Jessica Ridgeway Murder: Investigation Focuses On Suspects Of Prior Kidnap Attempts, Points To Local Suspect
Jessica Christine Ridgeway , the grape-hued bespectacled 10 year old who lit up the court as a Stadley Lake pee wee cheerleader, left her Westminster home at 8:30am on October 5, 2012.
She was due to meet her walk-buddy Jeremy after speaking to him briefly from her Mom’s cell at 8:25am. When she did not show by 8:40am, he hitched a ride from his Dad to avoid missing the 8:50am bell. The drive route would not pass an “enroute” Jessica if she were to take the normal path to school.
Jessica never made it to Witt Elementary School (WES) and the school called her Mother’s cell by 9am to alert her to her absence.
Sarah Ridgeway, Jessica’s Mother, worked the night shift and never heard the cell phone she left downstairs. Later in the afternoon Sara retrieved the voice mail from WES, got in her car and began looking for her daughter.
Ridgeway reports her only child she shared with Jeremiah Bryant missing via 911 when she was unable to locate her. Jeremiah Bryant, Jessica’s Father, was alerted first by his employer when police were trying to determine his whereabouts, and then directly by investigators.
Despite the 6 hour delay Westminster Police reacted swiftly. They had interviewed children that normally walked to school with Jessica by the end of the school day and issued an amber alert by 9:15 PM Friday evening.
Victorious. This is the word splashed across Jessica’s pink backpack found by a neighbor in nearby Superior in the early hours of Sunday October 7th. It was believed to have been placed there between 6:45PM Saturday and midnight Sunday morning.
By Sunday afternoon Jessica’s family had confirmed the backpack ,complete with water bottle bearing her name , was hers. By Sunday afternoon investigators knew the chances of this ending well were lost when a clear and deliberate placement of a missing ten year old child’s backpack was a definite calling card intended for them.
The complete contents of the bag or any other evidentiary clues it yielded have not been released.
Hours before Waste Management crews would stumble across the horrific mutilated partial remains of the little girl whose abduction had thousands of law enforcement assets scrambling to find her and the rest of us with cable-holding our collective breath, Jessica’s parents were cleared of any involvement in her disappearance. An unknown predator was responsible, and HE was out there.
While it has not been disclosed publicly, sources inside the investigation speaking to BOC on the condition of anonymity have confirmed that both Sara Ridgeway and Jeremiah Bryant were administered and passed polygraph examinations.
Panic Button
82nd St, west of Quaker. Across from a series of abandoned buildings and near a dilapidated mine shaft, Jessica’s torso was discovered by a maintenance team routinely scheduled to clear debris from the area. While her remains were partially concealed by a dark garbage bag, it was clear whoever placed them where they were intended for them to found quickly. Close to a drainpipe that would have likely hidden the fate of the little girl indefinitely, her killer chose instead to traverse a culvert placing the bag inside the barbed wire fence on an elevated area visible from the road. Sources indicate to BOC that the the dismemberment was intentional and several body parts remain missing.
The state of her dismembered corpse delayed her identification from the prevailing methods of dental records and fingerprints and had to be confirmed via DNA through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) lab. It did not delay a thinly veiled and uniform look of panic among law enforcement officials in Westminster, Arvada, the FBI and the Jefferson County DA during the press conference announcing what everyone already knew.
An autopsy preformed last week awaits toxicology and other anthropologic study results to make a final determination on her cause of death, however, as police have established she was murdered there is no question her manner of death is listed as homicide.
Jessica Ridgeway was the victim of a child predator of the darkest variety, and he is likely a member of the immediate community living among those in their extreme fear and grief.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Last Fall, and as recently as a few weeks before Jessica was abducted, police in Jefferson county had been alerted to what they believed amounted to two different men suspected of attempting to lure children into their vehicles. A letter was sent home from Jessica’s school in September.
While it is not known if these suspects and composites are connected to Jessica’s murder, police would still like the public’s help in providing any information about their identity and whereabouts.
Last November a series of attempted abductions of young girls in Arvada caused Arvada police to release a composite of an as-yet unidentified suspect.
Attempted Child Abduction Incidents
- On Saturday, November 12, 2011, just after 3:00 p.m. in the area of Danny Kendrick Park (7000 Ward Road) and the Apex Recreation Center. Arvada Police were called to the area on a report of an attempted child abduction involving a 12-year-old Arvada girl.
- On Wednesday, November 16, 2011, just after 8:00 p.m., a 6-year-old child was contacted by a man as she sat in a lounge area of the YMCA located at 6350 Eldridge Street. The suspect lured her outside and she was able to break free and return to her parents inside the building.
Indecent Exposure
- On Friday, November 4, 2011, three 12-year-old girls were playing outside in the area of 69th and Robb Street when the suspect approached the girls and exposed and touched himself in their presence.
