Investigators Identify Last Known Remains of Green River Killer Victim

By Joe Sutton and Aya Elamroussi, CNN

(CNN) — Investigators in Washington state have successfully identified the last known set of human remains connected to the notorious “Green River Killer” as those belonging to a woman who was determined to be a victim more than three decades ago, officials revealed on Monday.

Identification of Tammie Liles

Tammie Liles, whose partial remains were discovered in King County in 2003, has finally been identified by authorities. At the time of discovery, the remains were designated as “Bones 20” due to the inability to confirm the victim’s identity. However, through a collaborative effort between the King County Sheriff’s Office and Texas-based forensic lab Othram, a DNA profile was constructed in 2022. Subsequently, the lab made a preliminary identification of the remains as those of Tammie Liles in the following year, with confirmation achieved through a positive DNA match from a sample collected from Liles’ mother.

Conclusion of the Green River Case

With the identification of Tammie Liles, the King County Sheriff’s Office declared that there are no longer any unidentified remains associated with the infamous Green River Case. This breakthrough marks a significant milestone in the decades-long investigation.

Tammie Liles: A Victim of the Green River Killer

Tammie Liles was last seen in June 1983, working as a prostitute in the Seattle area. Her family reported her missing in March 1988, and dental records later confirmed the identity of a separate set of remains as belonging to Liles. She is among the numerous victims targeted by the serial killer Gary Ridgway, infamously known as the “Green River Killer”. This moniker originates from the Green River, located south of Seattle, where Ridgway disposed of his victims’ bodies starting in 1982.

The Capture and Conviction of Gary Ridgway

Authorities devoted years to investigating the string of unsolved killings in the Seattle area, ultimately leading to the arrest of Gary Ridgway in November 2001. DNA evidence linked Ridgway to some of the earliest victims, resulting in his arrest. In 2003, Ridgway pleaded guilty to 48 counts of aggravated murder, solidifying his position as one of the most prolific serial killers in US history. He later pleaded guilty to a 49th murder charge in 2011. The majority of his victims’ bodies were discovered near Seattle, with a few found in Oregon.

Recent Identification of Lori Anne Razpotnik

Last month, King County authorities announced the identification of another victim of Gary Ridgway, Lori Anne Razpotnik. Her family had last seen her alive in 1982, before she ran away from her family’s home in Lewis County, located south of Seattle. The remains, initially referred to as “Bones 17”, were found in 1985. Gary Ridgway, now 74 years old, is currently incarcerated at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.