She was just walking to school, snow in her hands, morning, quiet, and then out of nowhere, a car door swings open to become unfamiliar hands. 1 second, a scream that no one hears. A few days later, on a dark road outside the city, a bag, and inside something that should never exist.
Something that makes even seasoned detectives go silent. A 10-year-old girl gone just 5 minutes from home in a place everyone believed was safe. How does something like this happen in broad daylight? Who could get that close and go completely unnoticed? And why did one small detail, a simple cross, end up leading to the answer? This is the story of Jessica Ridgeway.
Today, we’re heading to one of the suburbs of Westminster, Colorado. A cozy, welcoming town tucked between Denver and Boulder. It’s the kind of place people often choose as a base for exploring the region. It’s biggest natural highlight is Stanley Lake, known for its stunning sunsets, peaceful walking paths, fishing spots, and sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains.
The city is surrounded by greenery with long biking and walking trails stretching along Big Dry Creek. And for a relaxed night out, there’s Westminster Promenade, a mix of restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and a calm atmosphere far from the crowds of tourists. It was here that Jessica Ridgeway lived with her mother, grandmother, and aunt.
She was born to Sarah Ridgeway and Jeremiah Bryant. At 10 years old, Jessica was a fifth-grade student at Witt Elementary School. Her parents had been separated for years, and her father was living in Missouri. Despite the ongoing struggles with child support and custody, Jessica stayed close to both of her parents.
Teachers remembered her as a bright, cheerful girl, kind, compassionate, and always ready to help. She was the first to raise her hand in class, the first to start a conversation, the kind of kid who made it easy to feel welcome. Honestly, she loved learning and took real pride in being a great student.
She would often make up her own dance routines and songs. She adored animals and loved watching shows like Victorious and Wizards of Waverly Place. Jessica had endless energy. She would dive into anything she tried and wouldn’t stop until she got good at it. She was incredibly active and almost always in a good mood, as her grandmother later recalled.
On a cold, snowy morning, Jessica Ridgeway woke up at exactly 7:45. Not long before that, she had asked her mom to buy her an alarm clock. She wanted to start waking up on her own, to feel a little more independent. She spent a bit of time watching TV, grabbed a granola bar, got dressed, and then stood in the kitchen with her mom peeling an orange she planned to take with her to school.
Bundled up in a warm coat, Jessica said goodbye and stepped outside. She was supposed to meet her friends along the way at their usual spot in Chelsea Park, just 5 minutes from her street. From there, they would walk to school together. But that morning, she never showed up. Eventually, her friends had no choice but to keep going without her so they wouldn’t be late.
The thing is, Jessica was never late. She never missed school. She genuinely loved being there. So, by 10:00 in the morning, when there was still no sign of her, teachers called her mother, Sarah Ridgeway, but Sarah had just finished a night shift from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., and after seeing her daughter off, she went to sleep, not hearing the call.
The school left a voicemail, one she didn’t check until 4:30 that afternoon. At first, she thought it had to be some kind of mistake. Sarah drove past the park, stopped by the school, checked a few of Jessica’s friends’ houses, nothing. No one had seen her. No one knew where she was. That’s when she called the Westminster Police Department.
My daughter’s missing. Um, I guess she never made it to school this morning. How old is your daughter? She’s 10. Okay. What’s your daughter’s name? Jessica Ridgeway. In that moment, something inside her just dropped, a cold, hollow feeling no parent should ever have to experience. That’s when it hits you.
Your child has been taken. According to investigators, by around 9:15 that night, they had gathered enough evidence to believe that Jessica Ridgeway had been abducted. Soon after, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert. 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 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.
At least 50 police officers, including the FBI, are searching right now. When we start with a an 8-hour delay, or a delay as substantial as this, the the distance that she could have wandered, even even on her own, just gets huge. 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 look at every angle. Nothing like this has really ever happened. Like, it’s always surprising when something happens here. 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 Witt Elementary. The girls that she usually walks with have been interviewed. They did not see her today, but at such a young age as 10 years old, they uh they just did not think think much of it.