Suspicious Incident
- On Monday, November 14, 2011, Arvada Police were called the area of 77th and Parfet Street where a 15-year-old girl was contacted by a man driving a silver or white four door car who began asking her for directions.
Although Westminster Police have publicly ruled out any connection to the Ridgeway case, about 8 hours away in Cody, Wyoming, Jesse Paul Speer, an acclaimed wilderness and wildlife photographer with ties to Colorado was arrested for abducting and sexually assaulting an 11 year old girl he forced into his vehicle after she declined along with her friends to help the man search for his imaginary dog.
On Monday October 8th, Speer is alleged to have sexually assaulted the child in his vehicle over a 4 hour period, finally releasing her with a bag over her head in a remote stretch of wilderness in temperatures under 30 degrees and known for heavy predatory wildlife. Speer , a highly experienced outdoorsman, knew the chances of his victim succumbing to hypothermia or worse- were strongly in his favor.
Fortunately, Speer’s victim was found wandering by a hunter and amazingly was able to provide a full description of her attacker, the route she was taken although her hands were bound behind her back and Speer’s repeatedly pushed her head down into the seat AND described that while she was being assaulted Speer’s had hundreds of pictures of naked girls strewn about the vehicle.
Westminster Police have not elaborated on the FBI’s exclusion of Speer in the Ridgeway case and the only known and verifiable whereabouts of Speer are based on video of him entering the Yellowstone National Park at 4PM October 7.
While I have faith in the FBI, I admit that that the likelihood of two separate and distinct perpetrators engaging in the stranger abduction and assault of similarly aged girls when the same also occurred a day earlier in Westminster being two different offenders is very slim- gives me great pause. Speer fits the suggested general FBI profile found below.
Speer is being held on a $2 Million dollar bond in Montana.
Much closer to home, as recently as last May, a female jogger was attacked by an unknown man who attempted to shove a cloth in her face she felt had some sort of chemical on it. It was the second attack on a jogger reported to police since 2010 and is currently unsolved. An 8 year old on a dry trail was similarly assaulted a few weeks before that about a mile away a few weeks prior to the May incident.
It is unknown if any of these incidents are related to the Ridgeway case, but until they can be excluded the possibility this suspect is not necessarily fixated on child victims should be of great concern.
If in fact Jessica did attempt to walk to school by cutting across 106th St, she would have been walking on the gravel open space trails that connect with the Ketner and Countryside loops.
The Suspect Profile
Well, sort of. The FBI, through Agent Dave Joly has released a public request for citizens and especially parents to remain vigilant and in particular to take notice:
FBI spokesman Dave Joly on Thursday asked for the public’s help in identifying possible suspects. He said the suspect could “be your boss, your friend” or a family member.
The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit said that often, someone in the community will unknowingly be associated with the offender of the crime, and may be in a position to observe behavioral changes in that person. They will recognize the changes, and may even question the person about it, but may not relate the changes to that person’s involvement in the crime.
Immediately following the incident, he may miss work. The absence will be sudden and unplanned. He may either be a “no show” or he may offer a plausible excuse such as illness, death in the family, car trouble, etc.
He may miss scheduled appointments/commitments and be unaccounted for during this period. These appointments/commitments may include such things as medical appointments, meetings with a probation officer, prior commitment to a friend or family member, drug test, etc.
He may suddenly leave town, either with no explanation or with some plausible reason.
This individual may express an intense interest in the status of this investigation and pay close attention to the media. However, some offenders may quickly turn off media accounts or try to redirect conversations concerning the victims or their families.
There may be changes in the usual consumption of alcohol and/or drugs.
He may make a change in his appearance or alter something to prevent identification, such as changing the look of his vehicle, cleaning or discarding his vehicle.
Joly said the FBI is “working on an abundance of leads” in the case. He would not discuss specifics of the body that was found Wednesday and said the FBI is only wanting to give a profile to the public so that they might notice the behavior of the suspect.
Anyone with information should call the tip line at 303-658-4336.
(Editors Note: Ask for Suzie Salmon sweet girl- over by the canopy)
Research Credit: BOC editor Jacqueline Beaufort
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????
October 24 benefit for Jessica at The Frightmare Compound
http://www.facebook.com/events/450548924991061/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Frightmare-Compound/249225846773
****
Recall the great-aunt saying Jessica wanted to go as a zombie lifeguard for Halloween.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/teenage-girl-holds-onto-post-as-man-tries-to-abduct-her
Back in March there was an attempted abduction of a 15 YO girl here, similarly by a school and a park. Wonder if they ever brought in any suspects on this one. (snippped):
The 15-year-old, who was walking near 110th Place and Harlan Street at 8 p.m. Monday, walked across the street to see if the man would follow, which he did, according to police.
“All the doors we knocked on, all the people we talked to last night, nobody witnessed this,” said Materasso.
