**Snatched In The Snow: The Murder Of Jessica Ridgeway — Transcript & Summary | SozAI**
Source: https://sozai.app/transcript/snatched-snow-murder-jessica-ridgeway/

The tragic abduction and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in Westminster, Colorado, and the investigation that followed.

## Key Takeaways

- Jessica Ridgeway was a well-loved, cautious child who was abducted and murdered in her community.
- The investigation involved extensive coordination between local and federal agencies and community volunteers.
- Delays in reporting and challenging weather conditions complicated the search efforts.
- The perpetrator was apprehended, charged, and pled guilty to multiple serious crimes.
- Jessica's story highlights the importance of child safety and community vigilance.

## What the video covers

- Jessica Ridgeway, a cheerful and bright 10-year-old girl from Westminster, Colorado, went missing on October 5, 2012.
- Jessica was last seen leaving her home to meet friends at Chelsea Park before school but never arrived at school.
- An Amber Alert was issued after a delay due to her mother working night shifts and missing early calls from the school.
- A massive search involving local police, FBI, and multiple agencies was launched, with over 1,000 people following thousands of tips.
- Jessica's family cooperated fully with authorities, providing DNA samples and participating in the investigation.
- Despite extensive ground and aerial searches, Jessica was found deceased near a park in a Denver suburb days later.
- Austin Sig was identified as the perpetrator, charged with multiple counts including first-degree murder and kidnapping.
- The case revealed disturbing details about the crime and the suspect's background and mental state.
- Jessica's family expressed their grief and hope throughout the investigation and trial.
- The community mourned Jessica's loss, honoring her memory with purple ribbons and widespread support.

## Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Jessica Ridgeway and her background
2. 02:21 Jessica's disappearance and initial search efforts
3. 04:19 Community and police response to the abduction
4. 06:23 Family statements and ongoing investigation
5. 10:13 Discovery of Jessica's body and case developments
6. 12:10 Details about the suspect and charges
7. 19:07 Trial, guilty plea, and family reflections
8. 23:48 Legacy and community remembrance of Jessica

Answers

## Questions about this video

Who was Jessica Ridgeway?

Jessica Ridgeway was a 10-year-old girl from Westminster, Colorado, known for her cheerful personality and love of school, who was abducted and murdered in 2012.

How was Jessica Ridgeway's disappearance handled by authorities?

Authorities launched a massive search involving local police, the FBI, and multiple agencies, issuing an Amber Alert and following thousands of tips to locate Jessica.

What happened to the suspect in Jessica Ridgeway's case?

Austin Sig was charged with multiple counts including first-degree murder and kidnapping; he pled guilty to 15 charges related to Jessica's abduction and murder.

## Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

00:23

Speaker A

A suburban neighborhood in the city of Westminster, Colorado, is where we find ourselves today. Home to Jessica Ridgeway, who lived with her mom, grandma, and aunt.

00:35

Speaker A

Born to Sarah and Jeremiah, 10-year-old Jessica was in the fifth grade at Wit Elementary School. Her parents hadn't been together for years, and her dad lived in Missouri. And despite some issues with child support and custody, she had a great relationship with both

00:47

Speaker A

of them. Her teachers described her as a joyous, smiley girl, always helpful and always kind. Someone that was the first to put her hand up or start a conversation to make a new friend. Genuinely a model student who

01:01

Speaker A

loved learning. She often made up her own dance routines and songs. She loved animals and watching TV shows like Victorious and Wizards of Waverly Place. She was full of enthusiasm, gave anything a go, and would keep trying until she picked

01:16

Speaker A

things up. She was an exuberant child, and she was always cheerful, her grandma said.

01:30

Speaker A

On the snowy, cold morning of October the 5th, 2012, Jessica was up at 7:45 sharp.

01:37

Speaker A

She had asked her mom for an alarm clock so she could start getting up on her own and being more independent.

01:43

Speaker A

She watched TV, ate her granola bar, got changed, then peeled an orange with her mom to take to school. Bundled up in her thick coat, she said goodbye and left her house on foot.

02:00

Speaker A

She would be meeting her friends along the way in their usual spot at Chelsea Park, just a 5-minute walk away from her street, and then they would carry on to school.

02:11

Speaker A

But she didn't turn up, and her friends had to carry on before they missed the bell. Jessica was never late and never took a day off. She loved school. So, when it got to 10:00 a.m. and there was

02:21

Speaker A

still no sign of her, the teachers called Sarah. But Sarah worked a 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift, and after seeing her daughter off, she had gone to sleep and didn't hear her phone. The school left a voicemail which at 4:30 p.m.

