4. Mary was almost eight months pregnant when she went missing near the Western Six Motel on September 15th, 1983. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. But what Ms. Gaspar remembered most is the time they spent outside, some of her fondest memories with her daughter. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. A a registered member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Browning, Montana, Carol moved to Grays Harbor, Washington, in 1969. The police got a lead on her identity after they published photographs of her tattoos in local newspapers. By 1983 Carol was a young mother separated from her husband but she was determined to make it work for the sake of her daughter, Sarah, her absolute pride and joy. That doesnt go away. They waded into the water, thinking it was a mannequin, then they saw hair floating under water. In shock, he sat down and waited for help to arrive. Her parents, Tom and Carol Estes, still live in the Auburn home where they last saw their teenage daughter. Over time, the combination of advancing technology, science, and determined investigative work advanced the case until an arrest was made in 2001. Somebody reached out to Colleen and said, Id like to see what you can do with one of Ridgways unidentified victims, remembered Dr. Press, who asked if the victim had another name. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Linda Rule Sandra D. Major An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Thus began one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history. DNA analysis, however, didnt turn out to be the solution investigators had hoped. He asked the older man if he had caught anything. Wendy was 16 years old and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. Serial Killer House in SeaTac, Washington, United States, Crime Location in Burien, Washington, United States, Place of Interest in Seattle, Washington, United States, Place of Interest in Tacoma, Washington, United States, Crime Location in Tacoma, Washington, United States, Place of Interest Queens, New York, United States, Crime Location Brooklyn, New York, United States, Place of Interest Augusta, Georgia, United States, Filming Location Long Beach, California, United States. Following her parents divorce in 1979, Wendys behavior only got worse with her mother describing her as, wild in a lot of ways but I dont think it was a harmful kind of wild. and memories a lane, She saw a counselor once a week and, though she wanted to discuss other things, all she could think about was Wendy. Andrea M. Childers Because she was reported missing on July 8th, 1982, it is likely that she had been dead for at least a week. Ridgway targeted the desperate and the vulnerable, primarily sex workers or runaways, because he thought nobody would notice their absences and because he hated them, later stating in interviews that he wanted to kill as many prostitutes as possible. But he would occasionally venture away from his M.O. Eventually, the deaths of at least 48 women would be linked to the Green River killer. She would just take off, she said, describing disappearances that might last days or even weeks. 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. As word of the so-called Green River Killer spread throughout the community, Mr. Reichert said, families began keeping their daughters close. Within a month, fourother bodies were found on the riverbank:Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. Eventually, the deaths of at least 48 women would be linked to the Green River killer. During Wendy's childhood, the pair lived in poverty, moving from one low-rent apartment to the next. On July 15th, 1982, two 15-year-old boys were cycling over the Meeker Street Bridge when they spotted a body floating in the water. They remain missing today, and their cases remain uncharged. By 12 she would often run away from home after fights with her parents. Ms. Gaspar struggled to grasp what shed been told. you were gone before I knew it, The couple had no proper means of income, no car and were living out of motels. She went missing in July and her body was discovered in August 1982. Opal Charmaine Mills The officer disbelievingly walked into the shallow river and reached out toward the ghostly form. Ridgway was eventually captured and convicted of his 49 confirmed victims, but he would later go on to confess to upwards of 80 murders. Investigators believe she was killed not long after her arrival in Washington. My family left, and she was gone, Ms. Gaspar said. Your email address will not be published. The youngest of two daughters, Wendy was 12 when she and a friend ran away to a nearby truck stop, hoping to catch a ride. Coffield's body was badly decomposed. The officer immediately called for backup. The prosecutor who helped convict the notorious Green River Killer of murdering at least 49 women in the 1980s says she is still haunted by the serial killer's lack of emotion over their deaths -. By 1982 Gail was living on welfare, moving from one friends house to the next and trying to see her daughter as much as possible. By 1991, the task force was reduced to one person: Detective Jensen. The victim was Wendy Lee Coffield, a 16-year-old girl from Puyallup. Within the space of six months, six bodies had been discovered in or near the river. In the book Green River, Running Red Kimi-Kais mother recalled that She wanted to see how life worked and never took anyones word for anything. 