The only witness was the girl’s friend on the phone, who heard the assault as it happened.
Frightened Friend Calls 911
The 15-year-old was assaulted just across the street from Sheridan Green Elementary School.
“We’re right in the middle of a community, right across the street from a park,” said Materasso.
This photo of Jessica’s father crying is so heartbreaking.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2220166/Jessica-killer-previous-kidnap-attempt-grabbing-woman-smothering-chemical-rag.html
It seems the Brit tabloids can put together a photo essay/story faster and better than our US media.
I am confused. It says Jessicas body was found both behind a cabin and near a cabin.
B
new media from denverpost.com:
(snippets)
“She was supposed to meet a friend, a boy her age. The 1,000-foot walk down the street to his home should have taken four minutes, maybe five.”
“Before leaving for school that day, Jessica called a friend who lives a few blocks away to see if he would be walking to nearby Witt Elementary School, according to police dispatch tapes.
It was 8:25 a.m. She spoke to the boy’s father, who said his son would wait for her.”
“On some days, Jessica would meet friends at the park for the walk that a few blocks later cuts across open space and leads to Witt Elementary.
But on that chilly day, Jessica planned to meet her friend at his home. By 8:40 a.m., she had not arrived. With only 10 minutes until the bell rang, father and son drove off to school.”
________
imo, the 5 minute walk per googleMap is for an adult.
Little Jessica walking combined with the snowy and perhaps slick weather conditions would take longer.
The article also includes graphic, more detailed info regarding her discovery.
So very, very, sorry.
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/20/following-ridgeway-tragedy-gym-offers-free-self-defense-class-for-kids/
I feel this is essential! My parents made me go to a self defense class before college – they also were very clear what I should do in a bad situation from an early age. Self defense class not only tells you how to fight back, but more importantly how to prevent/avoid problems – how to hold yourself, walk, eye contact, etc.
I was way more confident after.
FYI
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13231396-murder-suspects-dna-no-match-in-jessica-ridgeway-case
this site wont copy /paste ,but says 3 levels of iniation, the first involves a necklace and an animal sacrifice and the necklace is washed in the river, is called elekes or collars .scroll down for the heading elekes , note, santeria claims no evil ,those are off shoot groups.
http://www.mojomoon.net/santeria.html
When I was looking at the body location on g-maps, I noted that there was fencing on both sides of the road and saw the house-like structure in ruins. I thought that would be a good place-marker for the killer and would be something that a curious person might go up to and investigate.
The photo in this article shows the a better view. To the left in the photo you can see the path up to the cabin that is visible in the satelite view.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2220480/Jessica-Ridgeway-murder-Is-wooden-cross-key-finding-Jessicas-killer-Police-release-pictures-sinister-pendant-believe-belonged-man-murdered-Colorado-10-year-old.html
In this photo at the memorial where two grey-haired women are hugging, is the woman, with sunglasses on her head, the grandmother of Jessica Ridgeway? (same article, above.)
It is actually part of an old mine shaft.
B
Okay, you’ve probably got it by now, Blink.
That structure you can see on google maps street view. That’s where the body was found.
Word, it was actually found near the drainage pipe, but on the elevated portion BEHIND the fence that separates the two. This perp placed her inside the fence. He wanted her found.
B
Use this street view as marked.
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=217409543153920803504.0004cc1e07ffee2f1af98&msa=0
It looks like this ‘cabin’ ruins would make a perfect potty stop for lots of road workers and trash collectors
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=217409543153920803504.0004cc1e07ffee2f1af98&msa=0&ll=39.846108,-105.193062&spn=0.097397,0.196381
wpg–I hadn’t read the full article before I asked about Jess’ grandmother and aunt who lived in the house. They apparently were at work when the abduction happened.
http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2012/10/21/news/doc5084227cd0e41801689998.txt?viewmode=fullstory
wpg, your alert to grim details and heartfelt words took me to the extra pages at the register citizen. thanks.
Okay, it’s making more sense. The body was found in a black garbage bag in the culvert next to the road, not at the structure or behind it. Park or waste management workers clean that area regularly because of the debris that comes from the trucks going to the landfill. (WG says, ‘have they heard of recycling or clean garbage trucks?’)
“On the afternoon of Oct. 10, maintenance workers were out picking up trash — a routine exercise in a park neighboring a landfill.
Earlier that day, police announced they had ruled out Jessica’s parents as suspects and believed an unknown person abducted her.
At about 2 p.m., workers came across a plastic garbage bag in plain view near a culvert on the side of the road, said Arvada police spokeswoman Jill McGranahan. The bag was heavy and “seemed kind of strange,” she said.
At that moment, animal-management officers who typically chase down stray dogs and escaped livestock drove by.
The maintenance workers flagged them down. An animal-control officer looked inside the bag and saw human remains, McGranahan said. Law enforcement officials have declined to be any more specific than to say they discovered a body that was “not intact.”
