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Episode 35: The abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway Part 2
51 Plays8 months ago
Continuation of the horrific abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Brianna's Absence
00:00:05
minorsofmayhem
Welcome back to Miner's of Mayhem. I think I waited a little long there. um We're a true crime podcast where miners become murderers. I'm Eden. Brianna's absent this week. I'm hoping she'll be back soon.
The Oklahoma Case: A Teen Accused of Murder
00:00:18
minorsofmayhem
um First off, we're going to hit the true crime news and then I will give a quick recap of part one. So let's get to it. In true crime news, a 17-year-old who was charged with allegedly killing his father last year in Oklahoma is now accused of fatally stabbing his mother in the neck during an argument and claiming that she fell on the knife. I call bullshit, but you know, for more information on this and other true crime news, go to truecrimenews.com.
The Jessica Ridgway Case: A DNA Trail
00:00:54
minorsofmayhem
You're going to hear my pages turning. I'm really sorry. So let's recap part one real quick before we get into the rest of the case. We were in Westminster, Colorado in the year 2012. In May, a school teacher was attacked while jogging a public trail at Kettner Lake. DNA was obtained matching an unknown male. And it in October of the same year, 10-year-old Jessica Ridgway never made it to school. That was on October 5th. A couple of days later, her backpack was found on a sidewalk. DNA from the belongings came back matching the unknown DNA from the Kettner Lake attack
00:01:33
minorsofmayhem
but we know that didn't match anyone in CODIS. So all they got from that was the same person made both of those attacks. A few days after locating Jessica's backpack, two workers picking up litter found a large heavy trash bag containing a torso with several clumps of blonde hair in the surrounding area and two receipts. On October 12th, Westminster Chief of Police made the heart-wrenching announcement that the torso was in fact that of 10-year-old Jessica. Area sex offenders were ruled out, family was ruled out, and a plea was made to the public to report any unusual, any anything unusual, like whether it be changing hair color, changing behavior, um parking the car in the garage instead of outside where they usually park,
00:02:34
minorsofmayhem
Um, and we left off with Mindy finding Austin lying on her bed and telling her quote, mom, I'm a monster unquote.
Mindy Discovers Her Son's Crime
00:02:46
minorsofmayhem
So, um, if you're coming upon part two and haven't listened to part one, I would just jump back and listen to that real quick and we're going to get back with it. So it obviously at this time, Mindy is going to be hit with something that she never saw coming.
00:03:04
minorsofmayhem
Her eldest son had kidnapped, murdered, and dismembered 10-year-old Jessica. Mindy talked with her son for quite a while, trying to understand the what and the why of it all, but there had been signs. At the age of 12, Austin had already been watching pornography. He did attend counseling through a church-based counselor, which did nothing to change his pornography addiction.
00:03:33
minorsofmayhem
which actually progressed to more violent pornography to include snuff films and the rape and torture of children. At this time, Mindy had to turn her son into police. Mindy made the call and at first they thought it was a prank call. How could a 17-year-old boy commit such a heinous act of sheer brutality? Mindy talks to the dispatcher for a few minutes and the dispatcher asks if Austin will talk to her. He agrees and the conversation goes as follows.
00:04:03
minorsofmayhem
And this will all be in quote. Hello. Austin says, is this Austin? Yes, it is. Hi, Austin. This is Molly at the Westminster police department. Hi. Can you tell me a little bit about what is going on right now or how you are feeling or, or how did this come about? I don't really get why you're asking me these questions. I murdered Jessica Ridgway. Okay.
00:04:31
minorsofmayhem
There is, I have proof that I did it. I, there is no other question. You just have to send a squad car, something down here. Right. And I will answer all the questions that you want to ask. Okay. Or anyone wants to ask of me as soon. You just, you've just got to get here. Okay, Austin, I have a police officer that's going to come over to your house. Okay. Can you tell me what part of the house that her remains are in?
00:05:01
minorsofmayhem
underneath the house in the crawl space. Okay, did you know Jessica before this? No, I did not. Are you going to school anywhere? A Rapaho Community College. Are you 17? Yes. On a side note here, Austin was actually going to community college for like he wanted to be a mortician. I know it's kind of um interesting.
00:05:31
minorsofmayhem
They talked a little bit more, and then the dispatcher asks, have you committed any crimes like this before? Is this the first? um I mean, do you have a criminal criminal history of any sort? Austin. The only other thing that I have done before this was the Kettner Lake incident where the woman got attacked. And other than that, the only other criminal history I have is a speeding ticket. Unquote. The phone eventually goes back to Mindy until officers arrive.
00:06:01
minorsofmayhem
Austin was put under arrest after an officer found trash bags with what felt like human remains located in the crawlspace.