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. Alma Ann Smith Please take a look at the photographs below. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Her body was found by two teenage boys riding their bikes across the bridge of the Green River, Wendy was under the Peck Bridge. For more details, please read our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The youngest of three children, Deborah- who typically went by the nickname Dub- grew up in an impoverished environment. And then all of a sudden youve got two.. The next day, Ms. Gaspars parents and sister came to visit from Phoenix. 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." And there had to be somebody missing her.. Lets get their DNA profiles in, remembered Dr. Taylor. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. That spring, Mr. Ridgway became a suspect in the Green River case when a tip led detectives to his door. Lisa L. Yates 17 Apr 1966 - 8 Jul 1982 . It was mid-October 2020, and she and her husband, Warren, were spending the day with a grandniece, their weekly babysitting engagement. Linda Rule known to her family as Janie had a background all too familiar among Green River victims. 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. Ms. Gaspar described Wendys deep-set blue eyes and the first glimpses of a girl growing into a magnetic young woman. Tina Marie Thompson I miss her everyday and it will never stop, Deborah Lynn Bonner was 23 years old when she was last seen on July 25th, 1982. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. The victim was Wendy Lee Coffield, a 16-year-old girl from Puyallup. The arrested suspect, Gary Leon Ridgway, was a longtime resident of the area. Martina T. Authorlee On November 30, 2001, a suspect, Gary Leon Ridgway, 52, a longtime resident of the area, will be arrested. Marcia Faye Chapman Anthony McNabb, got right to the point: Theyd come with news about Ms. Gaspars daughter, Wendy. We were aware of the lifestyle Sandra lived but she was still a part of our family. Shes invisible to us, but we can see her impact on the genetic networks that were working on.. 26 Feb 1966 - 28 Aug 1982. This is the first of 49 bodies found of suspected victims of a serial killer. Copyright 2022 WickedHorror.com - All Rights Reserved. Its not anything that were privy to in our small but tangible realm. Martina T. Authorlee At first, it looked like a bag. 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. The last time her mother, Nancy McIntyre, saw Sandra was when they met for lunch at a Mexican restaurant where Sandra talked all about her upcoming trip to San Francisco and Hollywood. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. However she was an incredibly talented artist who began to rebel in middle school. The nameless women continued to haunt him, he said, but you cant investigate a case, except to process the remains, unless you know who someone is.. and bring you home again. Debra Lorraine Estes Shawnda Leea Summers If you call after hours, please leave voice mail so we can get back in touch with you. Aug . This account has been disabled. Shed open the paper to read about the latest victim count and wonder: Who can do this and not get caught? Arguments would ensue when her parents would speak negatively of Martin and say that he was a bad influence. Wendy was 16 years old and last seen on July 8, 1982 in the Tacoma, Washington area. 2. . He found a third body, that of a young girl who was partially clothed. She sometimes said that it would be better for the baby if her mother adopted Shaunt. When she was 10, unbeknownst to her parents, Debbie somehow managed to get a prescription for birth control from a planned-parenthood office. Shirley Marie Sherrill Within a month, four other bodies were found on the riverbank: Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. 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. In a statement made by Sandras family they said We are grateful to finally know what happened to Sandra after all these years. Thesethree women are listed on the official Green River Homicides list. Ridgway's decision to dump his victims in this river earned him the nickname "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. This will never put an end or closure on her death or murder. She had been killed by ligature strangulation. Mary Bridgett Meehan Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). She was last seen on the Sea-Tac Strip on July 17th, 1982. She would leave in the winter without a coat., Ms. Gaspars sister, Judy Dove, remembered hearing about the change in Wendy, but never thought her disappearances were more than a phase. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Dub quickly became infatuated with Martin, who made her happy enough for Dub to willfully work the streets to support him. If you call after hours, please leave voice mail so we can get back in touch with you. Investigators like Tom Jensen and Fae Brooks, who spent countless hours on their hands and knees, poring over lists of suspects, and brought heartbreaking news to the victims families, are hopeful that technology like forensic genealogy will continue that work. Reay further determined that Chapman, a mother of two who had gone missing two weeks earlier, had been dead for over a week. Yvonne Shelly Antosh https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6887254/wendy-lee-coffield. Wendy Stephens, formally known as Jane Doe B-10 or Bones 10, was Gary Ridgways youngest known victim and was only recently identified in January of 2021. This link united both sides of Wendys family, cementing her parentage. The police detectives at the scene quickly realized that there was a serial killer on the loose. A Portland native, Denise was an experienced and fairly cautious sex worker who often traveled to Seattle, where the money was better, to work. My mind had gone in a lot of different directions, she said. They stopped on the bridge over the Green River to rest. The three bodies were not the only ones to be found in and around Washington state's Green River. Terri adored her baby boy but she dropped out of school and never had the chance to go back. Her body was found by two teenage boys riding their bikes across the bridge of the Green River, Wendy was under the Peck Bridge. Carol Ann Christensen Rule, Ann (2005). Her family described her as a loving and caring person. April Buttram From there, the genealogists quickly pieced together the family tree, filling in distant cousins and eventually drawing a line connecting the mother and father, or the smoking gun couple, as Ms. Binder calls them. They knew that they had to find and catch him as soon as possible before any more women disappeared. Sandra D. Major At the time of her death, the 16-year-old was reportedly living in a foster home. Drag images here or select from your computer for Wendy Lee Coffield memorial. Within a month, five bodies of young women had been discovered in and along the Green River. Mary Exzetta West And that was over and over again. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Wendy Coffield (6887254)? We Want To Finance Your Film. Over the next several months, at least 10 more women went missing from the Seattle area. She too had been strangled to death. Maureen Sue Feeney Before long, a policeman arrived at the scene and questioned Ainsworth about his find. Two boys riding their bicycles across a bridge spotted the tennis shoes first of fully clothed body. She had never been a great student; Mary suffered from a hearing misperception that made concentrating difficult. Alma Ann Smith Gary Ridgwaypled guilty to the homicides of the 49people listed below. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Patricia Barczak She was born in June of 1965. Try again later. 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. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. It seems that they were frivolous with their money. Below, you will find the address and the GPS coordinates for this location. You can set your cookie preferences below. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Debra Lorraine Estes Ridgway's first confirmed victim was 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield who was living in foster care and working as a sex worker. Sorry! This is the location where the body of Wendy Lee Coffield was found. Colleen was last seen alive on December 28th, 1982. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Please enter your username or email address. She was just an immature teenager who was trying to find her way in life. 3 Unidentified victims. Growing up Opal was a pure hearted, loving child who named the dolls and stuffed animals kept on her bed. The medical examiner's office determined that she had been strangled. Resend Activation Email. i 13| Essentially, Coffield was naked, with the exceptionofher shoes and socks. Terri was 16 years old at the time of her disappearance. Colleen Brockman was only 15 years old when she disappeared. "I'm saying, stop moving and I'll let you go. Ms. Gaspar struggled to resume life without Wendy. It lies 260 yards east of Kent Des Moines Road. But he denied knowledge of the murders, and the police lacked further evidence to proceed. She had been killed by ligature strangulation. During the search, a detective made another macabre discovery. After dropping out of Junior High she enrolled in Kent Continuation School to catch up. Wendy began hanging with a different crowd, spending more time alone in the basement, and skipping school. Once in a great while, we get a hint that theres somebody there, Dr. Press said. Most of these and subsequent victims had a history of prostitution and of run-ins with the law. Within a month, four other bodies were found on the riverbank: Debra Lynn Bonner, Marcia Faye Chapman, Opal Charmaine Mills and Cynthia Jean Hinds. 