Within hours, hundreds of local police and FBI agents descended on the open space to walk the area and look for evidence.
It was 9 miles from Jessica Ridgeway’s house.
Two days later, grim-faced state and local law enforcement officials announced that DNA tests had confirmed that the remains were Jessica’s.”
http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2012/10/21/news/doc5084227cd0e41801689998.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Yep, I caught up to you, lol.
I find the waste management staff not realizing human remains were in the bag and needing to wave down animal control incongruent. Not that it means anything, but there is no way anyone can tell me that a WM hauler/handler in that region does not know the smell and characteristics of human remains.
B
Blink,
I’m getting a vibe that this perp lives alone, or possibly with a disable relative that he cares for.
In your opinion is he this correct and if not, what is your thoughts
on this aspect of his profile?
No way to tell yet outside of the textbook profile. Remember BTK?
I will say that salt and pepper potbelly, who DOES not match the description of the jogger suspect, seems more likely to me based on the November 2011 repeated attemtps- which appear almost manic.
The exception can be the rule in this type of offender- I am not taking that bait without more detail.
If parents are not taking their children back and forth to school, or standing with them at the bus stop before and after, I am telling you that they are putting their kids at risk. Given the opportunity he will reoffend.
B
B
We’re all looking at religious meanings,etc., but I’m wondering if it’s possible the cross was carved by the perp himself. Gross to think about I know, but dismembering a body is not such an easy task. Is it possible this killer is leaving clues to his own identity? Does he perhaps work with wood? Just a thought.
Dismembering a body is maybe the biggest set of circumstances of interpretable evidence an offender like this can offer.
After spending the Summer studying this type of offender, I can tell you the single thing that stupifies me every time, is that each one thinks they have an original idea, concept, method, motivation, or whatever that will keep them one step ahead of LE and undetected. And at the end of the day, they only really care about not being able to offend if they get locked up.
B
RE: The cross
I do not post here very often, but I have been following this case very closely due to personal ties to the area as well as being an advocate for children of crimes and abuse. This crime is horrific. my prayers to Jessica’s mother and father, family and friends.
The cross that you are viewing is called a Comfort Cross. ( Croix du recomfort). It was hand made with olive wood from Bethlehem. While traveling abroad, my husband and I purchased this cross in a small gift shop while touring a Monestary. We also purchased a rosary, which both items were blessed with holy water by a priest. All proceeds from the gift shop go directly to support the priests and nuns. Enclosed in the box the cross came in,reads a bible passage: 2 Corinthians 1:1-4. It reads: “Praise be to the father of our Lord Jesus CChrist, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,who comforts us in all of our troubles……….
The Company that distributed this cross is called Shomali. The website is http://www.shomaliinc.com/products/ourproducts.html. The Comfort Cross could have been a confirmation or Baptismal (religious) gift to the suspect at some point in his life. Thank you blink for allowing this post. I hope this helps and lends some clues as to what this cross is and what it means, and how it might aid in furthering the profile of the suspect.
Duchess, I appreciate your post, but the cross you are referring to has honed/machined rounded edges, and I do not believe the cross in question has that, nor is it made of olive wood.
Unless I am looking at the wrong thing?
B
Yes, Blink, I can imagine her telling
perp “my friend is expecting me,
so she’s made to call & fob him off.
so no alarm is raised.
No, she called from the home, from her Mom’s cell.
B
Duchess, thx for your input on the cross. I don’t think that cross is necessarily handmade, but it could be. It appears to be one solid piece of wood, not olive, that has been stained and a hole drilled through the top, northern cardinal point.
The cross shows wear, but is quite dirty in spots. The slashes cut through some of the grime, the glaze, the stain. There are also a number of ‘knife stick’ points, where someone was absentmindedly or not absentmindedly, poking the knife into the wood.
I think the zigsag was also a mind-tracing, rather than specifically intentional such as in drawing a map. It looks like zig connects to zag as the mind plots its thoughts.
Oh, meant to definitely agree with Duchess that such a cross is normally a gift. To a male, at confirmation, 8th grade graduation, high school graduation…or in non-liturgical churches, possibly at a baptism done for someone older. A ‘born-again’ young person might buy this cross for himself or a friend who is aware of his new life might also purchase it.
My words aren’t working well today. I’m going to give them a rest.
Blink, there are many varieties, sizes and shapes of the comfort crosses and can be made from different wood and or materials. You can even go to utube to learn how to make one. I was only trying to imply the symbolism. If he carried the small cross with him, or wore it around his neck, it must have meant something to him. That all I was trying to imply. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for allowing me to post.
No worries, I am being overly cautious in this case and will continue to be.
Did it mean something to him? Or does he just want us to think it did?
I would like to believe that there is more than a connection to the suspect than “it is not Jessica’s”, and if that is the case, it had better be DNA.