Austin's Detailed Confession
00:06:08
minorsofmayhem
When Austin was interviewed, he claimed what happened that day was not planned. He said, quote, the second I pulled her into my car, I knew she was dead, unquote. He basically admitted he was out hunting saying, quote, I had the intent of picking up someone one any any female that comes across where I was. It didn't matter what time, where, just anything." unquote He also admits, quote, I lied to her and I told her everything was going to be okay. unquote Austin denied sexual assault. But when officers say that there is evidence showing otherwise, he admits that he violently sexually assaulted Jessica.
00:06:57
minorsofmayhem
leaving heavy bruising to her body and a broken tooth.
00:07:03
minorsofmayhem
The day of October 5th, 2012, as recounted by Austin, he was out just before 8 30 a.m. looking for a victim. He parks opposite a house with a tall wooden fence, which offers him some cover. He hides out of sight and ambushes Jessica as she is passing by on her way to school.
00:07:24
minorsofmayhem
Despite screaming out, absolutely no one comes to help her because no one heard her. He throws her into the back seat of his Jeep and zip ties her hands and feet. She asks, quote, are you going to hurt me? Unquote. Will I see my mom again? Unquote. I forgot to put that last one in quotes. Sorry about that.
00:07:46
minorsofmayhem
But Austin did not answer her. He drives around for about half an hour. He finally says to Jessica, quote, if you do as you're told, I won't hurt you, you'll see your mom soon, unquote. When they arrive at the SIG residence, he backs his Jeep into the garage, closes the door, cuts Jessica's hands free, carries her slung over his shoulder to his bedroom and sets her on the bed. He grabs a pair of scissors and commences to cut off off her hair.
00:08:16
minorsofmayhem
Jessica, scared and just in a state full of fear, she lost control of her bladder. So Austin makes her change out of her wet clothes into shorts and a t-shirt. He then makes her pack her soiled clothes and her glasses into her backpack. He sexually assaulted Jessica and while she's sitting on the bed, he tries to strangle her with a zip tie, but it cuts into his hands and breaks.
00:08:44
minorsofmayhem
He then uses his bare hands to strangle her. Austin, unsure if Jessica was dead due to her body twitching, then fills the bathtub with scalding hot water and puts her in face first.
00:09:01
minorsofmayhem
He then proceeds to use a sawzall and a box cutter. He removes her hands and cuts them into small pieces and flushes them down the toilet. He removes her head, legs, arms,
00:09:14
minorsofmayhem
and places them in a trash bags. He then places her torso in a trash bag and places them under a shed in the backyard. The next evening becoming nervous from all of the activities surrounding Jessica's disappearance, he drives to Superior and gets rid of her backpack and throws her coat in just a random trash bin. All in an attempt to divert police away from his residence,
00:09:40
minorsofmayhem
As the police were using cadaver dogs and thermal imaging, he decides he needs to get rid of Jessica's torso. Austin had removed Jessica's organs and labeled them. He washed the torso, placed it into a doubled up trash bag, and discards it in Patrick Park.
DNA Match and Legal Charges
00:09:58
minorsofmayhem
Austin claims he strategically placed the wooden cross into Jessica's vagina, hoping investigators would think it's some kind of religious cult crime.
00:10:08
minorsofmayhem
He then went on to move the bags with the head, arms, and legs into the crawl space under the SIG residence. When Austin was questioned about the Kettner Lake attack and what he was going to do to her, Austin replied, comma, oh my gosh, quote, due to her what I did to Jessica, unquote. Although he said he regrets what he had done, he stated, quote, all I could think of was, oh God, what have I done?
00:10:38
minorsofmayhem
Unquote. Remember earlier when I told you that Austin's DNA didn't match Jessica's or the Kettner Lake joggers collected DNA? And how is this possible? You must kind of be wondering, right? Because I know I was wondering it until I finally got the whole story. So I have an answer for you. Hundreds of DNA samples had been taken and sent in and during this process,
00:11:08
minorsofmayhem
They send back envelopes labeled with the names of those who had submitted the sample. An empty envelope meant that the DNA did not match samples from Jessica or the Kettner Lake jar jogger. Austin Sig's envelope was inadvertently sent back empty without being tested. So that's, I mean, if he wouldn't have confessed to his mom, they probably would have never got him. After his arrest his DNA was again collected and it was tested and this time it was a positive match for both crimes.
00:11:51
minorsofmayhem
At Austin's first appearance the Ridgway family wears purple shirts adorned with a green ribbon to honor Jessica. Both families hear the horrific details of what Jessica went through for the first time.
