wendys case. It is reported that she, well aware of all the Green River Killer, was very cautious and began working in nicer neighborhoods to meet wealthy johns. Linda Rule Please reset your password. During the search, a detective made another macabre discovery.
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