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Episode 35: The abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway (Part 1)
51 Plays7 months ago
What kind of monster would abduct and brutally murder a precious 10 year old as she is walking her every day route to school, listen and find out
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Setup
00:00:00
minorsofmayhem
Hey, no intro music this week. um I couldn't find the clip to play it and I'm all by myself without Brianna today, so it could be kind of interesting. It's going to be a one-woman show plus a dog. Hopefully she's quiet.
Tragic Case of Child Starvation
00:00:16
minorsofmayhem
Welcome back to Miners of Mayhem, a true crime podcast about minors who become murderers. In true crime news,
00:00:24
minorsofmayhem
We have in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a mom and four others were accused of fatally starving her seven year old son who weighed seven pounds and was so malnourished, his bones were protruding through gaping holes in his skin.
Awareness Month Discussions
00:00:38
minorsofmayhem
For more information on this and other horrific news, you can go to truecrimenews.com.
00:00:46
minorsofmayhem
I cannot remember on our last episodes if we did September awareness, So I am going to do that today. We have National Suicide Prevention Month, Childhood Cancer Awareness, Heart Health Awareness, and Migraine Awareness, which Brianna gets migraines quite often. So this one would be definitely for her. There's many more, but these are just a few of the more popular ones. I'm going to pause for a second. My dog wants out of this room. I'm back.
Reflecting on 2012 Events
00:01:22
minorsofmayhem
For this week's episode, we're traveling to Westminster, Colorado to the year 2012. And surprise, this will be a two-parter. I have a meeting tonight, so I can't get it all done in one sitting. Some of the going-ons in 2012 were Hurricane Sandy killed 233 people, Breaking Dawn Part II of the Twilight Saga was released, and Whitney Houston died in an LA hotel bathtub.
00:01:53
minorsofmayhem
Popular fashion in 2012 included glitter pumps, something I never wore, leather everything, suits, digitized prints, wedge sneakers, neon colors, party pants, exposed midriff, and large collars with big necklaces. I'm not sure why I don't remember any of this. I think because my fashion never changes and I wear the same dang thing. Summertime shorts into t-shirt, wintertime,
00:02:23
minorsofmayhem
Jeans and a hoodie.
Jessica Ridgway's Life and Routine
00:02:25
minorsofmayhem
I don't know. So in 2020, per the US census, the population of Westminster was approximately 116,000, making it the eighth most populated city in Colorado, and is home to the Orchard or or orchard Town Center, which is an outdoor mall featuring over 90 retailers, dining, and entertainment.
00:02:50
minorsofmayhem
On May 28th, 2012, a 22-year-old school teacher was out for a jog on one of her one of the trails leading to Kettner Lake, which she passes when she passes a young man walking towards her from the opposite direction. She didn't really pay much attention to him. The the trails are public. And she began to enter the covered path part of the trail. She looks back to see that this young man she encountered earlier is coming up behind her.
00:03:20
minorsofmayhem
When he does reach her, he grabs her and shoves a smelly rag over her mouth and nose, knocks her down and drags her into the bushes where he attempts to rape her. Now she fought like a hellcat and she managed to break free and outrun him while managing at the same time to dial 911. Despite her description of the attacker and what he was wearing, police were unable to locate him.
00:03:46
minorsofmayhem
but their interest was definitely peaked as this attack was very similar to an attack the same location two years prior. Law enforcement sent the teacher's clothes into forensics and a full DNA profile was developed. Unfortunately, there was no match in the CODIS database. Jessica Ridgway was born January 23rd, 2002 to parents Jeremy Bryant and Sarah Ridgway.
00:04:14
minorsofmayhem
She was an adorable blonde haired blue eyed girl with freckles and a laugh so infectious they called it her Tommy the turtle laugh. Jessica had recently signed up for a peewee cheer clinic as one of her goals was to be a cheerleader once she became a high schooler. Jessica also loved animals. Her little herd consisted of two frogs, two fish and a dog.
00:04:42
minorsofmayhem
One of her neighbors had hairless cats and Jessica would take care of them when the owners needed to be away. This was a job she truly loved. Jessica was also crazy about knock-knock jokes. I can only imagine this would bring out her Tommy the Turtle laugh. Jessica's favorite color is purple all the way down to purple framed glasses. Now Jessica lived with her mom, aunt and grandma as Sarah and Jeremy ended the relationship several years prior to 2012.
00:05:09
minorsofmayhem
when they both realized that they were just too young and had probably made a mistake based on their age.
Jessica Ridgway Disappearance and Search
00:05:15
minorsofmayhem
there But they were blessed with Jessica and their split was pretty amicable.
