The Green River Killer – Why He Was So Dangerous By Sensei Liam Musiak

Gary Ridgway, better known as the Green River Killer, is one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. Convicted of murdering 49 women and confessing to many more—possibly over 70—his crimes stretched across decades, terrifying Washington State. What makes his case especially important is not just the number of victims, but why he did what he did, who he targeted, and how he managed to live in freedom for so long.

Why He Did What He Did

Ridgway admitted he felt deep hatred toward women, particularly sex workers. In interviews, he said he believed prostitutes were “easy targets” and thought nobody would miss them. His killings gave him a twisted sense of control and power. Disturbingly, he once said murdering women became “his career.”

Why He Targeted Prostitutes and Vulnerable Women

Ridgway deliberately focused on women who were vulnerable. Most of his victims were sex workers, runaways, or women struggling with poverty or addiction. He knew these women were less likely to be immediately reported missing, and sadly, less likely to be taken seriously by police at the time.

This is the core of his danger: he targeted people who society already ignored. That made him invisible for years.

How He Lived in Freedom for So Long

Ridgway killed for decades before being caught. Several factors allowed him to escape justice for so long:

A Normal Life – Outwardly, Ridgway lived a quiet life. He was married multiple times, held down steady jobs, and seemed like an ordinary man.

Community Invisibility – Neighbours described him as dull, quiet, even boring. He blended into the background.

Police Struggles – In the 1980s, forensic science was still developing. Without DNA evidence, investigators had little to connect Ridgway to the murders.

Victim Choice – Because many of his victims were sex workers, their disappearances didn’t receive immediate attention, giving Ridgway even more time to continue.

He lived in plain sight, even speaking to police during the investigation, before DNA evidence finally tied him to the crimes in 2001.

What Made Him So Dangerous

Ridgway was dangerous not just because of the number of murders, but because of his predictable unpredictability. He could look normal, go to work, and live like anyone else, while secretly committing horrifying acts.

He was also frighteningly methodical:

He often dumped bodies near the Green River, which gave him his name.

He would revisit the sites of his murders to commit further acts on the corpses.

He confessed that killing became routine for him—almost casual.

This combination of normal outward appearance and cold, systematic killing made him one of the deadliest predators in history.

The Lesson

The Green River Killer shows us three hard truths:

Predators often hide behind the mask of normality. Ridgway looked like a working man with a quiet life.

Vulnerable groups—sex workers, the homeless, runaways—are often at the greatest risk, not because they are weaker, but because society doesn’t protect them as it should.

Without awareness, predators thrive in invisibility. Ridgway proved that evil can live quietly among us, unnoticed, for years.

His case is infamous because it forces us to confront an uncomfortable reality: danger doesn’t always look dangerous. Sometimes it looks like an ordinary neighbour, going to work every morning, blending into the crowd.