Group working to erect memorial for Green River Killer's victims
SEATTLE -- The Green River Killer is one of the most notorious serial killers in history, and people around here will always remember the name Gary Ridgway.
But a local group would rather you remember the names of his victims.
Ridgway was convicted of killing 49 women, but is suspected of murdering as many as 90.
"It was like this monster that haunted all of us," said Noel Gomez, worked as a prostitute in Seattle while Ridgway was still terrorizing women as the Green River Killer.
Gomez is free of that life now, and is dedicated to remembering the women not just as crime photos, but as people with names. They include Pammy Avent, Kelly Ware, Shawnda Summers, Debra Bonner and Marcia Chapman.
"There's nothing for them. There's nothing for the families. There's nowhere to go to grieve. There's no healing in the community around this, and I feel there needs to be," Gomez said.
Gomez co-founded a group called the Organization for Prostitution Survivors. The group set an ambitious goal to raise $225,000 that would help provide services to prostitution survivors and create a permanent memorial in Seattle.
Many of Ridgway's victims were just girls, younger than 18 years old.
"Nobody wants that for their life. They don't wind up out there because of good reasons; there's something that drove them out there," she said.
A memorial cannot bring them back, but it can offer healing from a painful past.
"Families need to know that we care about these women and these girls. A memorial would help show them that their children weren't just nobody," said Gomez.
Those who wish to donate to the cause can do so on the Organization for Prostitution Survivors' website.
But a local group would rather you remember the names of his victims.
Ridgway was convicted of killing 49 women, but is suspected of murdering as many as 90.
"It was like this monster that haunted all of us," said Noel Gomez, worked as a prostitute in Seattle while Ridgway was still terrorizing women as the Green River Killer.
Gomez is free of that life now, and is dedicated to remembering the women not just as crime photos, but as people with names. They include Pammy Avent, Kelly Ware, Shawnda Summers, Debra Bonner and Marcia Chapman.
"There's nothing for them. There's nothing for the families. There's nowhere to go to grieve. There's no healing in the community around this, and I feel there needs to be," Gomez said.
Gomez co-founded a group called the Organization for Prostitution Survivors. The group set an ambitious goal to raise $225,000 that would help provide services to prostitution survivors and create a permanent memorial in Seattle.
Many of Ridgway's victims were just girls, younger than 18 years old.
"Nobody wants that for their life. They don't wind up out there because of good reasons; there's something that drove them out there," she said.
A memorial cannot bring them back, but it can offer healing from a painful past.
"Families need to know that we care about these women and these girls. A memorial would help show them that their children weren't just nobody," said Gomez.
Those who wish to donate to the cause can do so on the Organization for Prostitution Survivors' website.
TO DONATE TO THIS CAUSE PLEASE WATCH OUR VIDEO AT www.indiegogo.com/GRVM1Â Thank you for your support!!!!
Use to play in front of his house when i was younger. Then almost moved right across the street from him. Pretty awesome if i say so myself! =P
Curious on why they didn't start this sooner. Still, better late than never.
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@Terry Wagar This sounds too bizarre. If this is true, have you contacted the FBI?
The only thing that bothers me is that by drawing attention to them, you also draw attention to him.
Check your facts! Four of the victims had no history of prostitution.  Not to say their lives were any more precious than the others, but they do not deserve to have their names on a Memorial for Prostitute survivors.Â
I know one family that will put up a fight like you have never seen, if the name of their loved one is placed on such a marker.
@CRT It would be a memorial for victims of the Green River Killer. Not vicitms of prostitution.
i was on the streets when this manic was running around, i knew him and his brother, he dident seem like the kind that would do something s horrible, but now we know better, i knew a lot of the girls that were murdered as they were just teenagers and young adults looking to party and have a good time, not sell themselves as it's been advertised so widely, so i personaly would like to see a memorial for these girls and for all victims of violent crime withen our region, after all bundy was here years before that wasent he??
I can see the resistance of such a memorial just because these were "working" ladies. Just because of the stigma of prostitution there will be some that will moan about such a memorial, but one is needed. Ridgway was a hard one to find and catch. It is too bad that he didn't get the needle for what he did, but something needs to be put up memorializing the fate of these women.
I think that if the memorial is set up with private monies, I would support public monies to maintain it.
I love my home state very much, but I'm also aware of our serial killer /neo-nazi compound reputation. I'm not happy about it, but I take it as part and parcel with the good. This initiative could go a long way to putting the GRK period of our history behind us.
My only personal requirement is that Gary Ridgeway's name not appear on the memorial in way, shape or form. The memorial should be about his victims, not a shrine to the most evil man to every call Washington home.
Even though I think its a valiant idea, I would much rather see funds put towards helping the ones that are trying to get out of the life -- i.e. drug rehab, job training, etc. Maybe set up scholarship funds in the names of the green river victims. That seems like it would be a better tribute to their lives.
@The WA Mama Hello! Thank you for your comment. We started the Organization for Prostitution survivors to help women exit the life of prostitution if they choose. We currently run a support group, and drop in services. We hoped to get funded in the next year so that we can help more people that are hurting. Noel Gomez
@Noel I hope the funding goes through. I know alot of these women are victims in one way or another and don't have a lifeline (drug rehab, safe place to stay,counseling etc.) to get out.
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 @the unvarnished truth Troll
 @the unvarnished truth You really have to bring that garbage here? Really? Get over yourself. If people wanted to see a gun rant they'd read the 7000 comments of arguments on related stories.
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Totally classless and out for attention.
 @the unvarnished truth he strangled them al at once?
 @the unvarnished truth What the hell are you smoking??? Must be another anti gun nut that came out of the woodwork because of some other nut that went on a killing spree. Ridgway didn't use a gun that I remember and certainly not an assault rifle.Â
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 @the unvarnished truth  @LongBeachBum Calling a group of people zealots while turning unrelated articles into another gun rights opinion crusade is a bit ironic, don't you think?