B
Word Girl says:
October 21, 2012 at 5:03 pm
….There are also a number of ‘knife stick’ points, where someone was absentmindedly or not absentmindedly, poking the knife into the wood.
I think the zigsag was also a mind-tracing, rather than specifically intentional such as in drawing a map. It looks like zig connects to zag as the mind plots its thoughts.
__________
Your words are working fine. My thoughts were similar with regards to the markings on the cross.
The story of the boy lifted by his neck in the attempted abduction was frightening. While we don’t know if the incidents are linked whomever took Jessica was so swift and cunning one could easily think he had at least one practice run.
Blink, do you believe LE knows the point of abduction?
I do. They believe it to be from the open space area contained in the map I published, crossing 106th.
Unverified however, working theory so that could change.
B
“I would like to believe that there is more than a connection to the suspect than “it is not Jessica’s”, and if that is the case, it had better be DNA.”
B
Blink, if they were able to rule out the son who killed his mother via DNA, the comparison DNA of a male in Jessica’s case had to come from something.
Might be the cross or something else . . . maybe even more than one finding of the same DNA.
jmo’s
I presume there has to be corresponding DNA to more than one source of evidence for them to include or exclude anything, yes.
B
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/19/mom-says-man-almost-kidnapped-son-near-ketner-lake-in-westminster/
Link is to story about an attempted abduction at or near Lake Ketner that involved an eight year old boy. No one knows if it’s related but there has been at least one predator roaming that area for some time.
I am about to sound harsh. Don’t care.
You will notice in my piece where I reference the child’s attempted abduction, I never state his name, or the date of the incident specifically.
Why? Because he is a CHILD, the target of a foiled abduction and now a WITNESS.
I can tell you WPD does NOT want the press contacting the two women they may believe were failed attempts, so to publish the child’s name, mother and sister?
What the hell is wrong with that reporter, and more importantly what the hell is wrong with this mother compromising the safety of her family further?
Unbelievable.
B
SNIP>
If parents are not taking their children back and forth to school, or standing with them at the bus stop before and after, I am telling you that they are putting their kids at risk. Given the opportunity he will reoffend.
B
***************************************
I’m glad to hear you say that, I’m not gonna mention any names,
but I have seen other profilers stating (not in quote) that this guy will take a long break now. That he will go underground so-to-speak.
I wouldn’t want to take that chance,,,, just sayen.
I might agree with that as a statistical possibility, yes.
However, unless someone knows more than I, I can tell you that any seasoned profiler would tell you there is not enough intel available at this time to make that statement. In fact, if I were to assess his possibility of going off the grid solely on what is known so far, I would say that would be incongruent with an offender who blatantly abducted a child in broad daylight, staged her backpack to be found, then dumped her mutilated torso on the side of a property he planned to be found quickly and allegedly leaves a cross behind. This is not the behavior of an offender that wants to be off grid, imo.
B
There is mention of a key chain on Jessica’s backpack with her name on it. The cross is so small. I wonder if this cross was found on her backpack key chain? I have been thinking about release of possible evidence and not to be graphic if the cross had been found with the remains I wonder if storage of the that evidence might be different. Could someone have shown Jessica the cross and put it on her key chain with her name on it. Calling someone by their name could create an underlying feeling of comfort to a child etc… Does that make sense? I can not shake the feeling that the jogger in May knows something about this cross or one like it. I wonder if someone ever approached her before hand to offer a cross?
I have to believe if it was ruled out to be Jessica’s it had to have been with her backpack, a suspected abduction site, or with her remains. There would be no other way to associate it with her.
B
Where did they find the cross? In the bag with Jessica? Nearby? Are they for sure it was left as a part do this crime?
At one of the crime scenes is all that has been disclosed.
B
Praying for DNA on that cross for sure.
My natural cynicism and hatred for criminals makes me suspect that the killer’s cross meant something to him other than what we might think in a feelgood way.
Irony, sarcasm, anger, rebellion, and just plain nasty ugliness in the heart of a person could prompt him to leave a cross at with the body of a beautiful and innocent child. His statement may have said, “oh, yeah, where is your god now?” or “you let your kids walk to school like this? Well, I was neglected, too, so here ya go.”
Sick SOB. Westminster Police Department WILL get him.
Word- he never saw Jessica as a child. She was an object, instrument. The FBI and associated agencies are WPD’s biggest asset right now. I have suggested they consult with the heavy hitters I have studied under recently. They NEED a field rated agent that has actually worked similar cases.
