Arrest in Murder of Jessica Ridgeway – 17 Year Old CSI Award Winner Westminster Boy Austin Sigg

Posted by BOC Staff | Austin Sigg,Jeremiah Bryant,Jessica Ridgeway,Sarah Ridgeway,Westminster Police Dept | Wednesday 24 October 2012 3:18 pm

Westminster, CO-  Westminster Police Have announced an arrest in the brutal murder and mutilation of 10 year old Jessica Ridgeway.

Austin Sig, 17 year old Westminster resident is in custody for the murder of Jessica Ridgeway,  and charges stemming from an attempted kidnapping and murder of a Ketner trail jogger in May.  Sigg  won a second place award in the CSI category while attending Warren Tech, Standley Lake in March.

 

Sig’s residence is being searched this afternoon.

 

Details to follow.

 

 

Related Posts:

73 Comments

  1. mosaic says:

    If there’s any truth to the report that he strangled her after he pulled her into his vehicle the smallest bit of consolation could be that her suffering lasted very briefly. The thing I feared most with this case was torture.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/24/jessica-ridgeway-arrest-colorado/1654699/

  2. wpg says:

    Not going into the details of his father except to say that he appears to live on quite the estate.

    Will post this 2009 video supplied by local media . . . figure on left wearing the cross at 1:45 time mark:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O7cCZAqWGQ&feature=plcp

  3. Shelly says:

    Someone posing as Austin Sig started a fake profile page on facebook. Though fake, interesting to hear some of things he said about Austin.

    https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Austin-Sigg/292809404154374?fref=ts

  4. susanm says:

    necrophilia?no, did he do it for attention, seems , he wanted to get caught ? very strange ,overplanning ,he didnt really leave his own neighborhood,forget a 25 mile radius ,he s***s where he sleeps,kept those body parts close by.. had he at anytime time seen a therapist?

  5. ktina says:

    So there was no sexual aassault? He just killed to kill?

    Not released to date. If his story is true, and it would be the first complete and true confession that does not include the location where he chopped up a 10 year old, then he did not assault her.

    As I am seeing his background, a serious porn addiction does not support he is not a sexual deviant.
    B

  6. laurenloki says:

    I have been a long time lurker and reader – but this case has hit so close to home, literally. Austin Sigg’s father lives about 4 miles from me in Parker… I got the serious heebies thinking he could have driven past my home, or a number of friends’ homes and have seen their children walking or playing outside. His father, Robert Sigg is no stranger to arrests – and have a lengthy criminal record.

    http://kdvr.com/2012/10/24/ridgeway-murder-suspect-austin-siggs-father-no-stranger-to-police/

    This will definitely play out as “broken home” – “taunted at school”… I hope justice is swift and painful.

    He has had intervention, did not help.
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/warehouse180/276777975711

  7. Sue says:

    A neighbor was interviewed today and stated the Sigg family had cats. I did wonder at the time if the neighbor suspected that any of the cats were tortured or abused by this teenage monster. That interview question was never asked of the very talkative neighbor. She did say that she thought the cats weren’t taken care of well. Just sayin’….

    They had 4 cats in May.
    B

  8. katts says:

    Katts

    The news stated that the mother had a live-in boyfriend who moved out about a month ago. I would guess the boyfriend sensed or saw the depravity that the mother either could not, or refused to accept and being unable to change the situation said, “Outta of here.”

    Sorry to say I have several acquaintances that are afraid of their preteen to young adult sons. The mothers are verbally demeaned, demanded of, and in instances have been angrily pushed. (Commonality -No dads anywhere) One boy in his early twenties creates so much fear none of the family will allow him in their homes, another is too young to be put out.

    The women are cowed, and ashamed and yet often justify, even defend their son’s behavior (poor boy this, poor boy that, excuses, excuses), exactly like an abusive marriage.

    I swear I met a seven year old at a pool party who told me he had held a little girls head underwater, then giggled. I’m sure, I being a stranger, he was looking for shock value. In our conversation I could hear the utter comptempt for his mother as he described her verbal reprimand. I still shudder.

  9. Becca says:

    Interesting he had to actually say it to his mom. I’d place my bets she already knew.

    I applaud her for turning him in. I may be far less positive as we learn his psyche background.
    I firmly believe this kid exhibited every sign we all know to look for.
    I want to see a pic of his room.