02:34

Speaker A

Sarah finally heard. There had to be a mistake, she thought. She drove past the park, went to the school and a few of her friends' houses, but no sign of Jessica anywhere, and no one had seen her. She called Westminster police.

02:50

Speaker A

"My daughter's missing. Um, I guess she never made it to school this morning." "How old is your daughter?"

02:56

Speaker A

"She's 10." "Okay. What's your daughter's name?" "Jessica Ridgeway." And then you get a pit in your stomach you don't want any parent to experience in their entire life. And you know your child has been taken." She said by 9:15

03:10

Speaker A

p.m., investigators believed they had enough information to suspect Jessica had been abducted, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert.

03:20

Speaker A

Right away, I want to show you this little girl's picture, Jessica Ridgeway. She never made it to school, and right away the school called the little girl's mother. The mom works nights, so she didn't get the message until much later in the day. And that's

03:32

Speaker A

what's bringing us to where we are right now. A massive search taking place right now. Police, along with the CBI, have issued an Amber Alert. And the reason is this: It's because of the amount of time that has passed since she was last seen.

03:46

Speaker A

At least 50 police officers, including the FBI, are searching right now. When we start with an 8-hour delay or a delay as substantial as this, the distance that she could have wandered, even on her own, just gets huge.

04:00

Speaker A

Police say Jessica's father, who lives out of state, is in a custody battle with Jessica's mother. They do not believe Jessica is with him, but are not ruling anyone out. We don't have a person of interest, and we're going to

04:12

Speaker A

look at every angle. Nothing like this has really ever happened. Like, it's always surprising when something happens here.

04:19

Speaker A

So, as you can hear from that interview, this is a very serious situation. Normally, Jessica meets some friends at a park, which is just about three blocks from her home. Then the entire group walks to Wit Elementary. The girls that

04:31

Speaker A

she usually walks with have been interviewed. They did not see her today, but at such a young age as 10 years old, they just did not think much of it. Again, we do want to show

04:41

Speaker A

the picture of Jessica Ridgeway, 10 years old, 4'10" in height with shoulder-length blonde hair. She has blue eyes. She is wearing a winter jacket, I'm told, a black puffy jacket, but with weather like this, it's still of concern. Again,

04:55

Speaker A

search is taking place across Westminster. In fact, if you are concerned, you would like to help, you can come here to the Westview Recreation Center. We're at the intersection of 108 and Oak again in Westminster.

05:11

Speaker A

Theresa, but it was now dark and freezing cold, so it would be a long night.

05:15

Speaker A

Firefighters used thermal imaging equipment to see through the darkness and set up lights that illuminated Chelsea Park. Police wanted a helicopter that had night vision, but it was too cold to fly without the blades icing up.

05:27

Speaker A

We're using every resource we have. We're trying to use air or helicopters that have equipment that can search in the dark. Unfortunately, the weather has grounded those, so we're not able to use that tool. We've brought our fire

05:39

Speaker A

department in who has equipment that sees in the dark, thermal imaging equipment, so they're out searching with that. Over 400 faculty and every parent that has a student attending Wit Elementary has received the notification that Jessica is missing.

05:53

Speaker A

When the sun comes up, police say they will be bringing in even more people to help search for Jessica. They're also hoping for a break in the weather so they can get helicopters up to search from the sky.

06:03

Speaker A

By 2 a.m., authorities told volunteers to go home and come back later in the morning. Westminster police set up their command center and asked for search volunteers to support. There was definitely no shortage of people.

06:23

Speaker A

Officers were searching homes and gardens as well as huge open spaces like creeks and forest areas.

06:29

Speaker A

They talked to a huge number of people, taking 700 DNA samples. They had guards stationed at crosswalks and photographed cars coming into and leaving the neighborhood. Most mailboxes and trees were wrapped in ribbons in Jessica's favorite color, purple.

06:46

Speaker A

On her desk, they found Jessica's notebook with some homework in there. On one page, she had written, "Do not play at the park alone, and watch out for strangers." She was very wary and always careful.

07:00

Speaker A

So, either she had been lured by someone that she knew and trusted, or she had been snatched without warning. But approaching or engaging with someone she didn't know did not seem likely. The police station soon needed more resources, and the FBI got involved, too,

07:15

Speaker A

along with 12 different agencies. Soon, more than 1,000 people were following up on more than 4,000 tips.

07:23

Speaker A

Four days after she went missing, her family left the house for the first time in order to make a statement to the media. They hadn't been able to face leaving home up until this point, but they had cooperated fully and given DNA

07:35

Speaker A

samples. And Mike, the FBI mobile evidence response team unit. They were inside this home much of the afternoon for about 2 hours. They've since left, but they first arrived not even 10 minutes after the Ridgeway family left the home.

