Officials: Body is that of missing Westminster child Jessica Ridgeway
State and local law enforcement officials told an afternoon media briefing that the body found in Arvada has been positively identified as Jessica Ridgeway, the 10-year-old girl missing from Westminster.
On Thursday Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso said the body found Wednesday was not intact, and that was making it difficult to identify it. Officials had been waiting on the results of DNA tests.
Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk said he had “a great deal of sorrow” in his heart.
“There is a predator at large in our community,” he said, adding that investigators are putting all efforts into finding the killer.
Jim Yacone with the FBI said, “The commitment with investigators ill not waver. Our commitment to seek justice will only grow.”
Yacone urged everyone to continue reporting tips about the case. Tips are being collected at 303-658-4336 or pdamberalert@cityofwestminster.us
“This is not the news we wanted to hear,” Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey said. He said that the investigation is the priority, and officials would not jeopardize that.
Birk, Yacone and Storey did not take questions.
Materasso confirmed the Colorado Bureau of Investigation used DNA to identify the body.
FBI spokesman Dave Joly said, “We will not rest until this person is caught.” He added that officials need the community to be “engaged and aware.”
Gov. John Hickenlooper released a statement after the news conference: “This is an unthinkable end to an unthinkable crime in our community.
“It is with a profound sense of sorrow that we learned of Jessica Ridgeway’s death. On behalf of all of Colorado, we offer our deepest sympathies to her family and friends. The Colorado Department of Public Safety and other federal, state and local agencies involved in the case will continue to provide all of the support they can as the investigation continues.”
At 4:45 p.m., the Westminster Police Department officially canceled the Amber Alert for Jessica.
Jessica was last seen at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 5 as she left her home on Moore Street in Westminster. She was to meet with classmates at nearby Chelsea Park to walk to Witt Elementary, but she never arrived at school that morning. Her mother, Sarah Ridgeway, a night-shift worker, slept during the day and awoke to find a message that her daughter never made it to school and reported her missing around 4:30 p.m. Oct. 5.
On Oct. 7 Jessica’s backpack was found in Superior. Police have said it is being analyzed for DNA evidence.
On Wednesday afternoon searchers found a body near Pattridge Park Open Space in Arvada.
Investigators have ruled out Jessica’s parents as possible suspects in the 10-year-old’s disappearance, focusing on an unknown suspect who is believed to have abducted her.
Yesenia Robles
The body found is Jessica. Our sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.
Now, I sincerely hope that whoever killed this young girl is found quickly. And, I hope justice is swift.
NOW they admit that there’s a ‘Predator at Large…’ This whole thing is beyond sickening – Poor girl
This is so sad, the world is now a lesser place because of the loss of this little one. I will hold my daughter tight tonight and feel so lucky that I can!
Such a heartbreaking end to the story. My sincerest condolences to Jessica’s family, and I hope that some people will stop judging Jessica’s mother. Her life is going to be hell from now on without some people continuing to castigate her.
BTW, I am certain that law enforcement had sound reason for clearing Jessica’s family members even before the body was positively identified, but it just makes me wonder why Jessica’s family members were cleared so quickly and JonBenet Ramsey’s parents were not.
Finally, I hope that whoever was responsible for Jessica’s death will suffer all eternity. Such monstrosity can NEVER be excused, IMO.
RIP sweet little girl. I am so sorry to Jessica’s family. May the memories you have bring you peace.
I wish her family the very best. It must be an ordeal that is beyond all bearing for them. This is such a heart-wrenching story!
This is heartbreaking. Thoughts and prayers to the family.
It’s so sad for the family, and her friends.
Hopefully they have more information than they are putting out. Evidently there was interest in a type of vehicle, and othe evidence from the crime scene and her backpack.
The human scum that did this needs to be found.
I can’t begin to imagine the terror and pain and confusion Jessica experienced before she died, but I hope with every fiber of my being that whomever did these terrible things to this innocent child experiences every single second of that terror, pain and confusion when he’s brought to justice.
This breaks my heart. I have an 11 year old son. Jessica’s picture reminds me, so much, of all the little faces that pour out of his school when the final bell rings. This is not her mother’s fault. My guess is these predators wait and watch until they get an opening. It’s so hard to keep an eye on them all the time. They need to find this guy to bring back a sense of safety to our neighborhoods.
Where were the Westminster Police over the last few months. The school district has warned parents in the area of attempted abductions. There was a highly publicized attempt to abduct a young woman at Ketner Lake just a few weeks ago. What did Westminster do about these threats? NOTHING!