S. F. Prescott

Terrifying and deeply disturbing.

Maria DiLorenzo received an MFA in Creative Writing from Hunter College in 2011. For several years she worked as a contributing writer for The Crime Report, and in 2020, she founded the website Beyond the Crime, which shares firsthand interviews with those incarcerated for murder to gain a deeper understanding of the criminal mind. She is one of the only journalists to extensively interview Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. Her work in true crime has also been chronicled in podcasts and documentaries, including an appearance on ABC’s 20/20.

I am an avid reader of true crime, and already familiar with the Green River Killings that occurred in Seattle during the 1980s, so when I received an early copy of Maria DiLorenzo’s book, Confessions of the Green River Killer, I was intrigued to learn something new about the case.

No doubt about it, this book is deeply disturbing, and I admire the author for her perseverance. To sacrifice her mental well-being in an attempt to uncover the truth about Gary Ridgway’s remaining unclaimed victims is nothing short of courageous. After he accepted the charges of aggravated murder for 48 victims in 2003 to avoid the death penalty, Ridgway has since acknowledged there are far more, possibly exceeding one hundred actual victims (although he conveniently can’t remember enough to identify them). The author’s research methods and source material were legit, bringing credible weight to the topic.

DiLorenzo does an amazing job at recounting the facts of his crimes while shedding new light on his current existence. Reminding the reader of his warped psyche. There were a couple of small confessions Ridgway shared with DiLorenzo that shocked me. Things I’d never read about online. What stood out the most were two things: his need for complete control (which he admits), and confirmation that he is completely delusional. Beyond rehabilitation, and sitting exactly where he is supposed to be. In a prison cell. The second half of the book slowed as Ridgway clammed up, finding ways to evade telling DiLorenzo anything new, and deflecting the conversation back to his sick fantasies. It was disturbing to read.

I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about the author herself, and what directly influenced her to pursue Ridgway, other than her unwavering need for justice. It would have also been fascinating to include interviews with prison psychiatrists, but I understand there may be limitations given certain state and federal regulations. Regardless, this is a solid read and I highly recommend picking it up if you’re curious about true crime.

Synopsis:

When crime journalist Maria DiLorenzo mailed a letter to Gary Ridgway, she never expected him to reply. He refused to speak to reporters and would send only religious materials back to anyone who contacted him in prison—if he replied at all. But instead of silence or a boilerplate letter, Maria’s phone rang–and it was the Green River Killer calling.

Over the next several years, Ridgway would call Maria hundreds of times, using all of his free time in prison to speak with her. Her goal: to pry the details of his dozens of unidentified and unsolved murders from him. His motivation in speaking to her: unknowable. Through these hundreds of hours of phone calls, Ridgway revealed new details about his life, his crimes, and his motives – and manipulated Maria much like he tormented his victims.