KING COUNTY, Wash. – A nearly four-decade-old mystery surrounding one of the victims linked to the ‘Green River Killer’ has finally found resolution.

Lori Anne Razpotnik, previously known as ‘Bones 17’ by authorities, has been positively identified as one of the victims of the notorious serial killer Gary Ridgway. This identification brings a long-awaited sense of closure to a case that had remained unresolved for years.

The 1980s and 1990s witnessed a series of gruesome murders that haunted Western Washington, with numerous women and girls found brutally murdered. These heinous crimes were attributed to the actions of Gary Ridgway.

Among the victims was Lori Anne Razpotnik, a 15-year-old girl who went missing in 1982 after fleeing her Lewis County home. Her sudden disappearance left her family and investigators grappling with an elusive mystery for years.

The breakthrough in identifying Razpotnik came after city of Auburn employees were called upon to investigate a car found over an embankment near the Mountain View Cemetery on December 30, 1985. During the investigation, human remains were discovered, and subsequent search efforts unveiled a second set of human remains in the vicinity. It was only in 2002 that Gary Ridgway, in a shocking revelation, led investigators to this area, confessing to placing his victims there. He ultimately pleaded guilty to their murders in 2003.

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For an agonizing 27 years, these victims remained unidentified, simply known as ‘Bones 16’ and ‘Bones 17’ within investigative circles. However, a crucial breakthrough occurred in 2012 when DNA testing identified ‘Bones 16’ as Sandra Majors. The turning point in Razpotnik’s case emerged this year, thanks to advanced DNA technology. With the aid of a saliva sample from Razpotnik’s mother, forensic experts successfully identified ‘Bones 17’ as Lori Anne Razpotnik, finally bestowing her with a name and bringing long-awaited closure to her grieving family after decades of uncertainty.

Gary Ridgway, the convicted killer at the center of these horrifying crimes, was found guilty in 2004 for the murders of 49 women. However, many suspect that his victim count may be even higher, with estimates reaching as many as 70 victims. Currently serving a life sentence for these heinous acts, Ridgway’s actions continue to haunt the communities affected by his reign of terror.