Again, we do want to show the picture of Jessica Ridgeway, 10 years old, 4’10” in height with shoulder blonde hair. She has blue eyes. She is wearing, I’m told, a winter jacket, a black puffy jacket, but with weather like this, it’s still of concern. Again, searches taking place across Westminster.
In fact, if you are concerned you would like to help, you could come here to the West Tree Recreation Center. We’re at the intersection of 108th and Oak again in Westminster. Teresa Witt But by that point, night had already fallen, and the cold was biting. Everyone knew they were facing a long, exhausting night of searching.
Fire crews brought in thermal imaging equipment to work through the darkness, and powerful floodlights lit up Chelsea Park, turning it almost as bright as day. Police even considered using a helicopter with night vision, but the temperature had dropped too low. There was a real risk of ice forming on the rotor blades, making it far too dangerous to fly.
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 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 Witt Elementary has received the notification that Jessica is missing. 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.
Around 2:00 in the morning, authorities asked volunteers to head home and return at first light. The Westminster Police Department set up a command center and reached out to volunteer search groups. And honestly, there was no shortage of people willing to help. Officers searched homes and backyards, along with large open areas, creeks, wooded sections, anywhere someone could disappear.
They spoke with hundreds of residents, collecting around 700 DNA samples. Officers were posted at crosswalks, and every vehicle entering or leaving the area was photographed. Mailboxes and trees throughout the neighborhood were decorated with ribbons in Jessica’s favorite color, purple. Inside her classroom, they found Jessica Ridgeway’s notebook, her homework already completed.
On one of the pages, she had written a simple but haunting reminder, “Don’t play in the park alone, and be careful around strangers.” She was cautious, always aware. Which is why investigators focused on just two possible scenarios. Either someone she knew and trusted lured her in, or she was taken by surprise without any warning at all.
The idea that Jessica would have willingly approached a stranger or started a conversation with someone she didn’t know just didn’t seem likely. Very quickly, the case demanded more resources. The Federal Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation, along with 12 other agencies. Soon, more than 1,000 people were working through over 4,000 leads.
4 days after she disappeared, her family finally stepped outside to make a public statement. Up until that point, they simply couldn’t bring themselves to leave the house. Still, they fully cooperated with investigators and provided their DNA 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. This FBI evidence response team on standby, soon putting on gloves, covering their shoes, and walking in the front door. Inside, outside, looking for any sign of Jessica. 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. She’s my rock. She She’s I mean, she’s all of our rock. A mother The bright voice of my little girl. She needs to come home. And a father I try to stay positive about it, but uh yeah, it’s hard. I just want to find my daughter. I watched 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 through back through that door. After searches by ground and by air, still no sign of the 10-year-old. And the reality of all of this is now very real. It is not ever ever anything [laughter] I want ever any parent to go through.
Police quickly ruled out Jessica’s parents as suspects in her disappearance. From the very beginning, the investigation focused on one main theory, she had been taken by someone outside the family. The next day, a man living about 6 and 1/2 miles away in the area of Superior, Colorado, came across something he didn’t immediately recognize for what it was.
It was Jessica Ridgeway’s backpack. Inside were her glasses, a water bottle, and a piece of clothing that carried the smell of urine. Attached to the bag was a keychain with the name Jessica. But, the thing is he didn’t connect it to the massive search happening just a few miles away. Instead, he posted a message on a local community server for Westminster, Colorado, saying, “If this belongs to you, come and get it.
” Eventually, someone put the pieces together and called 911. And for a moment, Sarah remembered feeling a small spark of hope, the kind you hold on to desperately. The hope that their only child would be found alive, safe, and unharmed. 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, they wouldn’t have got rid of the backpack just sitting there. But, that hope didn’t last long. It fell apart almost immediately when the very next day brought another discovery, one far more horrifying. And this time, there was no doubt.
Late Wednesday night, police announced a body had been found near a park in the Denver suburb of Arvada. 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. About 6 miles from Jessica’s home, maintenance workers came across a heavy bag on the side of the road.
