The officer immediately called for backup. Cynthia had also been working as a sex worker since she was 14 years old. The Murder Chronicles | iHeart Delores Lavern Williams Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer - America's Deadliest Serial Murderer, Pocket Star. We Want To Finance Your Film. The two stayed in a small apartment in Washington State. Kimi-Kai whose name translated to golden sea at dawn in Hawaiian was described by her mother as an adventurous girl who loved unicorns and anything purple. Eventually, the deaths of at least 48 women would be linked to the Green River killer. Though detectives didnt know it at the time, Ms. Coffields murder was the beginning of a long, nightmarish chapter for King County with Mr. Ridgway, then a nameless specter, at the center. We have set your language to It was a trip he had made on many occasions, yet this time it would be different. Victims Spotlight: Remembering the Victims of the Green River Killer, She was described as cheerful, outgoing and someone who could take care of herself. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Photos taken over the past three decades tell part of the story of serial killer Gary Ridgway's crimes against Norhtwest women and girls. DNA evidence ties Ridgway to four of the cases, and circumstantial evidence to several others. The house, a two-bedroom with white-painted brick and mahogany trim, had an enclosed back porch and dining room where theyd sit around the table playing Yahtzee. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. We're looking for the current whereabouts of these women, or their true names, or names of associates and relatives and when these women were seen last. A support group for parents of runaways only intensified her feeling of alienation. Love Real Life Ghost Hunting Shows? Please reset your password. When Wendy was 11, they moved with Ms. Gaspars second husband, Alan Hodde (who died in 2010), to a suburb of Denver, a short walk from Wendys new school and the hospital where Ms. Gaspar worked as a nurse. At Ridgways trial, her sister Michelle gave this moving speech about her sister: Gisele was very much loved by her family and has been missed very much every day for the last 20 years. She also showed signs of a struggle, because she had bruises on her arms and legs. Cindy Ann Smith Kelly Ware She came for a late birthday celebrationHer birthday was March 29th. According to this newspaper article in the Tacoma News Tribune, Coffield was partially clothed. You have all the time to be a grown-up with all those problems. But she wanted to be an adult so bad.. According to Gallan, the body was on the southern side of the bridge. She was outgoing, trusting and loved to dance. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. . Coffield is believed to be the first victim of serial killer Gary Ridgway, who claimed the lives of at least 49 women between 1982 and 1998. Just a month earlier, another young girl, identified as Wendy Lee Coffield, was found strangled and floating in the Green River. Two boys found her body seven days later in the Green River. At some point during her young life Denise had a medical procedure involving her brain and her skull had a small hole in the bony process there. Marie Malvar Within the space of six months, six bodies had been discovered in or near the river. Failed to delete memorial. Never returned. He asked the older man if he had caught anything. She was the Princess. From the time she was born, my main job, always, was to look after Opal and keep her safe Garrett recalled Opal wanting to be rich one day so she can take care of their mother and buy her a large house, Even when she was seven, she struck me as someone who cared about others more than herself., Opal was a bright student who dreamed of being a model some day. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? During the search, a detective made another macabre discovery. She was only 15 years old. The only one it hurt was herself.. April Buttram Pammy Avent Constance Naon Ms. Gaspar struggled to grasp what shed been told. And what of the countless women who had just disappeared in those years, whose families would always wonder whether their daughters ended up in Mr. Ridgways truck? Soon after, the two men left in the old pick-up truck and Ainsworth continued to float down the river. Moments later he found himself surrounded by death. Photo filed July 15, 1982. Alma Ann Smith As the the landslide of human loss steadily accelerated, police even those who normally hesitated to cooperate with neighboring jurisdictions quickly noticed a horrific pattern appearing in instances that were previously considered simply isolated tragedies. Enter your email address to follow Stolen Lives and receive notifications of new posts by email. We're looking for the current whereabouts of these women, or their true names, or names of associates and relatives and when these women were seen last. It lies 260 yards east of Kent Des Moines Road. She loved the band so much that she followed their concerts all over the country. Tracy Winston She gave lessons and she was very good, and she taught dance exercise.. Never returned. AP Photo/MOHAI archive Officials remove the body of 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield from the Green River on July 15, 1982. But that may be at the request of her family. Wendy Lee Coffield (1966-1982) - Find a Grave Memorial The last time Kenneth saw his wife was sometime in 