00:05:27
minorsofmayhem
Mom, Sarah, grandma, Christine, and aunt Rebecca had a pretty good routine in the household. Sarah worked the night shift from 10 to seven. And this would allow her to see Jessica off to school and be home when Jessica returned from school and sleep in between. I did the night shift. I kind of know how that works. It's not any fun. While Sarah's at work, Jessica has her grandma and her aunt. This was a loving household who called themselves the Four Musketeers. Friday, October 5th, 2012, Sarah arrives home from work at 7.30 AM in time to see Jessica and send her off to school.
00:06:09
minorsofmayhem
On this day, she's wearing blue jeans, black fuzzy boots with pom poms dangling from them, her purple glasses, black and pink coat, and her black and pink Disney backpack. At 8.30, Jessica leaves to go to school. She takes the same route she always takes. She goes up a few blocks where she meets up with friends to walk the rest of the way to school. This is her same routine every single school day. Back at home, Sarah's getting settled in for bed.
00:06:39
minorsofmayhem
When her phone rings at approximately 10 a.m., Sarah is fast asleep. It was the school calling inquiring about Jessica's absence from school. The school left a message, but it would go unheard for approximately eight hours. Between four and four thirty, Sarah wakes up to find that Jessica isn't home. And this is this is really out of character and very unusual. She listens to the message left by the school and panic sets in.
00:07:08
minorsofmayhem
She calls all friends and family to see if Jessica is there or if they know where she is. No one knew. So Sarah reported Jessica missing to the police department, almost five hours after being reported missing. So she's already, she didn't make the school. So that's approximately eight hours. And then five hours after being reported at nine 15 and Ambler and Amber Ambler and Amber Alert was issued. So by this time, it had been approximately 12 and a half hours since Jessica had left for school. Saturday, October 6th, almost a thousand volunteers showed up to assist in the search for 10 year old Jessica
Forensic Breakthrough in Jessica's Case
00:07:54
minorsofmayhem
Ridgway. Sniffer dogs, thermal imaging, helicopters, and divers were all utilized in the ongoing search. Jessica's father, Jeremy, was interviewed by the FBI in Independence, Missouri.
00:08:07
minorsofmayhem
He wasn't even aware that his daughter was missing. Jeremy had been at work all that day, Friday, making it impossible for him to be in Westminster, Colorado at the time Jessica went missing, basically taking him off the suspect list. Saturday evening, a man and his wife were pulling into the driveway when they noticed a large bag sitting on the sidewalk, thinking it's strange, but not strange enough to phone the police. They left it there with the thought that some kid had probably forgotten it and would come back for it.
00:08:37
minorsofmayhem
most likely the next day. The next day would be Sunday, October 7th. The bag remained. It looked as if it may have been purposely set in an upright position. He went to get his neighbor and they peered into the bag where they located a backpack adorned with a key chain bearing the name Jessica. They listed the bag on a website with the heading of quote, children's backpack found unquote.
00:09:05
minorsofmayhem
and the description saying, quote, found this morning on the sidewalk at Andrew Drive and Alpha Court. Water bottle.
00:09:16
minorsofmayhem
Water bottle has Jessica Ridgeway name on it. Come and get it. Unquote. Almost immediately a response came saying that this was the name of the missing girl. So they called 911 immediately.
00:09:33
minorsofmayhem
When agents open the bag, they find Jessica's purple glasses, her t-shirt, jeans, underwear, and her fuzzy boots. Sarah confirms that the items found indeed did belong to Jessica. Agents send the located belongings to forensics, which confirmed Jessica's DNA and an unknown DNA. This was ran through CODIS and the DNA is a match to the unknown DNA found on the 22-year-old teacher that was attacked while jogging at Kettner Lake. In the meantime, Jeremy has traveled to Colorado and the family pleased to the media for any information, and they also give thanks to all who have helped so far. In the area where Jessica lived, they located two registered sex offenders, which would raise red flags for anybody. When they looked through their residence and vehicle, there was absolutely nothing to show that either one of these persons were involved.
00:10:33
minorsofmayhem
On October 10th, two separate witnesses report sightings of Jessica as being in a station wagon with Colorado plates located in Maine. The vehicle was located abandoned and the lead was proven false. On this very same day, two workers picking up litter discovered a very heavy black trash bag. When they opened the trash bag, it revealed another trash bag. And when that trash bag was opened, they They found a torso. Police started searching and also found several clumps of blonde hair and two receipts, one of which included a garbage bag purchase. The receipt was traced to a store only a couple miles away from Jessica's home. So that's pretty scary. They were unable to find who bought the trash bags despite going through months and months of surveillance footage.