They didn’t open it. Instead, they called police who arrived with a K9 unit. Inside, they found a small torso. Forensic testing later confirmed the remains belonged to Jessica Ridgeway. But, not all of her body had been recovered and at that point, investigators still couldn’t determine the exact cause of death.
At the scene, police also discovered a wooden cross. They didn’t publicly specify its exact position in relation to the remains. Some sources claimed it had been placed inside the body. Others said it was found nearby. Despite the uncertainty, investigators made it clear this was a critical piece of evidence.
The chief of the Westminster Police Department, Lee Burke, later said, “Our focus has shifted from searching for Jessica to seeking justice for Jessica. We understand that there is a predator in our community and that predator is still out there.” We pray for the Ridgeway family that you would comfort them. Prayer, candlelight, and song Saturday night to remember a life taken far too soon.
It amazes me that people can be that sick in this world. Hundreds took part in the vigil for Jessica Ridgeway in Westminster. 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 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 continued trying to develop leads. They’ve been going over sex 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.
I don’t know if he can make sense of it. You know, we just need justice for Jessica though and so all the kids are safe in the neighborhood. Investigators soon connected this case to an earlier attack, one that had happened 4 months before on Memorial Day. A woman out for a run near a local lake was suddenly attacked from behind.
A man pressed a cloth soaked in chloroform over her face and dragged her into the bushes. Somehow, she managed to fight him off and escape. She didn’t get a clear look at him. The only details she could give were basic, he was a white male, somewhere around 5’6″ to 5’8″ with an average build.
What’s chilling is how close it happened, just steps away from where Jessica Ridgeway was likely abducted. And then came the confirmation. DNA recovered from that earlier attack matched the DNA found in Jessica’s case. At that point, it became clear they were looking for the same person.
A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dave Joly, urged the public to remain on high alert. Soon after, investigators released a psychological profile of the suspect. We’re going to begin this half hour with the Colorado community on edge as police search for 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway’s killer. In Jessica Ridgeway’s community of Westminster, Colorado this morning, there is sadness, anger, and fear. This is horrible.
Absolutely horrible. That a killer is on the loose. I want to stress that we recognize that there is a predator at large in our community. With state, local, and federal agents working Jessica’s murder, police have scoured her neighborhood and the community for clues. More than 1,500 tips have poured in. 500 homes searched.
A manhunt underway for a killer still on the street. Former FBI profiler, Clint Van Zandt. This is a whole ‘nother 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 bracket almost by himself. We haven’t identified a an individual.
So, we’re talking and and conveying to our community the importance of looking at behavioral changes. Unfortunately, it’s somebody’s family member, a neighbor, a friend. Dozens of worried residents came to Tom Olbrick Saturday for crisis counseling. Our behavioral analysis unit wants to convey a message to the community and to the public as a whole.
They are looking for abnormal behavior, changes in someone’s behavior from Jessica’s disappearance last Friday until today. Uh it could be something as simple as shaving of their face, could be uh changing of hair color, cutting of their hair their hair, uh changing their mood, their personality, uh parking a vehicle in their uh garage and they’ve always parked it in their driveway.
So, we suspect that someone in the community knows this individual. And we’re asking for the community’s support once again. Uh the community has been very supportive in the efforts so far to this investigation and we’re asking that they would do this one more time to help us gather new leads and new information uh to bring this to a a conclusion.
More than 3,000 people gathered for memorial in Arvada, Colorado, a ceremony dedicated to honoring the life and memory of Jessica Ridgeway. Her favorite songs played softly in the background. Videos of her filled the screens and everywhere you looked, there were waves of purple, the color she loved most.
Among the crowd were police officers, volunteers, people who had known Jessica Litchina, and others who had only learned about her through this tragedy. Everyone showed up. Those of us involved in this case unfortunately never had the privilege of knowing your wonderful daughter. 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.
After detectives released an image of the cross pendant, one neighbor recognized it almost immediately. She lived near the Sigg family and reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation with her concerns about Austin Sigg, a Sigg, and wore a very similar cross. She also knew something else.
Austin had an intense, almost obsessive interest in death and in how human and animal bodies decompose. Not long after that, Austin was brought in for questioning. He gave FBI agents a DNA sample and told them that on the day Jessica Ridgeway disappeared, he had been home asleep. Investigators noted how closely his cross resembled the one found at the scene.
