Tomas Guillen - The search for the green river killer the true story of Americas most prolific serial killer

The Search for the Green River Killer

The True Story of Americas Most Prolific Serial Killer

Carlton Smith & Tomas Guillen

CONTENTS

PEOPLE

Abernathy, Debbie; victim, last seen September 1983

Adamson, Frank; captain, King County Police, Green River Task Force, 198486

Agisheff, Amina; once thought to be a victim, last seen July 1982

Antosh, Yvonne; victim, last seen May 1983

Authorlee, Martina; victim, last seen May 1983

Avent, Pamela; victim, last seen October 1983

Barczak, Patricia; victim, last seen October 11, 1986

Bello, Mary; victim, last seen October 1983

Bonner, Deborah; victim, last seen July 1982

Brockman, Colleen; victim, last seen December 1982

Brooks, Pierce; serial murder expert, Green River Task Force Consultant, 1985

Brooks, Fabienne; detective, King County Police, Green River Task Force

Bryant, Hilda; television reporter, KIRO

Bundy, Ted; serial murderer, 197175

Bush, Denise; victim, last seen October 1982

Buttram, April; victim, last seen August 1983

Chapman, Marcia; victim, last seen August 1982

Childers, Andrea; victim, last seen April 1983

Christensen, Carol; victim, last seen May 1983

Coffield, Wendy; victim, last seen July 1982

Douglas, John; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent, Behavioral Sciences Unit

Estes, Debra; victim, last seen September 1982

Evans, Bob; captain, King County Police, Green River Task Force, 198889

Fatland, Rollin; deputy King County executive, 1985present

Feeney, Maureen; victim, last seen September 1983

Foster, Melvyn; suspect 198284, cleared

Gabbert, Sandra; victim, last seen April 1983

Gies, Rick; detective, King County Police vice squad, 197984

Haglund, Bill; chief investigator, King County Medical Examiners

Harrington, Penny; former Portland, Oregon, police chief, 1985

Hays, Roberta; victim, last seen February 1987

Hill, Tim; King County executive, 1985present

Hinds, Cynthia; victim, last seen August 1982

Horton, Richard Terry; suspect 1985, cleared

Hunt, Cookie; spokeswoman, Womens Coalition to Stop the Green River Murders, 1984present

Johnson, George; criminalist, Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, 1981present

Kellams, R.D.; policeman, city of Kent, 1982present

Keppel, Bob; special investigator, Washington Attorney Generals Office, 1980present

Kraske, Richard; major, King County Police, Criminal Investigations Division, 198284

Kubik-Patten, Barbara; housewife, psychic, and private detective

Kurran, Rose Marie; possible victim, last seen August 1987

Lee, Kase; missing, last seen August 1982

Liles, Tammy; victim, last seen June 1983

Lovvorn, Gisele; victim, last seen July 1982

Malvar, Marie; victim, last seen April 1983

Marrero, Rebecca; missing, last seen December 1982

Mathews, Gail; victim, last seen April 1983

McGinness, Keli; missing, last seen June 1983

McLean, Ernest W. Bill; suspect 1986, cleared

Meehan, Mary; victim, last seen September 1982

Milligan, Terri; victim, last seen August 1982

Mills, Opal; victim, last seen August 1982

Montgomery, James; sheriff, King County Police, 1988present

Naon, Constance; victim, last seen June 1983

Nault, Michael; captain, King County Police

Nelson, Kim; victim, last seen November 1983

Nickle, Jim; acting sheriff, King County Police, 1983

Nolan, Dan; lieutenant, King County Police, Green River Task Force, 198488

Osborne, Patricia; missing, last seen October 1983

Pitsor, Kimi Kai; victim, last seen April 1983

Plager, Delise; victim, last seen October 1983

Pompey, Jim; captain, King County Police, Green River Task Force, 198687

Reay, Dr. Donald; King County Medical Examiner, 1979present

Reeves, Marta; victim, last seen October 11, 1986

Reichert, David; detective, King County Police, Green River Task Force

Revelle, Randy; King County executive, 198185

Rois, Carrie; victim, last seen March 1983

Rule, Ann; writer

Rule, Linda; victim, last seen September 26, 1982

Sherrill, Shirley; victim, last seen October 1982

Smith, Alma; victim, last seen March 1983

Smith, Cindy; victim, last seen March 1984

Stevens, William J. II; suspect 1989, cleared

Streed, Tom; detective, San Diego County Sheriffs Department

Striedinger, Ed; detective, City of Seattle Police Department

Summers, Shawnda; victim, last seen October 1983

Tellevik, George; chief, Washington State Patrol, 1984present

Thomas, Vernon; sheriff, King County Police, 198387

Thompson, Tina; victim, last seen July 1983

Tindal, James Michael; taxi driver, 1982present

Tripp, Earl; detective, King County Police

Ware, Kelly; victim, last seen July 1983

West, Mary; victim, last seen February 1984

Whitaker, Allen; special agent in charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Seattle

Williams, Delores; victim, last seen May 1983

Wims, Cheryl; victim, last seen May 1983

Winckoski, Bernard; sheriff, King County Police, 198182

Winston, Tracy; missing, last seen September 1983

Wood, Brian; television reporter, KIRO

Yates, Lisa; victim, last seen December 1983

Yellowrobe, Patricia; victim, body found August 1998

NOTES ON AN INVESTIGATION

(April 1984)

Through subaqueous web of sleep

ringing telephone

shatters the design

my husband answers

and a voice

(disembodied as the news it brings)

tells of another bone find along the river

Frightful familiar words,

femur, pelvic, skeletal remains

usher in first light

Red breasted robin sounds his call note weep weep

As he scribbles the details of the find

on a scratch pad beside the phone

The who is strung together later

like dreadful pearls

and given teeth

Now his words fall heavy on fragile morning

Dump site, body drop, sign of ligature?

(Clenched fist at his side

only sign of troubled heart)

He dresses hurriedly: last longing look at warm bed

Before donning green coat

(That repels water and denies the weeping sky)

Commander ready for a place called Star Lake Road

Where hell collect another piece

of a human being

Hell not have a good day

Jo Adamson, 1984

PROLOGUE

July, 1982

At the beginning, there was only the man. He drove alone, keeping his thoughts to himself. It was as if he existed outside of the rest of the world, isolated inside his own skin, captivated by his own thoughts. He was a man with a face so common, so ordinary, that no one thought to look to see what was within. He passed by others quietly, as if he were not even there, and no one saw him at all. But he was a man with a secret, and the secret was death.

His favorite time was the afternoon. In his truck the man drove on the highway, looking, choosing, selecting. He made it a rule to drive until he found what he wanted, waiting for him by the side of the road. When it was right he would stop, and the game would begin.

He strove to look eager but shy, gentle perhaps, and undemanding. The fish would bite, how they loved to bite! He would open the door and invite them inside. Across the seat they would talk, tiny hands on the clasp purse that all of them carried, holding the secrets he craved. They thought they knew who he was, they had seen a hundred or more just like him, and knew just what to do. They wanted the money.