Angela Marie Girdner (February 28, 1967 - July 1983) was a girl who was last heard from in May of 1983. Her remains were found on April 22, 1985 and identified in 2009. There is speculation that she was a Green River victim.
Case[]
Despite a history of high academic performance, at the time of her May 1983 disappearance, Girdner was known to be involved in sex work and to use drugs. Her parents had voiced the opinion she was influenced by a negative peer group. After her initial disappearance, she made contact with family via phone in July 1983. It is unclear how long she was alive afterward.
By April 1985, skeletal remains were located in Tualatin, Oregon, at a scene where confirmed victims of Gary Ridgway had previously been discovered. Based on the close proximity, the bones were sent to the King County Medical Examiner’s office in the state of Washington, as they were tasked with working the then-unknown serial killer.
Efforts to identify the victim failed at the time, and during the process of shipping the remains to the original jurisdiction, they erroneously arrived at the Clackamas County Medical Examiner.
After the bones were eventually rediscovered in storage, dental records confirmed her identity. Ridgway claimed not to have been involved with her death.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- Oregon Live
- Green River Killings (archived)
- CNN
- Salem News (archived)
- Obituary
- Angela Girdner at Find a Grave