Tacoma Man Launches His Own Search For 10 Or More Missing Green River Murder Victims

TACOMA - In 2003 Green River Killer Gary Ridgway confessed to killing 48 women. But, many believe the cold blooded psychopath murdered even more victims that have yet to be found. Now, a man down in Tacoma is launching a massive new effort to find potential victims along State Route 410 near Enumclaw that the FBI and King County Sheriff's Office might have missed.

For the last year security consultant Rob Fitzgerald has been spending his free time training his cadaver dog Wendy, in the exact spots where Ridgway dumped his victims.

"And, that's where a body was recovered. So, she was able to take me directly to the spot where the body putrefied into the ground, she can go to it immediately," said Fitzgerald.

Rob grew up around here, as a young man he was captivated by the case and the fear it created in his community. To this day, he believes there are more victims yet to be found, so he and Wendy are starting a new search.

"I would say that there's probably in the neighborhood of 10 more out there in that area, could be higher than that we don't know," said Fitzgerald.

Rob has put together a team of ex law enforcement officers. He says unlike the original investigation when there was pressure to solve the case, this team will have unlimited time and better equipment to find the bodies.

"Magnetometers that can read if the soil was ever disturbed, resistance meters that archeologists use to tell if they've even dug a grave," said Fitzgerald.

To avoid the death penalty, Gary Ridgway confessed to killing dozens of women in the 80's and 90's, and agreed to lead Police to their bodies. But, there were 8 women he's suspected of murdering whose remains were never found.

Rob believes he can find closure for their families along Highway 410 between Enumclaw and Greenwater.

"He dumped them right off of it and that's how we put the profile together. We realized you had to be able to stop a car and leave it without anyone questioning it. So, that eliminates miles and miles of road where you just can't pull over," said Fitzgerald.

This is a solo operation Rob is not working with the King County Sheriff's Office. He says this is simply his way of helping.

"You drive down that highway and you think there's someone's daughter, girlfriend, wife, is buried or thrown right here, they're just there. It's not right they should be recovered if possible," said Fitzgerald.

And, so the 4 month search starts Saturday morning.

Rob named his dog Wendy after one of Ridgway's first victims Wendy Lee Coffield.

We checked with the King County Sheriff's Office and we're told it wasn't aware of this new search. But, spokesperson Sergeant John Urquhart told us, Rob should notify a case detective if his team is out somewhere specifically looking for a specific body.