But, at that point, his explanation seemed to satisfy them. They collected the sample and continued going door-to-door. There were hundreds of samples to process. As part of the procedure, envelopes were mailed back with the names of those who had submitted DNA. If the envelope came back empty, it meant there was no match to Jessica’s case.
Austin’s envelope came back empty and just like that, he slipped off their radar, at least for a while. But, on October 22nd, media coverage intensified, focusing on the DNA link between Jessica’s case and the earlier attack on the jogger. That same day, Austin told his classmates he felt extremely weak, like he was seriously ill.
That night, he even slept in his mother’s bed. The next morning, he told her he needed to confess something. She looked at him and asked right away, “Is this about Jessica?” “I just knew,” she would later say. “I can’t explain it, but I just knew.” When he confirmed her worst fears, Mindy collapsed to the floor in tears.
Shock, disbelief, and one overwhelming thought repeating in her mind, “This can’t be real. This can’t be happening,” she repeated. “I’m going to prison,” Austin Sigg said. I know, Mindy Sigg replied quietly. You need to call the police. Can you do it for me? He asked. Mindy Sigg picked up the phone and dialed 911.
The call lasted nearly 18 minutes in total, though what was later released to the public was a shortened version. Hi, this is Molly at the Westminster Police. Can I help you? Hi, um I need you to come to my house, um my son wants to turn himself in for the Jessica Ridgeway murder. Can you tell me exactly what he said? That he did it and he gave me details and her remains are in my house.
Did you see them? No. Is he there with you? Yes. Is he cooperative? Yes. What is your son’s name? Austin Sigg. Okay, 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. I told him he did it. He just wanted me to call. He He is turning himself in.
Okay, do you think that he’s going to be cooperative with the officers? Absolutely. Okay. Do you think that Austin would talk to me? Do you Will you talk to him? Yeah, hopefully. Okay. Hello. Is this Austin? Yes, it is. Hi Austin, this is Molly at the Westminster Police Department. 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? Uh I I I I don’t exactly get why you’re asking these questions.
I murdered Jessica Ridgeway. Okay. There is I have proof that I did it. I There is no other question. You just have to send a squad car or something down here and I will answer all the questions that you want to ask Okay. wants to ask of me as soon as you just You got to get down here. Okay.
Have you committed any crimes like this before? Just this one? I mean, like do you have a criminal history of any sort? The only other thing that I have done that before this was the Ketner Lake incident where the woman got attacked. 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.
Well, how far are they? Um they’re going to be there in just a few minutes. [snorts] Is Austin still there with you? 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 medication? He saw a counselor um years ago before um porn.
Okay. I can’t breathe. Take some deep breaths for me. Do you want me to send you an ambulance? No. Are you sure? Yes, I’m sure. Okay, what just happened? I opened the window. What’s that? I just opened the window. Okay. I’m in here. 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. Okay? I don’t see them. I don’t see them yet. You don’t see them? No. Is Austin okay with you right now? Yeah, he’s just getting really anxious and so am I. Okay. They’re in here. They’re coming up. They’re coming up to the door? Yeah. Okay. Do you see Do you see the plainclothes officers and their badges? Yeah, they’re here.
Okay, I’ll let you go speak with them, okay? Okay. Okay, thank you. Goodbye. Goodbye. And just 19 days after Jessica Ridgeway disappeared, Austin Sigg was sitting inside a police station. He confessed that he had been the one who attacked the jogger using chloroform he had made himself. And the fact that she managed to fight him off and escape, it didn’t stop him.
If anything, it pushed him further. According to his own words, it made him rethink his approach. He decided he needed a smaller victim, someone he could control more easily. When investigators asked what he would have done if the attack on the jogger had been successful, he didn’t hesitate. Honestly, I probably would have done the same thing I did to Jessica.
So, you were you were out for a better word, hunting? Yeah, I I think that’s the only word I can think of. And did you know Jessica? No. Had you ever seen her before? No. In her final moments, Jessica Ridgeway was just playing in the park. She was making snowballs, completely unaware that Austin Sigg was watching her from a distance.
