As of April 2026, Ridgway is serving 49 consecutive life sentences and is reportedly in poor health, with recent reports indicating he is receiving end-of-life care in prison. Case Overview
Ridgway strangled victims by hand or ligature and dumped their bodies in remote, forested areas, often returning to them for sexual acts.
In the late 1990s, advances in DNA technology allowed detectives to link forensic evidence from early crime scenes to Ridgway.
Gary Ridgway , known as the , is one of the most prolific serial killers in United States history, convicted of murdering 49 women and girls in Washington state during the 1980s and 1990s. A paint detailer by trade, Ridgway targeted vulnerable women—primarily sex workers and runaway teenagers—operating largely in the King County area near Seattle.