07:51

Speaker A

This FBI evidence response team on standby, soon putting on gloves, covering their shoes, then walking in the front door inside, outside, looking for any sign of Jessica.

08:02

Speaker A

And this is the first time we are hearing from Jessica's mother and father. Both deny any involvement in her disappearance. Both are holding out hope.

08:11

Speaker A

"She's my rock. She's, I mean, she's all of our rock. A mother, the bright voice of my little girl. She needs to come home."

08:20

Speaker A

And a father: "I try to stay positive about it, but yeah, it's hard. I just want to find my daughter."

08:29

Speaker A

"I watch her walk out the door, and I shut the door, and that's the last time I saw her. And I want to come walking back through that door."

08:39

Speaker A

After searches by ground and by air, still no sign of the 10-year-old. And the reality of all of this.

08:49

Speaker A

That is not ever [laughter] ever anything I want ever any parent to go through.

08:58

Speaker A

Police ruled out Jessica's parents as being involved in her disappearance, and their feelings were now that it had been a stranger abduction.

09:07

Speaker A

The next day, a man 6 and 1/2 miles away in the neighborhood of Superior found what he didn't realize at the time was Jessica's backpack along with her glasses, a water bottle, and some clothes which smelled of urine.

09:20

Speaker A

On the backpack was a keychain with the name Jessica, but making no connection to the search 6 milesi away, he posted on the Westminster Townless server, "If this is yours, come and get it." Someone did make the connection and called 911.

09:33

Speaker A

Sarah said she felt in this moment it was a glimmer of hope that they would find her only child safe.

09:39

Speaker A

Over the weekend, a glimpse of optimism for the family when Jessica's backpack and water bottle were found in another subdivision 6 miles away. I felt a sliver of hope. I figured, you know, if something really bad happened to her,

09:57

Speaker A

they wouldn't have got rid of the backpack just sitting there. But this hope would rapidly dissipate when the next day another discovery was made. It was far more disturbing and final.

10:13

Speaker A

Late Wednesday night, police announced a body had been found near a park in the Denver suburb of Arvvada. At this point, they won't officially confirm it is 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, but multiple police sources tell ABC News they believe it is the girl's body.

10:28

Speaker A

6 milesi from Jessica's home, maintenance workers found a heavy bag on the side of the road. They didn't open it, instead calling over a police officer and his dog. Inside was a small torso.

10:41

Speaker A

Testing confirmed that the remains belonged to Jessica, but they were still missing parts of her and a cause of death had yet to be determined.

10:53

Speaker A

The police said that a wooden cross was found at the scene, but they did not publicly specify exactly where in relation to her remains. Some sources have stated the cross was placed inside her. Others say it was near her.

11:06

Speaker A

Nonetheless, investigators called it a pivotal piece of evidence. The Westminster Police Chief, Lee Burke, said, "Our focus has changed from the search for Jessica to a mission of justice for Jessica. We realize there is a predator at large in our community. We

11:21

Speaker A

pray for the Ridgeway family that you would comfort them." Prayer, candle light, and song Saturday night to remember a life taken far too soon.

11:30

Speaker A

It amazes me that people can be that sick in this world. Hundreds took part in the vigil for Jessica Rididgeway in Westminster.

11:37

Speaker A

Heather Fong and her family among them after her son said he wanted to light a candle for Jessica. I feel like it kind of takes their childhood away because you teach them the world is a really good place, but

11:47

Speaker A

then you have to train them now that you can't talk to strangers. As the community mourns the loss of Jessica, police are stepping up efforts to find her killer. Saturday, investigators continue trying to develop leads. They've been going over sex

12:00

Speaker A

offender lists and have even been reviewing data from cell phone towers around key locations in the case, hoping if a number registered at all of them, it could help lead to a suspect.

12:10

Speaker A

I don't know if he can make sense of it. Hi. You know, we just need justice for Jessica, though, and so all the kids are safe in the neighborhood.

12:21

Speaker A

They made a link to a previous case that had happened 4 months earlier on Memorial Day.

12:27

Speaker A

A jogger had been out near Ka Lake and had been attacked from behind by a man who shoved a chloroform soaked cloth in her face.

12:35

Speaker A

She was dragged into a bush but managed to escape. The only thing she could say that he was a white male and based on her height, he was between 5'6 in and 5'8 in with an average build.

12:48

Speaker A

This had happened just a stones throw away from where Jessica was likely abducted. DNA found on her body matched the DNA found on Jessica's. So, it was the same attacker.

13:01

Speaker A

The FBI spokesman Dave Jolie said everyone really had to be on the highest alert and they released a profile.