He had parked his Jeep where he believed no one would notice it, keeping his eyes on her as she walked along, a snowball in her hands. He waited for the moment she had to cross the street. Then he ducked down into the backseat so she wouldn’t see him. As Jessica passed by the Jeep, he suddenly jumped out, grabbed her, and forced her inside.
She [snorts] screamed, but there was no one around to hear it. He restrained her with plastic ties. Later, he would say, “It was random. The place, the time, everything.” Then he added, “I think the second I pulled her into the car, I already knew how it was going to end.” Jessica kept asking him questions, who he was, if he knew her mom.
According to him, she didn’t stop. She kept talking, trying to understand what was happening, and he lied to her. He told her everything was going to be okay. He drove her to his home. What happened next, only he truly knows. He claimed he brought Jessica into his room, removed the restraints, and turned on cartoons.
He told her, more than once, that she would be going home soon. Then he made her change into different clothes, clothes he had given her. He also said he cut her hair. After that, he told her to turn around, and that’s when he took her life. Austin later admitted that his actions were driven by overwhelming internal impulses, though he insisted there was no sexual assault.
He also confessed that after Jessica’s death, he tried to cover his tracks using knowledge he said he had learned during his studies. Investigators described his behavior afterward as disturbingly cold, completely lacking emotion. The 17-year-old led authorities to the location of additional evidence connected to the case, and it was found exactly where he said it would be.
At the same time, investigators determined that some of his attempts to hide the crime had failed, something later confirmed through forensic analysis. Jessica had already been dead before the large-scale search even began. Then came another shocking revelation. Just hours after the interrogation started, investigators realized that Austin’s original DNA sample had never actually been tested.
That empty envelope with his name on it, it was the result of a serious procedural error. A new analysis was done immediately. This time, the results were undeniable. His DNA matched the evidence from both the attack on the jogger and Jessica’s case. After his Jeep, the same vehicle he admitted using to abduct Jessica was impounded, investigators found physical evidence inside that backed up his confession.
The Deputy District Attorney, Hal Sargent, later explained that the way Jessica’s belongings had been left behind was intentional. “There’s a reason he chose those items,” he said. “It was deliberate, thought out.” It later came out that Austin had long been fixated on death, even planning to build a career around it.
He was attending a local college and taking courses in mortuary science. He also admitted that from a young age, he struggled with serious psychological issues and consumed disturbing, violent content online. His parents had divorced several years earlier, but tried to work together to help him. Back in 2008, they even sought guidance from a religious counselor.
But according to Austin, it didn’t help. If anything, the problems only grew worse. “It just kept getting worse,” Austin Sigg said. “It built up so slowly, I didn’t even realize how far it had gone.” In 2009, doctors treating Austin Sigg reached out to his father, Robert Sigg, with a strong recommendation.
They urged him to closely monitor his son’s access to television and computers. 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 Ridgeway. Austin Sigg was charged as an adult on 17 counts, including four counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping.
Even though he denied any sexual assault, the volume of violent material he had consumed and his documented history of disturbing, sadistic behavior pointed in a different direction. Prosecutors added three more charges, and he was ultimately also charged with sexual assault on a child, robbery, and sexual exploitation of a child after explicit material involving minors was found on his devices.
In the case involving the jogger, he faced additional charges, attempted first-degree murder, attempted kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault. New courtroom sketches of Austin Sigg, the teenager pleading not guilty to killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, even though he admitted it. could very well be a placeholder plea.
Even though Austin Sig played not guilty on all counts, he has the option to modify that later, including guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. In a statement, his father, Robert Sig, said the following. There simply aren’t words to express the deep sorrow and pain my family and I feel for the suffering others are going through.
We are devastated by the realization that my son, Austin Sig, has been arrested. This horrific event is a tragedy for both families and for the entire community. I also ask for prayers and support for Austin’s mother. Her decision, as difficult and painful as it was for any parent to make, helped bring this tragedy closer to resolution.