1982, when she dropped off their daughter for the last time. ISBN 978-0743460507 Gary Ridgway Wendy Lee Coffield at Find a Grave Wendy Coffield (Archived). Evergreen Cemetery. Flowers for Wendy Lee Coffield - Find a Grave Memorial The latitude and longitude coordinates for the bridge are: To view directions on how to get there, you can use the Google Maps shortcut below: Meeker Street BridgeWest Meeker StreetKentWashingtonWA 98032United States. Marcia Faye Chapman Things were finally looking up. One can only assume that they may have had a lack of financial resources and that their low socioeconomic status may have contributed to Dubs future course of life. Kelly Ware Seconds later he saw another floating corpse of a half nude black woman, partially submerged in the water. Marcia told kids she was going to store, her mother said in the missing-person report. She reportedly dropped out of school because she was bored and was living with her boyfriend out of various motels. to target victims of opportunity (women walking home, hitchhiking, etc.). Linda Rule known to her family as Janie had a background all too familiar among Green River victims. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Wendy had been gone a year or two, she said. Her body was found in the Green River under the Peck Bridge. This is where the two men found the body of Wendy Lee Coffield in 1982.Genetic genealogy helped identify the youngest know victim of one of the nation's most. Moreover, six months prior to Coffield's discovery, the body of her friend Leanne Wilcox was found several miles from the river in an empty lot. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. On November 30, 2001, a suspect, Gary Leon Ridgway, 52, a longtime resident of the area, will be arrested. The extracted DNA sample went through several rounds of sequencing and bioinformatic cleanup. Ridgway's first confirmed victim was 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield who was living in foster care and working as a sex worker. One friend reported that Wendy was in Washington, but was unsure if it was Washington State or Washington, D.C. I was really afraid for her, Ms. Gaspar said, because she was so gregarious and because she had become so undependable. Just a month earlier, another young girl, identified as Wendy Lee Coffield, was found strangled and floating in the Green River. Green River taskforce photos from Seattle P-I archives Wendy Lee Coffield, 16, disappeared July 8, 1982. Women, many of them just girls, really, started disappearing in 1982. He stopped them, told them of his gruesome discovery and asked them to get the police. Gary Ridgeway (Serial Killer Biography) | Practical Psychology Roberta Hays Tom Estes yesterday acknowledged that charging Ridgway in his daughter's death was good news, but he declined further comment. Please take a look at the photographs below. She learned to rely on Wendys friends as informants whod share tips on her whereabouts and reassure Ms. Gaspar that her daughter was safe. Carol Ann Christensen The Green River Killer: Gary Ridgway - ThoughtCo Pammy Avent They knew that they had to find and catch him as soon as possible before any more women disappeared. TM & 2015 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. But she caught a glimpse of the visitors through her doorbell camera and, noticing their tucked-in shirts, she shrugged them off as Mormon missionaries. Its not anything that were privy to in our small but tangible realm. It seems that they were frivolous with their money. SEATTLE (AP) _ In the three years since 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield was strangled and dumped in the Green River, her killer has slain as many as 42 other young women and eluded a multimillion-dollar police dragnet. Thus began one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history. The next day, Ms. Gaspars parents and sister came to visit from Phoenix. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. But those communities have long since dissolved. People werent strangers to her. So grief, Ms. Gaspar said, is lonely. There is little information available on 20 year old Sandra Major. Officials remove the body of 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield from the Green River on July 15, 1982. In 2003 the case was finally solved with the arrest of Gary Ridgway. Unlike the other two girls, this one was found in a grassy area less than 30 feet from where the other victims lay in the water. 9 May 1967 - 11 Mar 1988. Ainsworth suspected that the men were out for a day's fishing. The bar where Ted Bundy abducted Brenda Carol Ball, The street where cop killer Maurice Clemmons was shot dead, The house that 8-year-old Ann Marie Burr was abducted from, The location where mobster Robert DiBernardo was murdered, The location where Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook were last seen, The house from Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Victims Spotlight: Remembering the Victims of the Green River Killer Marie was last seen on S216th and Pacific Highway South where her boyfriend/pimp witnessed Marie getting into a truck with a primer spot up by the tailgate. Dr. Taylor joined the team in 1996, and she too was frustrated and galvanized by Wendys case. Her life took a major detour when she became pregnant in middle school. They were somebodys sister, somebodys mother, in some instances. And then all of a sudden youve got two.. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Wendy Lee Coffield How The Green River Killer Was Eventually Caught - Grunge Correspondence concerning this report should be addressed to Alexandra M. Gonzlez Villanueva, . Coffield's body was found in the Green River in 1982 a week after she went missing. Were they actually dead? There is a problem with your email/password. Conviction - Gary Ridgway: The Green River Killer When her aunt and cousin joined unexpectedly, the gathering became a sort of impromptu family reunion with Wendy at the center, back to her chatty, convivial self. Wendy began hanging with a different crowd, spending more time alone in the basement, and skipping school. She was described as cheerful, outgoing and someone who could take care of herself. She was last seen on August 29, 1982 near South 144th Street and Pacific Highway South. Are You A Horror Filmmaker? The girl had a pair of blue pants knotted around her neck. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Toys, Gifts, Collectibles, Board Games & Horror Lifestyle Items. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Wendy, 16, was a victim of The Green River Killer. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. We use cookies to deliver personalized advertisements, improve your online experience, and to analyze our site's performance. She was better educated than either of usShe had luminous eyes, a love of learning and ambitions beyond working the street for her boyfriend-pimp, says her family.. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. On July 15, 1982, the body of Wendy Lee Coffield was found in the Green River. I was like, OK, well, they dont need that, and Im not getting what I need there.. All Rights Reserved, Slender Man stabbing, Waukesha, Wisconsin, Update: Police Release Dead Serial Killers Account of Murder of Samantha Koenig. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? She was later identified as Opal Mills, 16. In early 2019, one of Stephens parents had taken a DNA test and uploaded the results to GEDmatch, hoping to learn the fate of their daughter. Never has done anything like this. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. 3 Unidentified victims, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers. At one point she said, The same lives that you took seem to be the same lives saving yours. By August 15, 1982, a total of five bodies had been found on or along the Green River. (He believes that he took at least three victims before Coffield, going back as early as the 1970s.) Maureen Sue Feeney There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Kimberly Nelson She kissed me, like always, and then she left. A native of southern California, Andrea moved to Seattle sometime in 1980 to live with her father and step mother. On August 2nd, 1982, Marcias mother reported her missing. Two boys riding their bicycles across a bridge spotted the tennis shoes first of fully clothed body. The police detectives at the scene quickly realized that there was a serial killer on the loose. Becky Marrero The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Wendy Lee Coffield was 16 years old and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. Some time before dark, she and her husband returned to their small town in southwest Colorado, just outside Mesa Verde National Park. Following an examination of the bodies at the scene, Chief Medical Examiner Donald Reay determined that all three girls died of strangulation. Not enough sleep. Before long, a policeman arrived at the scene and questioned Ainsworth about his find. Aug . Garrett had worked late the night before and was asleep when the phone rang. The thing that caught my eye was tennis shoes. Roberta Hays In 1980 she married a man named Dennis Christensen. Accidentally, the raft overturned as he tried to dislodge the figure from a rock and Ainsworth fell into the river. Green River Killer Gary Ridgway: Photos from the archives - seattlepi.com The three bodies were not the only ones to be found in and around Washington state's Green River. 18 year old Shirley Sherrill was once on the drill team and loved to dance. Mary was almost eight months pregnant when she went missing near the Western Six Motel on September 15th, 1983. Family newspaper obituaries and a missing persons report from 1983 served as confirmation, and the Doe Project notified the Sheriffs Office that it had a name. This time she took quite a few things from the family home (all her clothes, her Christmas gifts, the familys stereo and some money) so, in the hopes that a warrant might assist in locating her sooner, Colleens father filed criminal charges against his daughter. She was last seen around 2 p.m. on February 6th, 1983 at Rainier Avenue South and South Ferdinand Street at a bus stop outside the Red Lion Hotel. Green River murders timeline | HeraldNet.com The body of Wendy was recovered and the cause of death was determined to be murder by strangulation using the victim's own clothes. Mary Bridgett Meehan Debra Lynn Bonner was 23 years of age. (Copyright MOHAI, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection, 2000.107), Gary Leon Ridgway, pictured in a 1982 King County Sheriff's booking mug. Shirley Marie Sherrill After taking a closer look, they realized that it was a dead body. Colleen was last seen alive on December 28th, 1982. Top $76,000-a-year New Jersey boarding school admits 'more should have been done' to stop bullying of boy, 17, who took his own life after being falsely accused of rape by cruel peers According to Smith and Guillen's book, The Search for the Green River Killer, the man standing then asked Ainsworth if he found anything, to which Ainsworth replied, "Just this old singletree." The couple separated in 1980 and decided to share custody, although their daughter spent most of her time with her father. By 1982 Becky was 20 and was supporting herself as a sex worker. Kimi Kai Pitsor During Gary Ridgways sentencing hearing Shawndas sister, Sharse Woods-Summers, made a victim impact statement. In early September, the Doe Project uploaded the DNA kit to the public genetics databases GEDMatch and later FamilyTreeDNA. Failed to delete flower. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Shawnda was last seen along Pacific Highway South near S144th. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. That spring, Mr. Ridgway became a suspect in the Green River case when a tip led detectives to his door. As is the case for many young women, Wendy Lee Coffield began acting out pretty much the moment she hit puberty. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. no one will ever know. Mary Bridgett Meehan Rule, Ann (2005). Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Ridgway's decision to dump his victims in this river earned him the nickname "the Green River Killer." The Forgotten Victims and Never-ending Myth of Ted Bundy, They Have Names, Too: A Case Study on the First Five Victims of the Green River Killer: Examining the Construction of Society and Its Creation of Victim Availability by Natalie V. Castillo, Victims families face Green River Killer in court, LANGUAGE MATTERS : TALKING ABOUT SEX WORK, Victims Spotlight: Remembering the Suspected Victims of the Green River Killer (Part 3), Green River Killer Graphic Novel to Become A Feature Film Staring Michael Sheen, Victims Spotlight: Remembering the Victims of the Green River Killer (Part 2), Green River Killer: A True Detective Story With More Heart Than Bite, My Friend Dahmer Is A Heart-Wrenchingly Accurate Portrait Of One Of Americas Most Infamous Serial Killers. The couple had no proper means of income, no car and were living out of motels. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. On August 15, 1982, Robert Ainsworth, 41, stepped into his rubber raft and began his descent south down the Green River toward the outer edge of Seattle's city limits. In memory of all the lost and murdered young women who fell victim to the Green River Killer, with my profound regret that they never had the chance to make the new start so many of them hoped to achieve Ann Rule, author of Green River, Running Red. Typically she would return after just a few days. But Ms. Gaspar was hardly alone. It was a huge dark cloud over this community, he said. They stopped on the bridge over the Green River to rest. The discovery of the body behind a meat packing plant was the first. My family left, and she was gone, Ms. Gaspar said. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. But I wasn't going to let her go.". The body is recovered and the cause of death is determined to be murder by strangulation using the victims own clothes. After loosing her job at the at the Dairy Queen in South Tacoma and failing a test to join the Navy, Dub decided to work on getting her GED. During Wendy's childhood, the pair lived in poverty, moving from one low-rent apartment to the next. Thesethree women are listed on the official Green River Homicides list. Debra Lynn Bonner, 23, July 25, 1982, last seen south of Sea-Tac Airport. We thought: This is great. no time to say goodbye Her remains were found July 15, 1982. On July 15, 1982, the body of Wendy Lee Coffield was found in the Green River. Within a month, four other bodies were found on the riverbank: Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. 21 year old Carol Ann Christensen was last seen leaving Barn Door Tavern on Pacific Avenue South on May 3rd, 1983. The discovery of the body behind a meat packing plant was the first clue police had to the developing nightmare of the Green River serieal killer's actions. Maybe both. Liked it? Green River Killer: River of Death Stream of Tears Crime Library Cynthia, who often went by Cookie, got a job through a private contractor to paint apartments, and worked with a friend, Opal Mills, another of Ridgways victims. Theres a certain tie that mothers and daughters have, she said. She was stunned. Gary Ridgway admitted to killing of all of these women, but could not supply any significant information that would assist in the identification of these women. Everybody was a potential friend, she said. The teenage girl was a runaway who had recently escaped from a juvenile detention center in Pierce County. I baked her a chocolate cake. It was suspected that they were all murdered by the same person and dumped from the same location near the 25000 block of Frager Road. The oldest of three daughters, Shirley grew up in a tightknit family and was working as a sex worker by 1982. After falling in with the wrong friends Dub dropped out of high school, began abusing alcohol and fought with her parents. When I got that notification, that this was it, that this was Wendy, I cant even tell you, Dr. Taylor said. The body of Wendy Lee Coffield is removed from the Green River in 1982 Email Print Share Reprints Follow @TIME Marcia Chapman's hand seemed to be waving in the river's current when Detective. Even Ms. Gaspar briefly wondered whether he mightve been responsible for Wendys disappearance. 