Last Known Remains Linked to Green River Serial Killer Identified as Teenage Girl

SEATTLE (AP) — The King County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Monday that the most recent set of remains linked to the notorious Green River serial killer in Washington state belong to a teenage girl who was previously identified as one of his victims.

The remains have been identified as those of 16-year-old Tammie Liles, according to a news release by the King County Sheriff’s Office. Liles hailed from Everett, Washington, which is located just north of Seattle, as reported by local media.

(L) Tammie Liles (King County Sheriff’s Office)/(R) Gary Ridgway (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Previously, another set of partial remains had been identified as belonging to Liles. The King County Sheriff’s Office stated that there are no other unidentified remains believed to be connected to the Green River killer, Gary Ridgway.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Ridgway targeted vulnerable girls and young women in the Seattle area, including sex workers and runaways. The killings became known as the Green River killings because the first victims were discovered in a waterway running through the suburbs south of Seattle. It was not until 2001 that detectives were able to establish Ridgway’s guilt through advances in DNA technology. They linked a saliva sample obtained from him in 1987 to semen found on several victims.

Eric White, spokesperson for the King County Sheriff’s Office, expressed relief that they have finally been able to provide answers to the families of Ridgway’s victims. “It’s an immense feeling of satisfaction that, in this case, which started in the early 80s, we are able to identify all 49 of Gary Ridgway’s victims,” White said on Monday.

Liles was initially identified as a victim of the Green River killer in 1988 when her dental records matched remains found near Tigard, Oregon. In 2003, Ridgway led authorities to the discovery of another set of Liles’ remains in southern King County.

In 2022, investigators obtained a DNA sample from the second set of remains and uploaded it to a national law enforcement database for a search. However, no matches were found at that time. The Sheriff’s Office then collaborated with Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company specializing in forensic DNA work.

Using the DNA profile, Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team tentatively identified the unknown victim as Liles. To confirm the match, investigators obtained a DNA sample from Liles’ mother.

Gary Ridgway has already pleaded guilty to 49 slayings, including that of Tammie Liles. He is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.

Sources:

• The Seattle Times
• AP News
• The Ledger