Mindy Sig, the woman who ultimately reported her own son to the police, later spoke about the crushing weight of guilt she carried. Not because she had anything to do with the crime, but because she couldn’t escape one thought that she was the one who brought him into this world. Meanwhile, Sara Ridgeway said she didn’t believe parenting or the way he was raised had anything to do with what happened.
I don’t think how he was raised has anything to do with what he did. Mindy remembered Austin Sig as a beautiful baby, a smart, kind boy. Trying to reconcile that image with who he became, it was something she simply couldn’t process. For me, there was no one else, she said. I didn’t know what music other people listened to.
I didn’t know what shows they watched. He was everything I could have ever dreamed of. One of his classmates, who had known him since middle school, described him differently. There was always something off. He was one of those students who was really intelligent, but kept to himself. He would talk to himself sometimes, and he just seemed very uncomfortable around people.
Even though Austin was capable, over time he began to fall behind in school. Mindy later learned he had been bullied because of his voice. Eventually, he dropped out and earned a high school equivalency certificate instead. As the years passed, people around him grew more cautious. One neighbor, Emily Alexander, later shared something chilling.
Her 11-year-old daughter came to her almost immediately after hearing about Jessica’s disappearance. “She told me she knew exactly who did it,” Emily said. “And I’m so sorry I didn’t take her seriously.” When that 11-year-old girl said she knew who had taken Jessica Ridgeway, no one believed her. I feel bad bad that uh I dismissed it.
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, just down the road, she says a teenage boy had been acting strangely, staring at her daughter, walking by their home.
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’d been at the park alone, there’s no telling, you know, what could have happened. I should have let her know that the moment she feels uncomfortable, that she should trust that, and that, you know, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Austin Sig pleaded not guilty to all charges, both in the case of Jessica Ridgeway and the earlier attack on the jogger. Given his detailed confession and the fact that Jessica’s remains had been found in his home, that decision came as a shock to many. At the same time, the idea of a full trial, where every horrifying detail would be laid out again, felt unbearable for a lot of people.
Because Austin was 17 at the time of the murder, he did not face the death penalty. However, if convicted, he could receive a life sentence with the possibility of parole only after 40 years. His attorney argued that the crime was impulsive and that Austin himself was still trying to understand why he had done what he did. The defense also pointed to a number of factors.
They claimed that during pregnancy, his mother had been exposed to paint fumes and had fallen down the stairs. They also said Austin suffered a head injury at birth due to the use of a vacuum extractor during delivery. In addition, they noted he had serious intestinal issues and underwent three surgeries.
They emphasized that he grew up in a divorced household and had prior contact with law enforcement. His father, Robert Sig, also had a long criminal history, including mortgage fraud, driving under the influence, assault, domestic violence, and drug trafficking. 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.
But Anna Salter, a psychologist who reviewed the police materials in the case, said she found no evidence that Austin Sig had been abused as a child. She pointed out that despite his parents’ divorce, his home environment appeared stable and he had support from his family. According to her, he showed no empathy toward Jessica Ridgeway.
This wasn’t some impulsive act he later regretted. Prosecutors echoed that conclusion. They argued his actions clearly pointed to intent and planning. He had deliberately searched for information on how to make homemade chloroform. He looked up things like top 10 places where people are most often abducted, and all of that was combined with the kind of extreme, disturbing content he had been consuming and openly admitted to.
The fathers of this country did not set forth an amendment that says when a young man kidnaps, robs, sexually assaults, and murders it and dismembers a 10-year-old girl, that everything other than the murder should be excused. What we do know is that this young man is dangerous. The only way 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 county, not in this state, not in this country. Austin Sig was held in a separate unit at the Jefferson County Detention Center, isolated from adult inmates. Then, almost exactly 1 year after Jessica Ridgeway set out for school and just 2 days before the trial was set to begin, Austin changed his plea.
He admitted guilt to 15 charges, including first-degree murder, sexual assault of a minor, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, and sexual exploitation of a child. Justice for Jessica delivered today. It’s been just over a year since 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway 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, 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.