    B

    —————————————-

    I may not applaud but give a small golf clap for now. I know enough from reading on this site too many moms/family would continue to cover for perpetrators even if confronted with the truth. So good job to her for doing the obviously right thing. I just wonder if the right thing had been done earlier this little girl would still be alive. I can’t help but lump enablers or those who choose to bury their heads in the sand, in with the evil doers. Maybe this mom had been actively doing something to stop him ir knew nothing and I’m being presumptuous. I hope so but totally doubt it based on the escalation that most likely occurred.

  10. Word Girl says:

    Austin had a collection of knives, including switchblades and he used to have play fights with an elementary school student–they threw knives at each other.

    Preoccupation with csi, dead bodies, anti-social behavior (chuckling at a report on Ted Bundy)….So many signs of trouble.
    ~~

    “Jacqueline Miller, who shared a Psychology 101 class with Sigg at Arapahoe Community College, remembered that when the semester began in August, the instructor asked students about their majors. Sigg, she recalled, announced that his major was mortuary science.
    When Miller presented a paper on anti-social personality disorder, Sigg seemed particularly intrigued that she used serial killer Ted Bundy as a case study. As Miller explained that Bundy had no *empathy* for his victims, she noticed Sigg chuckling to himself.

    “He was so lit up about what I was saying,” Miller recalled. “He was asking about it. He was intrigued. It was almost like he was excited about it.
    “He said he was intrigued by dead bodies. There was something creepy about him.”

    ttp://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21848343/classmates-ridgeway-suspect-fascinated-by-crime-scene-forensics?source=pkg#ixzz2AI5JwbUp

  11. Word Girl says:

    One student didn’t think Austin was creepy. She said he was helpful and respectful. His forensic project was on decomposition–how does medium of water or dirt or freezing temperatures affect.

    In retrospect, that’s a bit creepy.

    This female student goes on to talk about the suspect and says he didn’t talk at all about his family.

    The cross and Christian aspect–or its mocking–comes out here:

    “Court records and other documents indicate a troubled history.
    Sigg’s father, Robert Sigg of Parker, has a lengthy arrest record that includes domestic violence charges. In 2005, he pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud and was ordered to pay more than $141,000 in restitution. At the same time, he was linked to financial scandals involving Heritage Christian Center.”

  12. Word Girl says:

    There will be plenty of time for analysis here. It’s just sad that a little girl had to die, along with other crimes or attempted crimes he committed.

    My analysis of where the perp lived was pretty close but I would have not put him that close to her home. All of the rest of the placements worked out according to suspect analysis. Interesting how much of the csi stuff we use now that we’ve learned of it.

    The statistics wouldn’t have placed Caylee as close to home, either, but we had a different killer there. I knew exactly where her body was and I only had the wrong side of the street in a near-mirror placement.

    Never would I have guessed or analyzed this as a juvenile offender. I pictured someone of physical size and strength to swiftly do the abduction, perform the excisions and carry out their placement.

  13. Idahogal says:

    I suspect we will be hearing more stories of this nature involving this boy. Thank God he has been caught, IMO he would have kept offending in different manners.

    http://www.9news.com/news/article/295910/71/Remains-found-at-suspects-house

    Snipped>>>
    Sigg also took forensic science class last year at WarrenTech. A classmate who took the course with Sigg says they studied DNA and crime scenes.

    Meaghan Barker said Sigg did a project exploring how bodies decompose. He used skinned rats and placed them in several different environments, including freezing temperatures, covered in dirt and out in the open.

    ***************88
    Also,I was watching this live feed provided by- Joan T. says:
    October 24, 2012 at 7:00 pm
    Note: anyone who has a mac and is interested in watching livefeed news from Denver,

    http://kdvr.com/on-air/live-streaming/

    ——
    On it they showed a video taken from Sigg’s father’s FB page. It showed a younger Austin Sigg wearing a wooden cross necklace.
    They also said that LE had recovered more remains in the crawl space of his mother’s home, but they believe there is another crime scene elsewhere.

  14. Jane says:

    I also read he pulled her into the car and strangled her? That seems too simple to have gone from abduction, strangulation, death to dismemberment of a body. Could that be the truth or do you think there’s more to this story, Blink? I would think with any failed abductions the anxiety and anger continued to increase…

    It is my belief there will be , yes.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/warehouse180/276777975711

  15. Christy says:

    Sickening.