B
Blink Thanks for covering little Jessicas case. I hope your attention will help
For all those who are wondering about the weather/snow
According to all sources I have been able to find
It had been very warm in the 80s and high seventies it rained with a lightening and thunderstorm on the 27th of Sept but then returned again to the warm weather- on oct 3 it was again 80
Because it had been so warm the snow did not stick around for long at all
It had snowed mostly overnight- and the only accumulation was on grassy areas and parked cars- picnic benches etc
At school time- in some areas it was still very lightly snowing this snow though did not “add up”
If jessica was going to “cut through” a grassy area she might have thought better off it if enough snow had accumulated making it harder to see the grass inorder to judge the depth and if she was wearing “good boots” she may have resisted cutting thru the area because of wet snow and dirt equals mud
However if in a rush she may have chanced it or if trying to get away from someone in a vehicle she may have chanced it.
sadly I do believe any snow prints would have been gone by the time LE was alerted butthere may have been tire tracks though or mud prints
Here are some links to videos of what the snow was like – to give everyone an idea of what the weather and conditions were like:
http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/47964418#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3hNtld9Hww&feature=related
http://www.timescall.com/longmont-weather/ci_21706506/longmonts-first-snowfall-season-net-four-tenths-an
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HiEUuGf6gg&feature=related
http://photos.denverpost.com/2012/10/05/photos-denver-snow-light-dusting-for-metro-area-on-friday-october-5-2012
AJMO
It is unwise imo to overthink the cross other
than connectivity to a suspect via an
identification & dna.
@blink. imo WM just didnt want to deal with what they saw in it;
animal control drive by was a lifesaver.
Maybe Jessica was directing “serendipity”
from heaven.
about the cross-
I am not sure if police know for sure if the cross is connected most reports I have read say it was recovered in the area-
but if it were found in the trash bag with Jessicas remains then that is a different story.
My thoughts on the wooden cross itself are it was not handmade by the perp- I do not know if the notches were made by him or not- But this cross renminds me of the crosses “lay people” or volunteer such as youth counselors wore
Also those that were studying to become Fransican friars would wear wooden crosses-
The simple wooden cross can signify letting go of the finer things and seeking to become more like Jesus the carpenter the champion of the poor.
This cross also reminds me of the crosses that were popular with many in the 60s and 70s and conr to be popular with those who are “nature lovers”
Its going to be hard to pin down where the cross came from-
But not necessarily impossible
Just my two cents
thanks for reading
AJMO
Peace
I can’t help but draw comparison to Somer Thompson’s abduction on her short walk home from school in broad daylight. It’s terrifying how fast something can happen.
My gut tells me this was someone from the neighborhood, someone that she recogized and felt comfortable talking to or getting in a car with, maybe he offered her a ride to school to get out of the cold. This guy seems extremely brazen and I think police should be keeping their eye on Jessica’s memorial because this scumbag may choose to show up and blend into the crowd to witness the turmoil he’s caused. Disgusting.
I am thinking this guy has a past and this is not his first offense, if I’ve learned anything from lurking on BOC it’s that this is pretty extreme and ballsy for a first timer. And that makes it even scarier, this monster needs to be off the streets or none of the kids in this area are safe.
changing my opinion I do think it is very possible this cross was handmade by the perp or by someone they know-
I was rewatching the news footage where they show the cross and if you notice it is not an even cross the top is not inline with the bottom- it is off- as if the whittler took to much off the top and then couldnt make it uniformly cross like
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/19/police-seek-help-identifying-cross-that-could-lead-to-jessica-ridgeways-killer/
Makes me wonder if it was made in shop class or perhaps by someone in a youth ministry program-
something like: “this week make your own cross meet new friends”-
Do they have wood shop in other situations besides highschool? Maybe in half way house situations such as mental health programs I know they can make bird houses and wooden cars… which makes me wonder about a boys scout program or church group…
Has anyone mentioned the possibility that The notches could signify the Trinity Father Son Holy Spirit-
Or they could signify the number of years of something like as a missionary…
Or it could be any of the other ideas mentioned here by all of you sleuthers- such as the # of victims…
They dont let youth offenders or adult prisoners have wood shop do they?
AJMO
Thinking a little out of the box regarding the cross. If the perp went to the trouble to remove access to most of the easy ID avenues such as dental, finger prints or foot prints is it possible that the cross does NOT belong to him, but to another victim?
If LE cannot find DNA matching a perp in the CODIS data base, they may want to check DNA of vicitms in the area.
While some may think that the perp is local, which may be the case, there is always the possibility of this perp going outside his area to find victims. There is also the old adage that a criminal will seldom commit a crime close to home. So how far away is close?
I completely agree that thinking out of the box is in order ATG.
Wrt to the mutilation of Jessica’s remains, it was not done to mask her identity.
B
According to the City of Westminster’s website, residential trash removal is contracted on an individual basis with private solid waste companies. Citizens can elect to have their trash hauled out by the provider of their choice, or they can haul it out themselves.
As a convenience to citizens, the city provides a list of licensed solid waste companies.