00:11:33
minorsofmayhem
Close to the chest, investigators keep the fact that the torso is a female and located in her vagina was a wooden cross with three notches carved into it. And I just, I don't even have words. On October 12th, the Westminster Chief of Police makes an emotional announcement to the public. Quote, it's with a great deal of sought sorrow in my heart that I regret to inform you that the body that was found in our vada has been positively identified as Jessica Ridgway, the missing girl from Westminster. I want the family to know from me and every single person involved in this case that our thoughts and prayers go out to them. They have been in our hearts from the beginning. Our focus has changed from the search for Jessica to a mission of justice for Jessica.
Public Appeal for Information
00:12:24
minorsofmayhem
All our efforts are now in search of her abductor. We recognize there is a predator at large in our community.
00:12:32
minorsofmayhem
andquote The community is asked to stay alert and call in with any information. FBI spokesperson says, quote, a behavioral analysis unit wants to convey a message to the community and to the public as a whole. We are looking for abnormal behavior, changes in someone's behavior from Jessica's disappearance last Friday until today. It could be something as simple as the shaving of one's face.
00:13:01
minorsofmayhem
It could be changing their hair color, the cutting of their hair, change of their mood, their personality. parking a vehicle in their garage when they've always parked it in their driveway. We suspect that someone in the community knows this individual and we are asking for the community's support once again. The community has been very supportive in the efforts so far in this investigation and we are asking that they would do that one more time to help us gather new leads and new information to bring this to a conclusion.
00:13:33
minorsofmayhem
Any kind of unusual behavior between last Friday and today. Somebody who's maybe very engaged in the media coverage of this particular investigation and maybe they're a little annoyed by all the coverage. If that behavior is not normal for them, we want to know about it. We feel someone in the community knows this individual well enough to notice these small variations in their behavior, their demeanor,
00:13:58
minorsofmayhem
something about their physical appearance, or even something about their work habit or their personal life. Something that has changed that we would like to know about this individual, we assume this individual is male. Statistically speaking, that's normally the way this would go. So that's why we are calling the person he. It could be your boss, it could be your friend, and ultimately it could be your family member.
00:14:25
minorsofmayhem
So we are asking people to bring this information to law enforcement and let us vet that to a close. If that person is not the suspect, we thank you for your call. We move on to the next lead.
Investigation of Suspect Austin Sig
00:14:36
minorsofmayhem
We have hundreds of leads coming in and great resources to act on those leads, but we need the public's help. We want you to look for changes of habits, patterns, peculiar absences of those around you and report it to law enforcement." Unquote.
00:14:53
minorsofmayhem
On October 17th, as part of the routine, two FBI agents knock on the door of Mindy Sig, who shares the residence with her two sons, Austin and Dustin Sig, whose residence is only about a mile from Jessica Ridgway's residence.
00:15:12
minorsofmayhem
They question the family and do note that Austin, the eldest Sig boy, is wearing a cross. After some questions, the agents leave with no new pertinent information. On October 19th, a neighbor of the SIGS calls in and leaves a message. When she is contacted, she voices concern regarding the oldest sick boy, Austin, due to his obsession with death. She describes his behavior as odd.
00:15:39
minorsofmayhem
She goes on to tell them that she recognizes the cross that was found with Jessica as one she had seen Austin Sig wearing on a piece of leather around his neck. Agents had photographed the wooden cross and published it in the newspaper. As a result, two agents go to the Sig home to a obtain Austin's DNA. To the agent's disappointment, there is not a DNA match to Jessica or the Kettner Lake jogger.
00:16:09
minorsofmayhem
It has not been without notice by Mindy that her eldest son's behavior has significantly changed. He seems sickly, withdrawn, and just not his usual self. On October 23rd, Mindy comes home to find Austin lying on her bed and asks him what is wrong. He replies, quote, Mom, I am a monster, unquote. I'm going to leave you hanging with that.
00:16:37
minorsofmayhem
Like I said, this is a short one. I have a meeting tonight.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:16:40
minorsofmayhem
um I'll be releasing part two tomorrow evening so you won't have to wait long. If you enjoyed this episode of Miners of Mayhem, please leave a rate and review. If you'd like to contact us, you may do so via email at minersofmayhem at gmail dot.com or via Facebook Messenger. Just search Miners of Mayhem and give us a follow. In the meantime, please refrain from being pond scum.
00:17:05
minorsofmayhem
Life is too short and keep your happy houses safe out there. Bye.