13:08

Speaker A

We're going to begin this half hour with the Colorado community on edge as police searched for 10-year-old Jessica Rididgeway's killer.

13:14

Speaker A

In Jessica Rididgeway's community of Westminster, Colorado this morning, there is sadness, anger, and fear. This is horrible. This is absolutely horrible.

13:24

Speaker A

That a killer is on the loose. I want to stress that we recognize that there is a predator at large in our community.

13:31

Speaker A

With state, local, and federal agents working Jessica's murder, police have scoured her neighborhood and the community for clues. More than 1500 tips have poured in. 500 homes searched. A manhunt underway for a killer still on the street. Former FBI profiler Clint

13:48

Speaker A

Vanzant. This is a whole another type of predator. Number one, to commit a horrible act, to kidnap a child, but number two, to dispose of a body this way puts this guy in a breed almost by himself.

14:03

Speaker A

We haven't identified a an individual. So, we're talking and and conveying to our community the importance of looking at behavioral changes.

14:12

Speaker A

Unfortunately, it's somebody's family member, a neighbor, a friend. Dozens of worried residents came to Tom Olrich Saturday for crisis counseling.

14:21

Speaker A

Our behavioral analysis unit wants to convey a message to the community and to the public as a whole. They're looking for abnormal behavior, changes in someone's behavior from Jessica's disappearance last Friday until today.

14:36

Speaker A

Uh it could be something as simple as shaving of their face, could be uh changing of hair color, cutting of their h their hair, uh changing their mood, their personality, uh parking a vehicle in their uh garage, and they've always

14:52

Speaker A

parked it in their driveway. So, we suspect that someone in the community knows this individual, and we're asking for the community support. Once again, uh the community has been very supportive in the efforts so far to this investigation, and we're asking that

15:06

Speaker A

they would do this one more time to help us gather new leads and new information, uh to bring this to a conclusion.

15:16

Speaker A

More than 3,000 people attended a memorial in Arvvada to celebrate the life of Jessica Rididgeway.

15:23

Speaker A

Her favorite songs played alongside a video of her, and it was just a sea of purple in the big crowd.

15:30

Speaker A

officers, volunteers, people that knew Jessica and people that had only learned of her through the unfolding story.

15:37

Speaker A

Everyone was there. Those of us involved in this case unfortunately never had the privilege of knowing your wonderful daughter.

15:47

Speaker A

But I can honestly tell you, we feel like we did. We feel like she's part of our family, and we feel like we've lost part of our family.

15:58

Speaker A

[music] After detectives released a photo of the cross necklace, a neighbor had recognized it. She lived near the Sig family and called the FBI to express her concerns about [music] Austin Sig, a 17-year-old who lived with his mom,

16:17

Speaker A

Mindy, as well as the cross. She knew that he had a fascination with death and decaying human and animal bodies.

16:26

Speaker A

After this, Austin was spoken to and provided FBI agents with a DNA sample. He told them he was home sleeping when Jessica went missing. They had noticed he was wearing a similar looking cross.

16:36

Speaker A

However, they left with the samples seemingly satisfied with his answers and carried on canvasing the area. So many swabs and samples were being collected and tested, and protocol was to send back envelopes labeled with the names of those who had submitted the sample. If

16:50

Speaker A

the envelope was empty, it meant the DNA did not match the samples from Jessica.

16:56

Speaker A

Austin's envelope came back empty, so they moved on. But on October 22nd, the media started running the story about the DNA link between Jessica and the attack on the jogger. And that very day, Austin told his classmates that he felt

17:10

Speaker A

wobbly and tremendously sick. He even slept in his mom's bed that night. The following morning, Austin told his mom he had something to tell her.

17:20

Speaker A

Straight away, she asked if it was about Jessica. I just knew. I don't know why, but I just knew," she said. When he confirmed her fears, Mindy fell to the floor crying. Horror, disbelief, like, "This can't be happening. This cannot be

17:34

Speaker A

happening." She said, "I'm going to jail," Austin said. "I know," she replied. "You've got to call the police." "Can you do it for me?" he asked. Mindy picked up the phone and called 911. The entire call itself is

17:47

Speaker A

almost 18 minutes long, so it has been cut down. Hi, this is Molly with Mr. Police. Can I help you?

17:55

Speaker A

Hi. Um, I need you to come to my house. Um, my son wants to turn himself in for the Jessica Ridgeway murder.

18:04

Speaker A

Can you tell me exactly what he said? But he did it and he gave me details and her remains are in my house.

18:11

Speaker A

Did you see them? No. Is he there with you? Yes. Is he cooperative? Yes.

18:23

Speaker A

What is your son's name? Austin. Okay. I I understand that you're probably, you know, feeling pretty crappy right now, but I want you to know that you did the right thing.