* Alpine Waste and Recycling – 303-744-9881
* Best Cleaner Disposal – 303-659-3779
* EDS Waste – 303-278-8600 (West of Sheridan, South of 120th)
* Environmental Waste Solutions – 303-920-9722
* Mile High Roll-off Waste Systems (Roll-off Service Only) – 303-460-1001
* Packman Disposal – 303-288-5279
* Republic/Allied Waste Services – 303-286-1200
* Rocky Mountain Roll-off and Waste – 303-478-4717
* Rubbish Works (One Time Pickup and Roll-off Service) – 303-319-6783
* Total Disposal – 303-374-0234
* Waste Connections – 303-288-2100
* Waste Management – 303-336-3900
* Western Disposal – 303-444-2037
This would mean that any number of contracted trash and recycling collectors could be servicing a neighborhood A contractor would notice the comings and goings and routines of the residents.
The Republic Services landfill is at 8900 Colorado 93. If someone were going to the landfill from Westminster, the most direct route would take them along 82nd Avenue directly past the place where Jessica’s body was found.
Note: Does anyone know if the Ridgeway’s neighborhood has a homeowner’s association? If so, they may have guidelines or a policy for trash collection and for which provider is used by individual residents.
Mosaic- the WM crew would have been a commercial contract.
B
Mom3.0,
Thanks for posting the snow videos.
Knowing now, from your post, the snow started the night before, I wonder if that played into the pre-planning for Friday morning.
Watching this video showing the traffic in the evening snow fall in Denver reminded me that most of the neighborhood had attached garages, fwiw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCZQmUN9kqc&feature=related
@ Mosiac: Pattridge Park , where sweet Jessica’s remains we’re found, is located at 82nd and West Ave. Waste Management does have a location at 12500 West 58th street Arvada, Co. 4 miles in between. Takes 8 minutes to get there from start of business if employee.
I like your line of thinking. Who wouldn’t be questioned carrying a trash bag on their route?
Poor grammar. Meant were, not we’re.
Hello Blink & Friends.
I have been reading and not posting as this case has my mental interest. This is a real thinker and planner. I at first thought as some that her mom be at fault here but the more I am reading the more my instincts are telling me possibly Police officer? I dont know why but this to me is looking this way. This person does not seem to be noticed as out of place at all.
I dont remember who mentioned it but the weather being cold etc, it seems that it is someone that Jessica trusted for some reason. Pastor of a church? hmmm just some thoughts…
@word girl: I do believe that the cross, which was found, at one of the crime scenes is significant. I believe that he was given this cross as a gift by a relative or friend at some point in His life. I also believe that he bequeathed the cross to Jessica after he murdered her, probably raped her, and subsequently, unfortunately dismembered her body. The cross, I believe in his mind, will relieve him either of his henious acts, OR, he left this cross to help her to meet faith and be with god. This suspect has been raised in faith, and he carried a cross with him. I do not believe that he accidentally dropped the cross. Whether he wore it as a necklace, or carried it as a palm cross in his pocket, he was raised in faith. In his twisted way, he wished some faith for precious Jessica in the end. This perp has been raised in faith. Someone gave him that cross, and he somehow blended his religion into his sociopathic impulses, which is murder. The cross is significant in this case. Rules of spirituality do not apply to him, but only to his victim.
I personally believe that he included the cross, if he did in fact leave it with her remains, as a mock to the Holy Trinity. If he was raised in faith, and I agree he may have, in an almost abusive fashion ( use Carrie’s Mom as a cinematic example). This child was seen as a sacrifice to gain favor, imo.
B
All the reports are different -
about the back pack this news briefing says it was found in a paper bag is that again bad reporting?
khttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aNqvagTyNtk
It seems so because this article with quotes from the neighbor mentions no pbag but it does state that a “jessica” keychain was attached
http://www.timescall.com/news/longmont-local-news/ci_21727780/jessica-ridgeway-case-neighbor-noticed-backpack-superior-street
I am Also including this short youtube video which shows the area leading up to where jessicas remains were found- not sure exactly how close the person got before the video ends- strange vid IMO
Not much said or shown…It does show the neighborhoods the weather and the police presence searchers etc-
it would seem the perp had to have been comfortable in the area –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Ri-dc54GE&feature=related
I am still thinking about the cross could it have been found in the back pack??
susanm- interesting thoughts about the cross-
Word Girl I just found the closeups of the cross and I do see the nics you were speaking of the more I look at the cross the more amateurish it looks- as if a kid did it or a very inexperienced person- the cross is very disconcerting the more you look it becomes more of a mocking gesture and less of a penitent gesture
Blackpearl thanks for researching past abductions Alie Berrelez is another past abduction- she was found sadly not alive with the help of Yogi the bloodhound.
Ps wpg-
The weather reports were calling for the snow to start around morning rush hour instead most of it fell in the very early morning hours- so if the perp planned it in the days before he would have been planning for more snow to be falling during the abduction i would think- so he may have deviated from the plan a little
Good thoughts wpg
My prayers and condolences to Jessicaas family and friends my prayers for the community as well
ajmo
peace
Thanks Blink for the clarification about Waste Management being a commercial contract.
