– Remains of last known victim of Green River Killer identified
– Remains of last known victim of Green River Killer found.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Authorities Identify Last Known Remains Linked to Green River Serial Killer

Authorities have recently made a breakthrough in the Green River serial killer case, identifying the last known remains connected to the notorious murderer. The Green River serial killer, who was arrested in 2001, is responsible for the deaths of 49 women and girls, according to authorities and KIRO-TV.

The investigation into the remains began in 2003, after the killer, Gary Ridgway, provided authorities with information about their location, as reported by the King County Sheriff’s Office. Initially labeled as “Bones 20,” the remains remained unidentified until now.

Working alongside the forensic sequencing laboratory Othram, authorities have confirmed that the remains belong to Tammie Liles. Liles was only 16 years old when she disappeared from Seattle in 1983. Her partial remains were previously discovered in April 1985 south of Portland, Oregon. The recent identification provides some closure to Liles’ family, a relief expressed by Sgt. Eric White from the sheriff’s office, as reported by The New York Times.

The Green River serial killer case first came to light in 1982 when the body of 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield was found in the Green River near Kent, Washington. Gary Ridgway specifically targeted prostitutes and runaways in the Seattle area during the 1980s and 1990s. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to 48 counts of first-degree aggravated murder, resulting in 48 life sentences without the possibility of parole.

While Ridgway’s guilty plea in 2003 removed the death penalty from the table, it was primarily done to bring closure to the victims’ families, according to Casey McNerthney from the King County Sheriff’s Office. The identification of Tammie Liles as a victim of the Green River serial killer reinforces the significance of the decision to spare Ridgway from the death penalty.

Ridgway’s guilty pleas continued in 2011, with the confirmation of his involvement in the murder of a 20-year-old woman who vanished in December 1982. This brought the total number of confirmed victims to 49.

With the announcement of the recent identification, officials have stated that all the remains held in connection with the Green River case have now been identified. However, Dave Reichert from the King County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that Ridgway claimed to have killed “65 to 70 young women and little girls.” This suggests that there may still be unsolved cases connected to Ridgway.

In conclusion, the identification of Tammie Liles as a victim of the Green River serial killer brings some closure to her family and sheds further light on the extent of the killer’s crimes. Although Ridgway’s guilty pleas have closed numerous cases, the possibility of other unsolved cases connected to him remains a concern for authorities.

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– Remains of last known victim of Green River Killer identified
– Remains of last known victim of Green River Killer found.