18:39

Speaker A

He He did it. He just wanted me to call. He He is turning himself in.

18:42

Speaker A

Okay. Do you think that he's going to be cooperative with the officers? Absolutely. Okay.

18:50

Speaker A

Do you think that Austin would talk to me? Will you talk? Yeah. Hold on. Okay.

19:01

Speaker A

Hello. Is this Austin? Yes, it is. Hi, Austin. This is Molly at the Westminster Police Department.

19:09

Speaker A

Hi. Can you tell me a little bit about what's going on right now or how you're feeling or or how did this come about?

19:19

Speaker A

Uh, I I I don't exactly get why you're asking these questions. I murdered Jessica Richway.

19:27

Speaker A

Okay. There is I have proof that I did it. I There is no other question. You just have to send squad car something down here and I will answer all the questions that you want to ask or anyone wants to ask of me as soon as

19:43

Speaker A

you just you got to get down here. Okay. Have you committed any crimes like this before?

19:50

Speaker A

Um I mean are do you have a criminal history of any sort? The only other thing that I have done that before this was the Katner Lake incident where the woman got attacked.

20:02

Speaker A

That was me. Ma'am, um I understand you want to call your I understand you want to call your husband and I'm sorry, but I would like to keep you guys on the phone just until the officers get a little bit closer.

20:18

Speaker A

Well, how far are they? Um they're going to be there in just a few minutes. Is Austin still there with you?

20:25

Speaker A

Mhm. Yeah. I won't let him out of my sight. Okay. Has Austin been diagnosed with any mental health issues? Does he see a counselor or take any medications?

20:35

Speaker A

He saw a counselor um years ago. Go for um porn. Okay. I can't breathe. Take some deep breaths for me. Do you want me to start you an ambulance?

20:51

Speaker A

No. Are you sure? You're sure. Okay. What just happened? I opened the window. What's that?

21:01

Speaker A

I just opened the window. Okay. I need air. Okay, Mindy, take a couple deep breaths for me. Okay, you tell me when the officers get there. They're coming to your front door.

21:16

Speaker A

Okay. I don't see him. I don't see him. You don't see them? No. Is Austin okay with you right now?

21:25

Speaker A

Yeah, he's getting really anxious and so am I. Okay, they're in here. They're coming up.

21:31

Speaker A

They're coming up to the door. Yeah. Okay. Do you see it? Do you see the plane close officers and their badges?

21:39

Speaker A

Yeah, they're here. Okay. I'll let you go speak with them. Okay. Okay. Thank you.

21:46

Speaker A

Okay. Bye. Goodbye. [music] And 19 days after Jessica Rididgeway went missing, Austin Sig was in the police station. He admitted that he had tried to kidnap the jogger with his own homemade chloroform. And when the woman was able to escape, this did

22:07

Speaker A

not deter him. Far from it. He said this only made him rethink his next moves. He needed someone smaller and someone he could easily overpower. When asked by police what he would have done if his attack on the jogger had been

22:19

Speaker A

successful, he said, "Probably do the same to her that I did to Jessica." So, you were you were out for a better word, hunting? [music] Yeah, I that's the only word I can think of.

22:33

Speaker A

And did you know Jessica? No. [music] Had you ever seen her before? No. In her final moments, Jessica was playing in the park and Austin watched her as she made snowballs. He parked up his Jeep where he knew no one could spot

22:48

Speaker A

him and watched Jessica as she walked with a snowball in her hands. He waited until she had to cross the street and slightly slumped down in the back so she couldn't see him. As she walked past the jeep, he jumped out and grabbed her,

23:00

Speaker A

[music] pulling her inside. Jessica screamed, but there was no one around. He bound her feet and hands with zip ties. He said, "Random place, random time, random everything." I think the second I pulled her into my car, I knew

23:14

Speaker A

she was dead. Jessica asked him who he was and if he knew her mom. He said she kept asking me questions. I would answer them and I would lie to her. I would tell her that everything was going to be okay. He

23:26

Speaker A

drove her to his house and what happened there is really only known to him. He claimed he carried Jessica up to his room and said he cut the zip ties off her wrists and started playing some cartoons for her. He told her over and

23:38

Speaker A

over that she would go home to her mom soon. She had wet herself, so he made her change out of her clothes and gave her his white shirt and a pair of black shorts. He also allegedly cut her hair.

23:48

Speaker A

He told her to turn and face away from him. He then strangled her. Austin admitted he was consumed by a sexual drive when he grabbed Jessica, but maintained he did not sexually assault her. He admitted to dismembering her in the bath, placing her torso in

24:06

Speaker A

two bags and hiding them in the pool house for a while before driving to dump them. He removed and identified each one of her organs. He said the dismemberment was from a forensic science class.