    I stand by what I’ve said in the past, in cases of psychopaths like this…there IS always SOMEONE who is not surprised by their actions and always had a ‘hinky’ feeling that person could be capable.
    Most people just won’t ever admit or they keep it to themselves.

    No surprise in sight.
    http://blinkoncrime.com/2012/10/25/the-devil-they-knew-jessica-ridgeway-accused-murderer-austin-reed-sigg-profile-emerges/

  16. [...] arrival,  Austin Reed Sigg confessed the unthinkable.   Sigg told investigators he strangled the little girl after he snatched her [...]

  17. pale rider says:

    laurenloki says:
    October 24, 2012 at 10:05 pm
    I have been a long time lurker and reader – but this case has hit so close to home, literally. Austin Sigg’s father lives about 4 miles from me in Parker… I got the serious heebies thinking he could have driven past my home, or a number of friends’ homes and have seen their children walking or playing outside. His father, Robert Sigg is no stranger to arrests – and have a lengthy criminal record.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Wow, I lived just over the Elbert County line off Delbert Rd. My sons attended ACC before transferring to Metro. My husband worked in Arvada. That sends shivers up and down.

  18. Cant remember the guys name he had a lisp co founded or worked at the body farm was an inventor of decomp sniffer machine..Gave evidennce against kc anthony at trial…Obsesed with death an yet majority of the Ladies thought he was cute cuddly an not in the least creepy. Im sure if he was accused of murdering an chopping up a childs body then perseptions would shift..Re C S I …Terri Horman posed Kyron in a C S I Tshirt besides his Red Eyed Frog project .

    Dr. Arpad Vass. I have a mad decomp crush on him. He is a senior research scientist and forensic anthropologist.- U of T. He is critical in developing the PMI or post mortem interval, under Dr. William Bass. He is considered pioneer as is “death’s acre”, or The Body farm.

    ecossie- I am not seeing the comparison to someone with this training and someone wearing a CSI tshirt that was actually his brothers. Is that what you meant?

    Recent lecture:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Qd2nxMC2Y

    B

  19. Blink …I was referenceing C S I to Austin Stig ..In the article you said something about an award with c s i on it given to him from some comunity collage or something.An the coincidece of forencics officers searching his room for evidence ..I was thinking that Terri poseing Kyron in the brothers c s i shirt if she chose it for him to wear as oppose random ironic choice …If she chose it ?May have been a taunt who knows .Would someone trying to commit a non traceable dont look at me crime pull a stunt like that?…Im a male but admit I was impressed with Dr A Vass an his comitment to his calling .

  20. Oh Reason I mentioned Dr Arpad Vass an his expertise in decomp rates an the efect the enviroment /conditions/ect.A few people think Austins Stigs alleged intrest in Mortician for a career choice.And that somehow the Mother an people close to him should have known an are some how complieant..O K She may through a Mothers rose tinted glasses giving him the benifit of the doubt on some occasions.Maybe to many however.She certainly nrver enabled him in regards Murder.Turning him into L E as soon as he confessed.Anyone else of the opinion Austin may have come acrose a recipie/process /to make chlorophorm?An attempted to subdue the Lady in previous attack?

  21. A Texas Grandfather says:

    In re-reading everyone’s comments about this case, I decided that I would further investigate if Austin could have found a simple way to make chloroform. Looked for the Wikipedia entry. Found two common household chemicals that when mixed make a weak chloroform.

    Most every household has isopropol alcohol in the medicine cabinet for cleaning of wounds. Many have the second ingredient which is chlorine bleach(sodium hypocholorite). He certainly could have made the mixture in his bathroom. Another alcohol often used in industry and available at industrial chemical supply houses is ethanol. This will also make choloroform when mixed with bleach. Ethanol is used as an antifreeze in many industrial activities relating to hydrocarbons where the ethanol does not affect the primary hydrocarbon.

    This young man was smart. After all, he did win an award for the classes he was taking. I am beginning to think that he in his twisted mind wanted to experiment on humans. In order to do that he first tried to abduct a full adult without success. Did he attempt to abduct any other child in the area prior to Jessica? We don’t know.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment