SEATTLE — The man known as the Green River Killer confessed to murdering 49 women but now Gary Ridgway is no longer facing hard time in Washington State.
Instead he's been quietly moved out of isolation and is now in a federal prison in Colorado.
Mary Marrero asked Green River Investigators and reporters to her sister's grave side in Tukwila.
Ridgway avoided the death penalty because he provided detailed information that helped many families learn what happened to their loved ones.
But he didn't admit to killing Becky Marrero until children found her remains.
Mary Marrero called him, “a heartless psychopath who took pleasure in strangling women until their very last breath was drawn. He is a monster to say the least.”
She's angry that the Department of Corrections quietly flew Ridgway from the Walla Walla prison to a federal prison in Colorado in May -- reportedly for his health and safety.
There, he may likely be allowed to mix with fellow prisoners, even get a job.
“They believe he should be able to socialize to get a job. I believe they are full of it," Mary Marrero said.
Then Sheriff Dave Reichert confronted Ridgway during interrogations 12 years ago.
Today, Reichert is the U.S. congressman from the 8th District.
“He had his chance to socialize here, on the streets that we're not too far from right here. He had his opportunity. He took 49 lives in his attempt to socialize,” Reichert said.
Current and former investigators are outraged that they had no inkling Ridgway was about to be moved.
“I was not notified as the sheriff of King County. I should have been notified. My detectives, the detectives that aren't on the case anymore should have been notified and given good reasons,” said King County Sheriff John Urquhart
Department of Corrections said late today that the department is not paying the federal government to house Ridgway, and that Gov. Jay Inslee did not know in advance about his transfer to Colorado.