24:18

Speaker A

Serial killers in the successful ones were the ones who could always make the body disappear.

24:23

Speaker A

Austin's treatment of Jessica's body was callous in a way not often seen. The 17-year-old told them where they could find the other parts of her body in a crawl space under his house, which they recovered. As well as the crawl space,

24:38

Speaker A

Austin described trying to flush bits of her down the toilet, but this didn't work. Investigators also later recovered human tissue in the plumbing at the home, confirming that part of his disposal attempt involved the toilet.

24:52

Speaker A

Jessica was dead before the police had even started looking for her. Hours into his interview, investigators learned that his DNA sample had actually been lost and not yet tested. The empty envelope with his name on it had clearly

25:07

Speaker A

been a mistake. They ordered an immediate test and there it was. His DNA matched the sample found on the jogger and Jessica.

25:22

Speaker A

After they towed the jeep he admitted to dragging Jessica into, they found some broken zip ties.

25:33

Speaker A

The then chief deputy district attorney, Hal Sergeant, said he believed the placement of the items of hers that he discarded was to make clear that Jessica was dead. The glasses tell you she's dead. There's a reason he chose the

25:46

Speaker A

items that smelled of urine, her jacket and socks, and other items of clothing he threw out. He chose carefully. Austin had a long fascination with death and now wanted to be a mortician. Attending community college where he took classes

25:59

Speaker A

in morttery science. He said he had become addicted to watching child abuse material at the age of just 12. He said he was very sexually disturbed and sadistic and would watch all manner of graphic, gruesome, and twisted things

26:11

Speaker A

online. Austin's parents had divorced years before, but worked together to try and help Austin. In 2008, they took him to a faith-based counselor, but in his own words, his obsession continued to grow, and it made no difference. He said

26:24

Speaker A

it started getting worse and worse and more violent things. And I mean, as things got more and more violent, it was such a slow progression of the step up that I wasn't even I don't even know if I realized it was getting harder. It

26:36

Speaker A

took a hold of me and it just started growing. After I got done seeing my Christian therapist, psychiatrist, whatever you want to call it, after that, I thought I had a grip for a little while and then it probably lasted

26:46

Speaker A

not even a month and then I went back to it. Austin's doctors contacted his father, Robert, in 2009, urging him to control his son's access to television and computers as well.

27:00

Speaker A

All right. Well, police in suburban Denver are still removing evidence from the home of a teenage college student in custody for the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Rididgeway.

27:09

Speaker A

Austin Sig was charged as an adult with 17 counts, including four counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping.

27:17

Speaker A

Despite his denials that he sexually assaulted her, the amount of abuse material he consumed and his sadistic history did point to a different story.

27:26

Speaker A

Prosecutors added three more counts. So Austin was also charged with sexual assault on a child, robbery, and sexual exploitation of a child after child abuse material was found on his devices.

27:38

Speaker A

In the case of the jogger, he was charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault. are new courtroom sketches of Austin Sig, the teenager pleading not guilty to killing 10-year-old Jessica Rididgeway, even though he admitted it.

27:52

Speaker A

Well, this could very well be a placeholder plea. Even though Austin Sig plead not guilty on all counts, he has the option to modify that later, including guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

28:05

Speaker A

His dad, Robert, said in a statement, "There are no words to express the sorrow that I and my family feel for the pain they are suffering. We are devastated by the knowledge that my son Austin Sig has been arrested. This

28:17

Speaker A

horrible event is a tragedy for both families as well as the community. I ask also for your prayers and support for Austin's mother whose courageous act unimaginably painful for any parent has put this tragedy on the path to

28:29

Speaker A

resolution. Mindy, who turned her son in, later said that she had a horrible sense of guilt, not because I had anything to do with it, but because I brought this child into the world. Sarah, Jessica's mom, said there's nothing she did that caused

28:43

Speaker A

this. I don't think how she raised him had anything to do with what he did.

28:48

Speaker A

Mindy said he had been such a beautiful baby and a smart, kind kid. It was just unfathomable that this was who he was now. Nobody else existed. I don't know what music was popular. I don't know what TV shows were popular. He was

29:01

Speaker A

everything I could have possibly wanted. A classmate who had attended school with Austin since middle school said, "There was always something wrong with him. He was always one of the kids in the class who was really smart, but he would be by

29:13

Speaker A

himself. He'd talk to himself and just act really awkward around people. Although he was very clever, he started to fall behind and Mindy learned he was being bullied because of his voice.