It was truly a reflection of pure evil. And it And Austin Sig deserves everything he got. For the murder of Jessica Ridgeway, Austin Sig was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but the judge added another 86 years for the remaining crimes. Technically, because he was a minor at the time of the murder, he could have been eligible for parole. But with that combined sentence, any real chance of release was effectively erased, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
District Attorney Peter Weir made it clear there was no plea deal in this case. “No concessions,” he said. “We had no intention of offering anything to Austin.” The judge agreed, adding, “This case practically screams for a life sentence.” Austin showed no emotion as the sentence was read. He declined to address the court.
[gasps] 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, and we’ll all only remember Jessica and the legacy created legacy she created, as well as the LASSI project in which she inspired.
Thank you. Thank Mindy Sig said she never once regretted calling the police or turning in her son. She threw herself into therapy, and while she still thinks about Austin Sig and mourns the boy he used to be, she admitted something that says a lot. “I haven’t spoken to him since. I can’t.
He hasn’t even tried to reach out to me, and part of the reason I don’t want contact is because I don’t feel like I’d get the truth from him anyway. I can’t allow him to lie to me, and I still don’t have an answer to the question why. I need something, at least something.” When she was asked if she had a message for the family of Jessica Ridgeway, Mindy didn’t hesitate.
“I would give my life to change what happened. I would trade places with Jessica. Even now, when things are a little easier, I would do it without hesitation if I could.” Jessica’s grandmother later shared that every member of their family felt compassion for Mindy. “We understand that she lost her son, too.
It’s a different kind of loss, but she still lost him. My heart goes out to her. If we could have hugged her in that courtroom, if we had been allowed, we probably would have, but we couldn’t. I just want her to know we think about her often.” 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 represents a school project she was particularly fond of that she was working on at the time of her disappearance. The way Jessica’s community continues to honor her life, even now, is honestly incredible.
It feels like something is always happening in her memory. A memorial playground was built featuring a personalized 40-ft track, knock-knock jokes engraved from her classmates, and custom-designed swings wrapped in ribbons all in her favorite color, purple. Work also continued on the Lassie project, a free service that allows parents and guardians to alert an entire local community within seconds if a child goes missing.
And then there’s the Jessica Ridgeway cheer camp created in her honor because that’s who she dreamed of becoming someday, a cheerleader. She once told her mom she promised to be the kind of cheerleader who treated everyone with kindness. Five years after losing her daughter, Sarah Ridgeway welcomed another baby girl, Anna. The reminders of her are everywhere.
Lots of purple. Her sweet 10-year-old smile. Her picture’s everywhere. Her favorite color. We all still wear purple. Purple’s everywhere in our house. I think she’s makes her presence known. That’s how Sarah Pendell Ridgeway and her family remember Jessica. Just we still talk about her.
You know, it’s you know, she still exists for us. 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. Here you 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. 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 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.
I’m mostly going to say that, you know, she has a big sister that left before she was born. They want to raise her without fear. I’m going to try not to let what happened overshadow overshadow how I raise Anna cuz I don’t want her to be smothered a little bit. I want her to be able to have her own little life.
And never she’s not replaced, she’s just expanded. You know, she definitely has a extra special angel watching over her. She said she’s certain Jessica Ridgeway would have been an amazing big sister, but now she believes Jessica’s watching over her in a different way. Jessica’s story is one of the most heartbreaking you can imagine.
Just thinking about her final moments, the last pieces of childhood innocence hits hard. She was doing exactly what any 10-year-old should be doing, playing in the snow, meeting up with friends, heading off to another ordinary school day, ready to come home and tell her family all about it.
And then in an instant, it was gone. That innocence, that light, it was taken away forever. The Ridgeway family, like anyone in their position, has had to keep going one day at a time. Sarah Ridgeway once compared losing Jessica to a plate shattering on the floor, one piece gone forever. No matter how carefully you try to put it back together, the cracks will always be there.
It will never be the same again. You can’t put it back together the right way. “Not completely,” she said. “Thank you for watching. I hope this story stayed with you, that it meant something.” If you’d like to support the channel and help me keep telling stories like this, feel free to like the video, leave a comment, share it, and subscribe.