00:12:04
minorsofmayhem
The judge declares that Austin is to be tried as an adult, although because of his age, he is not eligible for the death sentence, which I'm sorry, it's unfortunate. i I'm gonna keep my opinion to myself here. The judge also denies Austin bail and sets his next court date for October 30th where he will be formally charged. So Austin received 17 charges in total,
00:12:34
minorsofmayhem
four counts of first degree murder, two counts of second degree kidnapping, three counts of a crime of violence, one count of sexual assault of a child, and one count of robbery. For the Kettner Lake attack, excuse me, he is charged with three counts of a crime of violence, one count of attempted second degree kidnapping, one count of attempted first degree murder, and one count of attempted sexual assault.
00:13:06
minorsofmayhem
Many witnesses testified at Austin's preliminary hearing, including a sexual assault examiner and a person from the crimes against children, the internet division. The judge determines that he finds proof of evidence for probable cause in the counts brought against Austin and his arraignment is scheduled, at which time he will enter a guilty or not guilty plea.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
00:13:32
minorsofmayhem
Austin enters a not guilty plea. However, two days before his trial is set to begin, he changes his plea to guilty, so they will proceed to the sentencing phase, which which is good because you know i I feel like this saves a family from a lengthy court process and sitting through all of that testimony. im I couldn't imagine sitting there listening to what your childhood went through.
00:14:00
minorsofmayhem
so
00:14:03
minorsofmayhem
During the sentencing phase, it became quite obvious that Austin did not tell the whole truth of it all. His computer analysis showed that this was not random. He had searched for days on the rape and torture of young girls. Evidence strongly suggested Austin spent months planning his crime.
00:14:23
minorsofmayhem
Clinical psychologist Dr. Anna Salter, who specializes in sex offenders, tells the court it is her professional opinion that Austin Sig is a psychopath and a sadist who lacks empathy and reveled in Jessica's pain. Reports also revealed sexual contact after death. Dr. Salter states, quote, it is a well-known fact that sadists get an adrenaline rush when watching the pain and torture of others, unquote.
00:14:53
minorsofmayhem
When it came time for the impact statements, Austin remained emotionless, staring straight ahead or down at the table. When Sarah Ridgway, who is Jessica's mom, takes a stand, she states, quote, so I'm actually not going to say anything today because I don't think the defendant has the right to hear how he affected me, my family, or how Jessica was.
00:15:17
minorsofmayhem
Once we walk out of this courtroom, we will not remember his name and will only remember Jessica and the legacy she created, as well as the Lassie project which she inspired. Thank you, your honor," unquote. And for the rest of the time, Sarah shows kind of like a video or a slideshow of of Jessica's life from the moment she was born up until her short little 10-year-old life was taken away.
00:15:46
minorsofmayhem
um
00:15:49
minorsofmayhem
This next part, i'm I'm going to talk about some of the rock some rough stuff. So if you don't if you don't want to hear, please skip ahead. um
00:16:09
minorsofmayhem
So her autopsy showed that dumb Jessica had broken blood vessels in her vagina. a bruised hymen bruises to her arms head and a broken tooth he methodically took her apart cutting just below her chest to her abdomen removing all of her internal internal organs it was also believed that a wooden stick was used during the sexual assault okay that I don't want to talk about that no more let's
00:16:42
minorsofmayhem
If you guys want to look the case up, just you can look up this stuff. I just want to move on. Let's move on to the sentencing here. um His sentence ended up being life in prison with eligibility for parole after 40 years for Jessica's murder with an additional 86 years for the rest of the crimes, including the sexual assault of a child and the Kettner Lake Jogger attack.
00:17:10
minorsofmayhem
So basically the extra 86 years pretty much sealed his fate and Austin Sig will die in prison.
00:17:21
minorsofmayhem
Who knows if that'll be a natural causes. We all know how people feel about crimes against children.
Jessica's Legacy and Case Conclusion
00:17:29
minorsofmayhem
So I hope he's getting what he deserves.
00:17:34
minorsofmayhem
In honor and memory of Sweet Jessica Ridgway, Chelsea Park was renamed the Jessica Ridgway Memorial Park, which was done in purple and green. And you can find various knock, knock jokes on rocks all around the park. That is the end of this horrific case. I could have added more, but it was just so such a hard, just, oh, it was such a hard case.
00:18:03
minorsofmayhem
Um, Jessica's last hours on earth were not, not anything anybody would want to
Listener Engagement and Safety Reminder
00:18:15
minorsofmayhem
think about. I just, uh, if you guys want to chat about this or have, you know, any, anything you want to add to it, you can contact us at minors of mayhem at gmail dot.com or via Facebook messenger, just, um,
00:18:35
minorsofmayhem
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