29:23

Speaker A

He soon dropped out of high school and got a graduate equivalency diploma. People had become so unsettled by him over the years. One neighbor called Emily said her 11-year-old daughter came right up to her when she learned that

29:37

Speaker A

Jessica had been kidnapped. She said she knew exactly who it would be. I feel bad that uh I dismissed it.

29:47

Speaker A

When Emily Alexander's 11-year-old daughter said she knew who kidnapped Jessica, no one believed her. She goes, "Mom, oh my god, I know who did it." And I go, "Who?" and she goes, "The goth teenager from the park." At this park

30:02

Speaker A

just down the road, she says a teenage boy had been acting strangely, staring at her daughter walking by their home.

30:07

Speaker A

And she pointed him out right across the street from her house. Emily Alexander says her daughter's friends may have been what saved her. If she had been at the park alone, there's no telling, you know, what could have

30:19

Speaker A

happened. I should have let her know that in the moment she feels uncomfortable, that she should trust that and that, you know, it's better to be safe than sorry. Austin pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in both

30:32

Speaker A

Jessica's case and the jogger's case. Considering his detailed confession and the discovery of Jessica's remains in his home, this not guilty plea was a shock, and the thought of going to trial, to hear all of the grizzly details play out was a lot for people to

30:45

Speaker A

handle. Because he was 17 at the time of the murder, he could not face the death penalty, but if convicted, he would face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

30:57

Speaker A

His lawyer said that his actions were impulsive and that he was struggling to understand why he had done what he'd done himself. They claimed that Austin's mother had inhaled paint fumes and fallen down the stairs when she was

31:07

Speaker A

pregnant with him, and that Austin had been born with a head problem due to the use of a vacuum extractor. They said he had serious intestinal issues and that he underwent surgery three times. It was mentioned that Austin had come from a

31:20

Speaker A

home of divorce and many run-ins with the police. His father, Robert Sig, had a long arrest history which included mortgage fraud, DUIs, assault, domestic violence, and drug dealing.

31:34

Speaker A

The court would be presumptuous and speculative to assume at this early age because of an act by a child that that child would never be appropriate for parole.

31:48

Speaker A

But Anna Salter, a psychologist who reviewed police records about the case, said she noted he had not been abused as a child and added that despite his parents' divorce, everything had seemed well at home and he did have a

31:59

Speaker A

supportive family. He certainly had no empathy for Jessica Rididgeway. This was not an impulse he had and then felt horrible about later, she said.

32:08

Speaker A

Prosecutors said that his actions showed a premeditation. He had searched for homemade chloroform, typed in top 10 places people get abducted, and this along with every other extreme thing he had watched and admitted to. The founding fathers of

32:22

Speaker A

this country did not set forth an amendment that says when a young man kidnaps, robs, sexually assaults, and murders and dismembers a 10-year-old girl that everything other than the murder should be excused.

32:38

Speaker A

What we do know is that this young man is dangerous. The only way to protect the community from him is to keep him confined forever. They have never seen an offense like this committed by someone under 18 ever. Not in this

32:58

Speaker A

county, not in this state, not in this country. Austin was kept in the special housing units at the Jefferson County Detention Center, away from adult population. But almost a year to date after Jessica set off from school and 2 days before his

33:13

Speaker A

trial was due to start, Austin pleaded guilty to 15 charges, including first-degree murder, sexual assault of a minor, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, and sexual exploitation of a minor.

33:27

Speaker A

Justice for Jessica delivered today. It's been just over a year since 10-year-old Jessica Rididgeway disappeared. Well, today her teenage killer Austin Sig learning he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He got life in prison for the murder charge,

33:41

Speaker A

plus 86 consecutive years on top of that for the kidnapping, sexual assault, and robbery charges. One of Sig's attorneys mouths, "Are you okay?" Sig replies, "Yeah, I'm fine." He was expressionless most of the day.

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Speaker A

It was truly a reflection of pure evil. And and Austin Sig deserves everything he got.

34:03

Speaker A

He was given a sentence of 40 years for the murder of Jessica, but the judge sentenced him to another 86 years extra for his other crimes. Although he would have been eligible for parole because he was a juvenile at the time of the

34:15

Speaker A

killing, the extra years totally eliminate that possibility, ensuring he will be inside for the rest of his life.

34:23

Speaker A

District Attorney Peter Weir said there was no plea bargain in this case. There were no concessions. We are not going to make any concessions for Austin.

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Speaker A

The judge agreed and added, "This case cries out for a life sentence." Austin chose not to address the judge and showed no emotion as the decision was read.

34:43

Speaker A

So, I'm actually not going to say anything today because I don't think that the defendant has the right to hear how he affected my me, my family, or who Jessica was. Once we walk out of this courtroom, we'll not remember his name

34:59

Speaker A

and we'll all only remember Jessica and the legacy created legacy she created as well as the lassie project in which she inspired. Thank you. Thank you.