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. November 5, 2003: Gary Leon Ridgway pled guilty to 48 counts of Aggravated Murder in the First Degree. Your email address will not be published. Mary Sue Bello To this day, he doesn't like the sight of hair under water. Thesethree women are listed on the official Green River Homicides list. His first victim is believed to be 16 year old Wendy Lee Coffield. Cynthia Jean Hinds This browser does not support getting your location. To avoid the death penalty, Ridgway agreed to plead guilty to every murder he had committed in King County. And, unbeknownst to her family, Marie was also a sex worker. AP Photo/MOHAI archive Officials remove the body of 16-year-old Wendy Lee Coffield from the Green River on July 15, 1982. Wendy Lee Coffield The youngest of two daughters, Wendy was 12 when she and a friend ran away to a nearby truck stop, hoping to catch a ride. She remembered the presiding fear. She had run away a few times before when she was living with her father and brother near the Lake Washington Ship Canal in north Seattle. According to her family, the last time Becky left the family home she turned back to her mother and said Im going to be gone for a long time, and where Im going, I cant take a baby. She was a good friend of Debra Estess and was last seen alive on December 2nd west of the SeaTac Strip. 21 year old Carol Ann Christensen was last seen leaving Barn Door Tavern on Pacific Avenue South on May 3rd, 1983. Before her disappearance, Wendy was, in her mother's words, a "magical kid." Born on Oct. 10, 1968, she was the only daughter of Ms. Gaspar and her then-husband, Charles Stephens (who died in. Women, many of them just girls, really, started disappearing in 1982. Interestingly, when the murders first started, some police officers theorized that they might be related to a "pimp war" or "drug involvement.". 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. As she moved into her early teens, her mother was struck and at times, frightened by her beauty and free spirit. She was outgoing, trusting and loved to dance. For years the Green River Killer case will have the largest number of unsolved murders attributed to one individual in the history of the United States. 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. The murderer dubbed the Green River Killer was eventually identified as Gary Leon Ridgway, a boring little man of meager intelligence, whose presence was so painfully average and unremarkable he was able to lure, torture, and kill dozens of young women without anyone noticing or even suspecting him. Burial Details Unknown Tammie Charlene Liles Flowers have been left. After falling in with the wrong friends Dub dropped out of high school, began abusing alcohol and fought with her parents. Does Your Horror Feature or Short Need Worldwide Distribution? Thanks for your help! Marie Malvar This is the first of 49 bodies found of suspected victims of a serial killer. During Gary Ridgways sentencing hearing Shawndas sister, Sharse Woods-Summers, made a victim impact statement. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Call (collect if necessary): 206-263-2130, Call between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to arrange to speak with a detective. Shawnda Leea Summers However, after wading out to take a closer look, they saw human hair and a jacket. Death certificate says she died of accidental drug and alcohol overdose, . It is impossible to put into words how much her murder has devastated and destroyed my family. She was so young and died before she ever really got to live, she said. Try again later. I was like, OK, well, they dont need that, and Im not getting what I need there.. They sat in the living room, masked and at a distance, as the outline of Mesa Verdes distinctive peaks darkened through the window. 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. Marta Reeves When her husband answered the door, the two men introduced themselves as detectives from the King County Sheriffs Office in Seattle and asked to speak with Ms. Gaspar. Dr. Taylor joined the team in 1996, and she too was frustrated and galvanized by Wendys case. They remain missing today, and their cases remain uncharged. Kelly Kay McGinnis was 18 years of age and was last seen on June 28, 1983 at South 216h Street and Pacific Highway South. In the fall of 2019, the King County Sheriffs Office contacted Colleen Fitzpatrick, a co-founder, along with Margaret Press, of the DNA Doe Project. A young black woman's face was floating just beneath the surface of the water, her body swaying beneath her with the current. Her body was found July 15, by two teenage boys riding their bikes across the bridge of the Green River, Wendy was under the Peck Bridge. Her body was found by two teenage boys riding their bikes across the bridge of the Green River, Wendy was under the Peck Bridge. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? Kimberly Nelson All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. She left her family home though she called her parents often to check in became pregnant and miscarried twice and was experimenting with drugs, mostly marijuana and LSD. Shortly after they got home, the bell rang a third time. Thus began one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history. Thus began one of the longest and largest serial murder investigations in United States history. Patricia Yellowrobe Free Horror Movies Watch 600+ Horror Movies! Ms. Gaspar sought professional help for her daughter, hoping counseling could elicit answers: Where did she go? We never heard from her again and did not know what happened to herWe respectfully ask that the media allow us privacy.. Today, the remains of two women are still unidentified, and others are suspected but unconfirmed victims. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. It is doubtful that her family knew what she was doing for money. 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. In King County, Wash., among the verdant evergreen forests outside of Seattle, Gary Ridgway, 33, was starting to enact violent fantasies toward women. to target victims of opportunity (women walking home, hitchhiking, etc.). Enjoy yourself. Kimberly Nelson Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Oops, we were unable to send the email. She was known to be a confident free spirit and was a friendly person with a certain charm that gave people the impression that she didnt take herself all that seriously. This is a carousel with slides. A former resident of Walla Walla, Washington, Alma dropped out of school at 17 and went back and forth between Seattle, where her father lived, and Walla Walla, where her mother resided. Theclay reconstructions were done by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to assist us in identifying the women. Never has done anything like this. The bridge is close to Riverfront Park. Cindy Ann Smith I badgered them a few times. Her reason for doing so was never disclosed. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. They said, Nope, just call her Bones 10.. She was last seen on August 29, 1982 near South 144th Street and Pacific Highway South. Tracy Winston And who are these women? 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. Carrie Ann Rois She was wearing a beautiful dress and a long gray coat. You have all the time to be a grown-up with all those problems. But she wanted to be an adult so bad.. Debra Lynn Bonner Advertise With Wicked Horror. It was going to get much, much higher. By 1984, the number of dead or missing women . The body is later identified as Wendy Lee Coffield, who was 16 years old. No farewell words were spoken She came for a late birthday celebrationHer birthday was March 29th. Before her disappearance, Wendy was, in her mothers words, a magical kid. Born on Oct. 10, 1968, she was the only daughter of Ms. Gaspar and her then-husband, Charles Stephens (who died in 2014). I thought of putting her on a milk carton. She kept her home phone number listed, just in case Wendy ever came looking. Body found in Green River July 15, 1982, near Kent. So grief, Ms. Gaspar said, is lonely. She gave lessons and she was very good, and she taught dance exercise.. Good mother., An Ideal Host Throws A Horror Comedy Party Worth Crashing [Chattanooga Film Festival 2021 Review], Black Medusa Is A Bleak, Beautiful Vision Of Vengeance [Chattanooga Film Festival 2021 Review]. At her funeral, her family played her favorite song, Love Begins with One Hello.. If your kid doesnt come home, somethings wrong, she said. Found September 25, 1982, south of airport. Kasee Ann Woods Lee Flowers have been left. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. But after nearly 40 years of worrying and wondering, Ms. Gaspar now knows what happened to her daughter. 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. no time to say goodbye She was also a devoted fan of the band The Grateful Dead. DNA evidence ties Ridgway to four of the cases, and circumstantial evidence to several others. When 16 year old Linda left her motel room on the afternoon of September 26th, 1982, she appeared to be in a good mood. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. They stopped on the bridge over the Green River to rest. People werent strangers to her. and secret tears still flow, A mother lost her daughter 40 years ago. Hair styles are only a best guess. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Lisa L. Yates For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Wendy had been gone a year or two, she said. Wendy Lee Coffield, 16, July 8, 1982, at state receiving home, Tacoma. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? The body of Wendy was recovered and the cause of death was determined to be murder by. 14 An autopsy confirmed that Coffield died as aresultofstrangulation. In 2003 the case was finally solved with the arrest of Gary Ridgway. By 1982 Debbie decided to leave her family home, stole $250 from her mothers purse and began living in various motels with an older boyfriend/pimp; whether or not he knew she was underage isnt known.
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