Gary Leon Ridgway’s mugshot is among the materials inside three unsolved case files at the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Finally, more than a decade after his convictions for the murders of dozens of women in King County, serial killer Gary Ridgway was interviewed about three homicide victims whose bodies turned up along the Interstate 5 corridor in Lewis County.
Longtime Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detective Bruce Kimsey isn’t writing him off as a viable suspect, but Ridgway didn’t confess.
“When I asked him an hour’s worth of questions on the victims, he denied it and said, why would I take someone to Lewis County,” Kimsey said. “I’m not saying I believe him; I’m just saying what he said.”
Kimsey traveled to the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, Colorado at the end of September. He was joined by Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer and Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead for the two-day visit.
Chief Criminal Deputy Bruce Kimsey
They were only allowed to bring a pen and paper into the room. The serial killer had handcuffs chained to his waist. On the first day he wore leg irons as well, Meyer said.
“We spent several hours both days, four to six hours each day,” Meyer said. “There wasn’t a clock in the room, I didn’t have my watch.”
Meyer said they’ve been trying for several years to meet with Ridgway, and the answer before from his attorney had alway been no. When he got a yes answer, they jumped at the opportunity right away, he said.
The victimology in the three local cases is such that Ridgway has been a suspect, alluding to patterns in who Ridgway targeted.
Both Kimsey and Meyer took note of how short the infamous killer was.
“I expected him to be more physically imposing,” Meyer said. “He’s kind of meek, mild-mannered. He doesn’t have, ‘this guy’s gonna attack me’ vibe.”
It’s easy to see how someone would get into a truck with him, Meyer said.
The Auburn resident was convicted of murdering 49 women, but has admitted to killing 80, Meyer said. He was arrested in December 2001, at age 52.
There’s no physical evidence tying him to the Lewis County cases, and Ridgway didn’t have any particular facts about the three, the prosecutor said.
And at one point, he suggested he wouldn’t mind taking credit to “get his numbers up.”
“He understands what he’s done, and I think he likes the notoriety,” Meyer said. “He told us, there’s more written about me than Jack the Ripper.”
Much of their time was spent building rapport, talking about his work, marriage and hobbies and then after that, learning details about the crimes he committed in King County.
Ridgway worked at Kenworth for 30 years. He was married three times.
He became known as the Green River Killer, because that’s where some of the first bodies were discovered, Kimsey said.
That’s one of the similarities between the women he’s admitted to killing, and the women whose bodies were discovered locally starting in 1984, according to the detective.
Two of the bodies in Lewis County were found near waterways, he said. Two of the three had ties to prostitution, like Ridgway’s victims, according to Kimsey. And some of the known Green River victims went missing from the same area as did the women found in Lewis County.
What they do know for sure, is the three women were murdered and their bodies were discovered in Lewis County, Meyer said.
On August 12, 1984, Monica Anderson, 32, of Tacoma, was found by a fisherman in the Chehalis River west of Centralia below the Galvin Road bridge. She was last seen June 25 in Tacoma, getting into a brown van on Commerce Way. She died of asphyxiation, Kimsey said.
On May 5 1985, Susan L. Krueger, 42, was found along Lacamas Creek at Drews Prairie Road near Interstate 5 west of Toledo. She was last seen March 11 after she was released from the Pierce County Jail. She died of blows to the head.
On August 5, 1991, Mignon S. Hensley, 21, was found in a brushy area about a mile east of Interstate 5 along U.S. Highway 12. She was last seen June 19 leaving a Deja Vu strip club in Federal Way. She was about eight months pregnant at the time. She died from homicidal violence.
Kimsey, who was promoted to chief criminal deputy when newly elected Sheriff Rob Snaza took office in January has studied the three case files.
“I would say a reasonable person would say there was sexual assault, or sexual motivation on these crimes,” Kimsey said of the evidence.
Ridgeway indicated to his interviewers he had nothing to do with the three deaths and that it wouldn’t make sense for him dump a body in Lewis County.
Part of Ridgway’s crimes involved returning to the dump sites to visit the bodies, and engage them sexually again, according to Kimsey.
He knew King County like the back of his hand, and said, he wouldn’t go to Lewis County and screw it up, Meyer said.