My theory regarding *residential* trash pick-up is this….Let’s hold for a moment the possibility that Jessica’s killer was UNfamiliar with Jessica’s neighborhood and chose it randomly….
If her attacker was familiar with her neighborhood, he might: a) live there, b) have visited people there, b) live close by and passes it frequently, d) has work that takes him there.
If we consider that her killer was familiar with the neighborhood because of his work, the possibilities of include: trash collection, ups, fed-ex, yard-care, home maintenance, ice cream truck and more. Trash in Westminster is individually contracted by residents so it’s possible that garbage trucks from different companies travel through a single neighborhood. If Jessica’s neighborhood does not have restrictions from a home owner’s association, any licensed trash collector may be servicing those streets.
I’m not necessarily thinking about Waste Management specifically but rather ANY residential trash collector that has clients in Jessica’s neighborhood. Is it possible that Republic Services has clients on Moore Street?
It was notable to me that Jessica’s body was found enroute between her home and a landfill. It made me wonder if her killer was familiar with 82nd AND her neighborhood because of his work.
Are there any cameras along any of the streets and locations involved, perhaps at businesses or the type used for home protection? It seems odd to me that at this time of day, no one saw anything? I drive past a school every morning to work and see kids walking, being picked up on buses, or dropped off. And I hope that I would recognize a situation that was out of the ordinary. I believe with all my heart that this may have been someone she was either familiar with or was incapacitated quickly and removed with quick precision either way.
If you’ll look on Etsy.com you’ll see a lot of these “crooked crosses”
They seem to be made to weave thro the fingers.
I can’t think this was the first foray.. I think this is someone who travels a lot in their job.. And their job is something no one “sees”.
My condolences to Jessicas family and friends. May this MONSTER be caught before he kills again.
I think this needs to be considered with all the discussion of the snowfall on the morning Jessica was abducted:
Colorado has very low humidity which makes the snow very dry– remember, skiers love CO because the snow is “powder”. If only a light snow, it could literally be swept with a broom. It is not wet, or really that sloppy (though in the heart of winter, the streets and sidewalks get mushy because of the salt used to melt the snow/ice for safety). The snow could certainly wet someone’s shoes or clothes if it accumulates on them and melts due to body heat.
Also, I think that we need to consider the fact that snow in CO is a fact of life, Coloradans tend to be hearty and love the outdoors, including the weather it brings. I think those of us who live in the Mid-Atlantic or further South may be thinking about how we deal with snow in our area– which residents in northern states may rightfully think is an overreaction–it snarls traffic, delays school openings, etc. But in Rocky Mountain country, the Great Lakes states, Alaska, etc. individuals and governments have more experience dealing with snow and more tools (clothing, accessories, experience and, literally, tools) at their disposal that make them successfully prepared to do so.
[Perhaps this can be confirmed or expanded upon by anyone living in Colorado. I'm an East Coaster with family in Denver & Boulder, though I have been to CO several times myself.]
@ Mom3.0 October 22, 2012 at 2:51 am
I think that the report of the backpack being in a brown bag was a case of bad reporting. The article that you linked to reports that the man and woman who found the backpack originally noticed it just after midnight on Saturday and that while it was out of place enough for them to notice it, it wasn’t out of place enough for them to go outside to check it out further at that time of night. This leads me to conclude that there was no brown bag which would have prevented them from being able to identify it as a child’s backpack from inside their house at night. Additionally, the article states that the man described the backpack as appearing “to have been placed deliberately in a standing-up position on the sidewalk rather than tossed haphazardly.” Quoting the man directly, he said, “Just like you’d set a bag down.”
I think the report including the brown bag was straight up misinformation, or possibly, was based on observations that occurred after the initial discovery of the bag and during or after the processing of the crime scene– perhaps they mistook a brown evidence bag as part of the original discovery/presentation of the backpack. JMO.
http://www.timescall.com/news/longmont-local-news/ci_21727780/jessica-ridgeway-case-neighbor-noticed-backpack-superior-street
A clump of hair, reciepts, and a dna match with another unsolved attack:
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/21/exclusive-dna-from-jessica-ridgeway-suspect-linked-to-unsolved-attack-sources-say/
I am behind, brief court appearance for case this am, Do we have the location of the clump of hair?
This does not specify the unsolved attempted sexual attack, I presume it is the May one?
B
I may have missed this-
Is there a crossing guard routinely present at 106th St & Moore St’s?
Exclusive: DNA from Jessica Ridgeway suspect linked to unsolved attack, sources say
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/21/exclusive-dna-from-jessica-ridgeway-suspect-linked-to-unsolved-attack-sources-say/
like I said, no intention of going off the grid. He is all in.
B