35:10

Speaker A

Mindy said she has never once second-guessed her choice to call the police and turn her son in. She threw herself into therapy and although she obviously thinks about Austin and misses the son she once knew, she said I

35:21

Speaker A

haven't talked to him since. I can't. He has not reached out to her either. Part of the reason why I don't talk to him is because I don't feel like I'm going to hear the truth about anything. I can't

35:31

Speaker A

be lied to by him and I've never gotten an answer as to why and I need something. And when asked if she had a message for the Ridgeway family, Mindy said, "I would literally give my life to change what happened. I would trade my

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Speaker A

life for Jessica's. Even now that I'm feeling better, I would do that if I could." Jessica's grandma said every single one of their family felt compassion for Mindy. She said, "We understand that she has lost a son, too.

35:54

Speaker A

It's a different loss, but she still lost a son. My heart goes out to her. If we could have hugged her in court and they would have let us, we probably would have, but we couldn't. I want her

36:03

Speaker A

to know that we think about her a lot. And this park has just been transformed here. Everywhere you look, there are hints of Jessica. from the purple that is speckled throughout the park to this dragonfly teeter totter which we're told

36:23

Speaker A

represents a school project she was particularly fond of that she was working on at the time of her disappearance. Now the way Jessica's community still remembers and celebrates her young life is truly special with something going on all the time it seems.

36:38

Speaker A

A memorial playground was built which included a 40ft custom track ride, imprinted knockknock jokes from her classmates, a custom-designed ribbon swing set, and everything in purple. Of course, there was also work done with the Lassie Project. It's a free service that gives

36:59

Speaker A

parents and guardians the ability to notify an entire local community about their child being missing within seconds. The Jessica Ridgeway cheer camp was also set up as this was the thing she was most excited to be when she was

37:11

Speaker A

old enough. She said to her mom that she promised to be a cheerleader who will be kind to everyone. [music] 5 years after she lost her daughter, Sarah welcomed a baby girl, Anna.

37:28

Speaker A

The reminders of her are everywhere. Lots of purple. Her sweet 10-year-old smile. Her pictures everywhere.

37:35

Speaker A

Her favorite color. We all still wear purple. Purple's everywhere in our house. I think she's makes her presence known.

37:41

Speaker A

That's how Sarah Pendelle Ridgeway and her family remember Jessica. We still talk about her. You know, it's, you know, she still exists for us.

37:49

Speaker A

Yes, it's hard and it's the hardest thing that anybody could possibly do is to move forward. I need to remember who she was and who I would have hoped she would have become and know that I need to keep moving forward.

38:07

Speaker A

Go. She was born October 15th. Anna Christine Pendell Ridgeway. Her and her sister share the same middle name. And then her eyes are blue. Different blue than Jessica's, but they're blue.

38:19

Speaker A

She loves her hands. They're her favorite thing in the whole wide world. I think Jessica would be enamored. She's very much ever present. We talk to Jessica and I think she kind of turns her head. It looks like she's talking to

38:31

Speaker A

somebody over in the distance. So, I think her sister definitely comes and visits and leaves her little sparkly way around. And mom and grandma say they'll tell Anna all about Jessica Sparkle as soon as she's old enough.

38:44

Speaker A

I'm mostly going to say that, you know, she has a big sister that left before she was born.

38:50

Speaker A

They want to raise her without fear. I'm going to try not to let what happened overshadow overshadow how I raise Anna because I don't want her to be smothered a little bit. I want her to be able to have her

39:04

Speaker A

own little life. It never she's not replaced. She's just expanded. No, she definitely has a extra special angel watching over her.

39:15

Speaker A

She said she knew Jessica would have been the best big sister, but she looks over her now in a different way.

39:24

Speaker A

Jessica's story is as heartbreaking as they come. The thought of her last moments of childlike wonderment, doing what every 10-year-old should be able to do. Play in the snow, meet her friends, have another good day at school, and

39:36

Speaker A

come back ready to tell everyone all about her day. In a split second, everything had changed, and that purity and innocence would be snatched away.

39:46

Speaker A

The Ridgeway is much the same as anyone else in their position. Take it day by day. Sarah described Jessica's murder as like a plate shattering and that one piece that gets lost somewhere. You can glue it as best you can, but the cracks

39:59

Speaker A

still show and it's just not ever the same again. She said, "You can't quite put it back together correctly and completely.

40:12

Speaker A

[music] [music] [music]

Topics: Jessica Ridgeway child abduction Westminster Colorado Amber Alert missing child child murder FBI investigation Austin Sig true crime Truly Criminal


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