But, Ridgway did take some of his victims from King County all the way to Oregon, Kimsey said. He told his three interviewers he took bones down there after digging them up, to get the FBI involved and throw off the Green River Task Force.
They three men spent some of their time orienting Ridgway to the boundaries of Lewis County, and learned he’d been to Yard Birds and the the Centralia Outlets.
When the conversation turned to Ridgway’s time in the Navy, overseas, Ridgway’s comment was, “that would open up a can of worms,” Meyer said. A person could speculate about what that means, he said.
“Ridgway will say every one of his victims, he strangled,” Kimsey said.
The takeaway for Kimsey, is what he learned about what Ridgway did to his victims, for example, details of how he left the bodies, Kimsey said.
“I’m going to go back and look again at our cases to see if they match up, if there’s some matchup,” he said.
Meyer said he left feeling like Ridgway would readily admit if he’d killed the women, but then wonders, if he says there’s 80 victims, does he remember every one?
Kimsey has the same question.
“The problem, is he doesn’t remember names and faces,” Kimsey said. “He said he lost count after like two dozen.”
The detective asked one of the most infamous serial killers ever why he did what he did.
“He told us he felt a sense of power over women, and why he didn’t like these women,” Kimsey said. “He saw prostitutes as basically trash.”
He knew the women he victimized weren’t likely to be reported missing, at least not right away, and, he didn’t have to pay them, Kimsey said.
It was almost like a game, where he could take out his negative energy, Kimsey said.
“The things that he’s saying, no normal person could understand,” Kimsey said. “It’s pure evil and horrific, the things he’s done to women.”
Kimsey, Meyer and Halstead also spoke with Ridgway about the unsolved homicides of two other women during the same time period. Kimsey said he doesn’t think he was involved in their deaths.
Roberta D. Strasbaugh, 18, was found October 18, 1985 on the north side of Lincoln Creek Road at its junction with Manner’s Road, about three weeks after her truck ran out of gas along Old Highway 99.
Diana Robertson’s body was found in 1986, about three miles south of Elbe.
It’s obvious there’s been more than one serial killer operating in the region, Kimsey said.
One of them, Robert L. Yates is also on Kimsey’s list to talk with, although he’s a serial killer with limited activity in Western Washington, and Kimsey said he believes his victims were shot with a firearm.
The goal is to get answers, for families who don’t know what happened to their loved ones, according to Meyer.
For Kimsey, continuing to work the cases is a duty owed to their families. He’ll keep going through the files, trying to match some evidence to a suspect, he said.
Ridgway is not eliminated as a suspect, and certainly not based on his denials, according to the detective.
“I’m not convinced he has nothing to do with these, I’m not convinced he does,” Kimsey said. “I’m going to take the information and keep working these cases.” “Maybe the technology one day will be there.”
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Why is every one so big on spelling. Who cares im not writing a school paper for a grade here Im posting my opinion upon an article. I do this from my smart phone when i usualy wake up in the morning. Yeah so what my spelling is off a bit I dont care it does not make me any less or anymore of a person because i often have grammer errors. Furthermore We as a community often see grammer errors posted in LC sirens we dont attack Sharyon we kindly let her know about them. I see this kind of thing on all kinds of web sites all over the internet. If your so concerned about spelling errors then maybe you should get a job as an English teacher at the local high school. After all Im using an Android phone with a touch screen key board. Like Forest Gump said while he was jogging and stepped in shit. Shit Happens! Judging and commenting on my spelling errors makes me laugh. Yeah I could use spell check and be perfect in every manner but it reality what would that get me an A plus in your class Exceptionally Normal? My spelling errors just prove Im human and not perfect.. I myself enjoy reading and posting on the articles. Its my thing. Oh and @ Good Grief the article itself does not describe welfare but @ Waist of Money this persons comments hints on welfare rats and the welfare issue so yes I was connecting my thoughts upon the welfare issue that is in the comment section. It really is just far to easy to get tunnel vision and attack someone over their comments when their reffering to another persons comment here. I swear thats all i ever see is another person attacking a person here on Lc sirens. Some people like lottery tickets some people like scratch tickets. I myself like LC Sirens so if you want to pump up your ego spell check guy maybe you should go buy a bigger Belt Buckle. Im here to comment my opion nit attack the commentors. Oh ps could you send me a spelling correction list of my recent comments. It would really make me feel like your student here in the Bkogger class. Ruin someone elses fun pal……
Anglo Saxon – can you post a link? I think you may be referring to cNs rather than cBs.
