Growing Up - Devoted Son - Friendly Neighbor

Gary Ridgway is the middle child of 3 sons. He was born to Tom and Mary Ridgway on February 18, 1949, in Utah. He had an older brother Greg and a younger brother, Ed. He grew up south of Seattle a working class neighborhood, not far from the airport "strip" in what would become SeaTac, WA.

He was considered a dutiful son. He was "very close" to his mother but not to his father. His father, Tom Ridgway worked as a bus driver on the strip and complained about the prostitutes. He was also dominated by his mother according to his first wife. His mother yelled at his father and broke a dinner plate over his father's head while he was at the table (he "only got up and left").

His father, Tom, died 3 years ago. His mother, Mary died of cancer of August 2001. He helped care for his aging parents, stopping by frequently.

After his mother died, he held a garage sale at her home. "He was always nice and polite," said neighbor David Malo. He stayed in touch with his old neighborhood.

Gino Duarte, neighbor, said the only time Ridgway seemed only interested in discussing hunting. Ridgway would tell him about how he and a brother liked to hunt in the mountains.

Ridgway and his brothers put the family home up for sale, for $219,000. Ridgway had complained to a coworker about the fighting among in his in-laws over his mother's estate.

Ridgway's wife and relatives are Support ive of him but do not want to deal with the reporters, so they did not show up at the arraignment. His wife, Judith, has hired a lawyer, Rebecca Wiess, who has not made any statements. Ridgway's relatives are unwilling to talk.

Ridgway's sister-in-law, wife of his older brother Greg, said family attorneys told them not to speak to the media. "We're praying," She said from her South Seattle home.