17 Apr 1966 - 8 Jul 1982 . My heart still aches in sadness Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Sandra D. Major She was remembered by friends as an extremely generous girl who didnt have a malicious bone in her body. She was last seen on March 3rd, 1983, on Pacific Highway South. Kasee Ann Woods Lee Flowers have been left. Lisa L. Yates On Aug. 12, 1982, detectives found Debbie Bonner, 23, in the Green River. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Though convicted of killing 49 young women and girls, he has confessed to 71 murders, and some investigators believe the actual number is even higher. By 1984, the number of dead or missing women reached 49, becoming the nations largest unsolved serial-murder case. The guy that manages the Little League Baseball field in Burien said a dog just came home with a bone, recalled Detective Tom Jensen, who had joined the Green River Task Force just weeks prior. Soon after reinforcement arrived at the scene, detectives sealed off the area and began a search for evidence. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Wendy was 16 years old and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. Within a month, fourother bodies were found on the riverbank:Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. By 1983, 17 year old Sandra Gabber went from star of her high school basketball team to working in one of the most dangerous corners along the Pac HiWay. Despite almost everyone in her large family having allergies to them, as a child Mary would often bring home stray cats and try to hide them in her room. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Wendy Lee Coffield I found on Findagrave.com. How can anybody wrap their head around their daughter being killed by a serial killer?. Ridgway was arrested Nov. 30, 2001 for investigation of. Green river homicides investigation - King County Misplaced bones resurface, victim linked to Green River Killer Wendy was a runaway who had a history of prostitution. Call (collect if necessary): 206-263-2130, Call between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to arrange to speak with a detective. After giving birth to a healthy baby boy, she put him up for adoption and married a man named Kenneth Mathews, 24, in 1977. My mind had gone in a lot of different directions, she said. Thanks for your help! She was walking towards the Kmart where she planned to shop for clothes. Within hours of Sandras last known sighting, 16 year old Kimi-Kai Pitsor was seen for the last time in Downtown Seattle. Drag images here or select from your computer for Wendy Lee Coffield memorial. Growing up Opal was a pure hearted, loving child who named the dolls and stuffed animals kept on her bed. 17 year old Marie Malvar moved out of her family home by 1983 and, working as a waitress in the restaurant her father owned, still saw her family quite often. By 1991, the task force was reduced to one person: Detective Jensen. Because the first victims were in or near the Green River, the killer became known as the Green River Killer. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6887254/wendy-lee-coffield. Thesethree women are listed on the official Green River Homicides list. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Her family described her as a loving and caring person. After months of silence from the local police, Ms. Gaspar had begun to doubt if anyone was actually looking for her daughter. By mid-1983, King County investigators had found and identified eight victims, and a pattern: The killer was strangling young women sex workers or runaways many of whom were navigating the streets alone, after having escaped abuse or difficulties at home. People would ask me, Do you have children? she said. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Mr. Ridgway, one of Americas most devastating serial killers, terrorized King County, Wash. Wendy Lee Coffield, 16, left her Tacoma foster home July 8, 1982, and was not seen alive again. Wendy Lee Coffield Flowers have been left. She was a murder victim of Gary Leon Ridgway, known as "The Green River Killer" who was responsible for the murders of 49 women in Seattle, Washington, between 1982 and 1984. Born sometime in 1965, Shawnda was one of three children and had a history of prostitution. At her funeral, her family played her favorite song, Love Begins with One Hello.. His first victim is believed to be 16 year old Wendy Lee Coffield. Marie Malvar The youngest child of an upper middle class family with an IQ of 145, Gisele did well in school and was an avid reader; her favorite book was Colleen McCulloughs The Thornbirds. Constance Naon Your email address will not be published. He was hazy on the details, but said he thought he had picked Wendy up near a K.F.C. There was such a high volume of victims, she said in an interview before her death. Oops, something didn't work. Carrie Ann Rois He agreed to provide complete, truthful and candid information concerning the crimes that he had committed in King County and answer all questions during interviews conducted by the detectives or the prosecuting attorney. Rivers In Time ProjectKing CountySeattle Public UtilitiesSeattle City Light, Wendy Coffield's body being pulled out of the Green River, 1982, Green River, Meeker Street Bridge, Kent, April 15, 2009, Green River Murder Victim Identified;P Probe Inches Along The Seattle Times, August 18, 1982, p. A13; Carlton Smith, Wendy Juvenile in Jeopardy.