Also – does the article describe “welfare”? Is it including veteran’s benefits or unemployment benefits, both of which have been referred to as welfare in some reports. Also, does it refer to the Social Security administration, into which the illegals pay millions of dollars that will NEVER be claimed?
Just curious – it seems that you read the article very carefully, but I cannot find it on the web.
Ridgway would have to agree to be interviewed by Lewis County detectives. Chances are he had no legal representation in Colorado.
If they waited until he returned to Washington, he probably would have an attorney who would immediately tell him “no interview”. Probably a good idea to talk to him while he was in a talkative mood so it makes sense for them to go as soon as he agreed.
It’s ironic, although, not surprising. Certain “persons” posts here, pregnant as they are, with both grammatical and spelling errors. Use the same perverted, psychopic rationalizations used by the likes of ridgeway, bundy, rader, gacey and others of that ilk to “justify” their abhorrent ant-social deviances.
Doubly so, their words betraying another characteristic of these type. Chiefly, exaggerated claims of socio-economic standing. Contrary, to what their limited grasp of the English language would suggest to be possible. Must be inherited wealth.
They certainly seem touchy. Something to hide, perhaps?
Gosh Dang Darn it your right about the Welfare bums. They are here on a paid vacation and some are from other countrys. I was doing a little resesrch last night and I noticed that there are 109,631,000 on welfare. I got this number from Cbs.com. Also I found info that about 50% are here in the Us illegaly. Im just wondering when I do my taxes if I can claim these people on the form. Also I did a little math on that number I took a Value of Two feet for each person on welfare and divided into the distance across the United States at its longest points and I came up with the number thirteen approx. Giving each person the value of two feet of course and I then realized the Welfare line would stretch across the US 13 times. This is one large soup line, i can just imagine if Welfare was cut off all of a sudden, would there be 13 people outside of each of our homes trying to take whats ours? We have a real problem this number could be cut in half if the police just upheld the law and deported when needed. Also most revolvers could stop a property invasion as it is now you need atl east a Semi auto due to the high numbers. Im sure I will get attacked for my comment but this is a serious issue at hand here everyone. So just imagine every time you go to Fullers and you see someone paying with that little free food card and that card is all of a sudden shut off after our dollar collapse. Where do you think these people are all going to go after Wal-mart is looted in the first 24 hours? Im sure I will get attacked for my research but these are cold hard facts and the way things are heading this could very be real at any given moment. The police have stood down and failed to deport 50% of the welfare problem, yet we still pay them Tax dollars for a incomplete job. Would your employer pay you if you only did half of your job. We need to step up to the plate and do the job or one day your going to need the semi auto vs the revolver. Food for thought no pun intended. And no this is not racists its a fact, the numbers are real. Its not racists to point out a growing problem. But im someone will defend all these people on welfare. Some people cannot ever get welfare because maybe at one time they owned a medical marijuana store and were busted and banned for life to ever get government help. But if you were not born here and just showed up your welcome to get the free stuff right away with no documents. How long before we take to the streets and enforce the law for the police that have let this problem grow under our noses. If the police only pick and choose what to enforce they why do we continue to pay them all when they should get just half….
I’m so sorry sunshine trash!! For my grammatical error,auto fill..and yes , my family and all informed Americans will vote Republican. But you can keep your welfare! I’ll just keep my very large salary. And the ability to keep trash like all dem’s , illegal aliens,off all my jobs. Keep collecting your welfare,I’ll keep pay for your food. Deal !! Sunshine pig!!
Yep, it’s interesting in what our local officials motivation was in going to Colorado to see Ridgeway knowing he was coming back to Walla Walla. Perhaps they just wanted to take a trip and get out of Chehalis for a while and I can’t blame them for that. But perhaps they thought they would have a better conversation with him before he starts receiving a lot of law enforcement interviews again in Walla Walla.
