Confessions of the Green River Killer

The Green River Killer terrorized the Seattle region between the years 1982 and 1998. Gary Ridgway was arrested in 2001 in connection with four murders and was convicted of 49 murders, despite confessing to 71 slayings. In 2020, Maria DiLorenzo was the creator of a website called “Beyond the Crime”, where infamous criminals were interviewed and deeper insight was gained into the criminal mind. She reached out to Ridgway to see if he would be interested in cooperating and was floored when she received a call from Ridgway. This surprise phone call would lead to nearly two years of calls and correspondence between DiLorenzo and Ridgway, where Ridgway teased the possibility of undiscovered victims and a treasure trove of souvenirs. By the time their contact was cut off, DiLorenzo had gotten a good view into her subject, yet the extent of his crimes was still debatable.

Confessions of the Green River Killer delivers an unsettling yet provocative look into the motive, methods, and madness of Gary Ridgway. Author Maria DiLorenzo’s illuminating conversations with Ridgway highlight a depraved and control-obsessed killer with little remorse whose grandiosity was only exceeded by his perversity. This is a true crime must-read for 2026.