I suppose we could call her Mrs. Green River. Yes - that Green River.
A new book by author Pennie Morehead tells the story of Judith Ridgway, the unsuspecting wife of long-time serial killer Gary Ridgway, and it was written with Judith's cooperation.
It is a voice we do not hear often - the families of victims are heard, their losses known to us. But the families of serial killers do not often share their stories, though they fascinate those who struggle to understand men addicted to murder. Lionel Dahmer shared the intense story of raising his son Jeffrey Dahmer in A Father's Story, a book I read years ago and can still remember in detail. Are there other books in this line, I wonder? It's not a wonder if there's not. Some families whose names become notorious have been known to change them.
Now, though, Mrs. Ridgway - who was never implicated in her husband's crimes, so she was as horrified as anyone could have been when he confessed - has let her story become public. Fascinated by the idea, I had a chance to ask a few questions of the author of the biography, Pennie Morehead
How did you meet Mrs. Ridgway?
I had the rare opportunity to meet Mrs. Ridgway through mutual friends--that is, a couple I knew had been intimate friends with Gary and Judith Ridgway, but I wasn't aware of the connection until after he was arrested in 2001. I was only one friendship link away from the Green River Killer! Further frightening to discover, the killer lived only 3 miles from my home.
Why did she agree to tell her story to you if she was in hiding and refusing interviews with all media?
I believe Judith Ridgway felt some initial trust with me because of the mutual friends, and that helped in the beginning. But, after we met and she looked into my eyes, I saw a pain I had never seen in a woman's eyes. It was haunting. I knew that I needed to help her somehow. I couldn't stop thinking about her after that first meeting. I was highly skeptical that a woman could have been married to the nation's most prolific serial killer for 14 years and not know he was out killing!
Curiosity sent me back to ask her more questions. Each time we met, she sobbed, barely pushing out a few words. Over the next 2 years, we formed a friendship. She told me her story and I ultimately got her permission to put it in a book. How many opportunities have we had to view serial killers through the yes of loving wives? I couldn't think of any, so I knew that I had an extremely rare opportunity in my lap.
What did you learn about the killer and couple?
I learned that Judith Ridgway did not know that her husband was a serial killer--a stunning fact. In my book, Green River Serial Killer--Biography of an Unsuspecting Wife
The book offers intimate details of their courtship and marriage, photos never seen by the public, handwritten letters that Gary wrote to Judith from jail, and my professional analysis of Gary's handwriting (I am also a certified graphologist).
Gary Ridgway managed his double life with ease. With Judith, they raised Poodles, worked in their yard, went bicycling and camping, and had a very active sex life. Away from Judith, Gary Ridgway paid prostitutes for sex. When the urge hit, he strangled some prostitutes and took his money back.
For more than 20 years, Gary Ridgway baffled the police. In the end, he confessed to killing 48 women, but alluded that it was probably in the 100's.
Do you read true crime?
While I enjoy reading true crime, I find myself reading from nearly all genres. I have a high level of curiosity about so many subjects, and I think that curiosity takes me into all areas of the bookstores and libraries. Reading about real people and their real experiences has always been exciting to me. And, naturally, true crime fits into that 'real people' category.
Who are your favorite authors?
I really can't name a few favorite authors because I'm constantly seeking new material and new authors to read. I must admit, I quickly become bored with one author's work and feel restless to find something new. I live in the Seattle area, so, of course, I've read all of Ann Rule's true crime works.
What was the first true crime book I read?
Well, it wasn't in the true crime genre, but when I was in 7th grade, I read Edgar Allan Poe's Tell-Tale Heart. Reading about the bloody details the main character committed and getting a real sense of his overwhelming guilt...it was the first time my mind absorbed the concept of true crime.
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For more, visit Pennie's website, www.penniemorehead.com.
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