I would say that Ridgeway didn’t operate in Lewis County. He killed pretty close to home. He took mostly prostitutes off Hwy 99 south of SeaTac on his way home from work. Didn’t want to pay them and was addicted to killing them I guess.
But their is no shortage of psychos around. I think the Green River task force looked at about 10,000 suspects.
Back in the mid 80’s a woman who worked with me and was on vacation asked me to check on her adult son who she suspected had went nuts and killed the family dog when she was gone. They lived only blocks from where some of the Green River bodies were found. I found the guy in a totally blacked out apartment out of his mind and talking about killing people although I couldn’t get him to admit to killing the dog. He worked as a handyman and had a pickup like had been described by some witnesses. I suspected he could be the killer and he had been interviewed by the task force. Perhaps there was more than one killer.
He later moved to Sacramento and I used to check the web for serial murders down there. I think that guy was capable or, if not, was working towards killing people.
I don’t know how the Lewis county victims died in the mid 80’s but Roger Kibbe, the I-5 strangler was operating in the whole I-5 corridor back then. More than likely there are multiple killers.
As an aside, my current housemate, who ran a few governor’s campaigns, worked with Ted Bundy. She said that most of the women thought he was pretty cool and he was the last person in the world they would suspect of being a serial killer. My friend even wrote a letter to the investigator stating there was no way the Ted Bundy she knew could be a killer.
I wouldn’t say it was a waste of money to try and close some cold cases.
It just looks bad when they sent someone in an administrative position and not a detective.
Check online about the state dept of corrections announcing they are bringing him back to walla walla dated around early to mid sept. They went at the end of sept. He is now back. Sounds like free trip to Colorado on my dime.
Thanks for trying to get info on Roberta Strasbaugh murder
The ones who say say waiste of money….if it was your family I bet you would feel different about how much money was spent. Bet you would be screamming and throwing a fit like a 2 yr old saying where us the money to solve this
I say thank you for trying to find my sisters killer even after 30 yrs
Waist of money , are you for real ??? Is this a joke??? You cannot spell Waste and you expect us to guess you are anything other then a republican . Your whole family of 53? See that just proves my point that folks are getting dumber, and the dumb breed way too fast. You will probably vote for old (poke my own daughter) Trump the Rump , that is if you can read. You gave me the best laugh I’ve had all day.
I’ve been making the same observation since 2009, girl w/ umbrella.
I’d like to think, “waste of money” is being facetious. But, around here, that type of “rationalization” seems, sadly, to be the norm. I suppose ten year-old, ( now, theoretically anyway, 17 ) Lindsey Baum, and Nancy Moyer were both drug addicts. I absolutely revile that perverted mind-set so prevalent around here. It’s like that stupid pecker-wood in Texas who purposely hit the motorcyclist, thinking he was justified in doing so.
Well every member of my family , all 53 of us in my family are Republicans,soo no the chances of any of my family coming up missing is zero… We aren’t drug addicted welfare rats who put themselves is bad situations, see stupidity and being a Democrat are all the same. So ya who cares !!! Save tax $$$$$$ . Focus on what real matters, letting illegal aliens walk our streets with no repercussions!! This country is becoming a real sht hole!! What will welfare rats do when the people with money decide to stop paying you worthless asses
Maybe you guys should try to find whoever keep stealing girls that don’t show up ever again unless it’s in a river or through a woodchipper. It’s ridiculous and sketchy how many unsolved cases there are in this region. Ever consider they all might be related?!? I’m just saying maybe what you have is a pack of fucking psychopaths hunting women and it’s scary to think our kids have to grow up here with this shit being so normal…. women in rivers.girls on posters for half a decade at a time. Skeletons in treeline by road we use everyday.just saying can we get some federal help with that shit.
airline ticket and meals — really , if your family was one of those women you’d be yelling they do more. Thank you Lewis County for trying to find out what ever you can!!!! We don’t want anyone else to go through what they did.
It goes without saying, that no DNA evidence was recovered from any of these unfortunate young women by investigators or the Medical Examiner at the time.
Kimsey and Meyer..that must have cost 2 plane tickets each! Did we have to pay for the meals to?? My god that must have been a buffet meal !!!
The fact he gets any notoriety pisses me off. Get his numbers up ? he should be in a deep dark hole with the sewer scum.