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Post by meme on Oct 22, 2012 1:59:49 GMT -5
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Post by meme on Oct 22, 2012 15:46:55 GMT -5
WESTMINSTER, Colo. — FOX 31 News in Denver is reporting that police have DNA evidence on a suspect in the murder of Jessica Ridgeway. In the days after she vanished, investigators asked the public to stop looking at what the 10-year-old girl was wearing when she vanished,and pay more particular attention to her facial features. Sources say the reason police asked the public to change their focus is because when they found Ridgeway’s book bag after her disappearance, her clothes were inside. A source said only her socks were missing. Two separate sources familiar with the investigation told Fox 31 Denver’s Justin Joseph, during the investigation into those two items, they recovered a man’s DNA. Sources say police matched that DNA to the DNA police recovered during another recent attempted sex assault on an adultfemale. However, that case also remains unsolved. fox4kc.com/2012/10/22/police-believe-they-have-jessicas-killers-dna-but-dont-know-his-name/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 22, 2012 20:03:31 GMT -5
Aurora police seek green SUV in attempted abduction at school bus stop 10/22/2012 3:43 PM An 8-year-old girl on her way to school in Aurora Monday morning was told by a stranger to get in his sport-utility vehicle, police said. The child was at a bus stop near East Louisiana Avenue and South Idalia Street at about 8:30 a.m, when a man pulled over in the green, two-door "Jeep-like" vehicle, the child told police. She ran to friends who were approaching the bus stop, and the SUV left. The girl reported the incident when she reached her school, Aurora police said Monday afternoon. The SUV also had a passenger. A person who lives in the area told police she did not see the incident Monday morning, but had noticed a green Chevy Blazer in the area apparently watching the kids at the bus stop. The Aurora Police Crimes Against Children Unit is investigating this incident. Anyone who sees a vehicle matching the description near East Louisiana Avenue and South Idalia Street can call police at 303-627-3100 or Crimes Against Children Sgt. Joe Young at 303-739-6093. "This is yet another reminder to the public to be vigilant," Aurora police said in a statement. "Please report any suspicious behavior to police. Suspicious behavior could include an unknown adult watching children in a park or at a bus stop; a vehicle following a child or children; an unknown vehicle circling an area where children are. Please take the time to talk to your child about staying safe." m.denverpost.com/denverpost/pm_14466/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=YhxsdvKB |
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Post by meme on Oct 24, 2012 17:04:48 GMT -5
Westminster Police arrest 17-year-old Austin Sigg in Jessica Ridgeway abduction, murder case Sigg had interest in crime scene investigation Posted: 10/24/2012 Last Updated: 2 hours ago WESTMINSTER, Colo. -Westminster police announced Wednesday they have arrested a 17-year-old who had skills in forensic science and criminology in the abduction and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway. "I'm pleased to announce that today I believe we have taken a significant step toward justice for Jessica. We have made an arrest in the Jessica Ridgeway case: 17-year-old Austin Sigg is in our custody," Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk announced during a noon news conference. Westminster police said they received a call Tuesday evening that led them to Sigg's home near the Ketner Lake Open Space, which is about 1 mile from Jessica's home on the other side of Ketner Lake. He was arrested at his home around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday and cooperated with police and waived his rights. 7NEWS has learned that a woman identifying herself as Sigg's aunt said the teen went to his mother with disturbing information and she urged him to call police and turned himself in. It's not clear if Sigg called police or if his mother called police. His mother was at the home when he was taken into custody. Investigators said they will file charges against Sigg in the abduction and death of Ridgeway and the May 28 attempted abduction and attempted murder of a 22-year-old woman at Ketner Lake. Sigg does not appear on any Colorado sex offender lists and since he is a juvenile, his previous record has been sealed. He is being held at the Mountain View Juvenile facility. He attends Arapahoe Community College and at one time attended Standley Lake High School. It does not appear that he graduated since he would have been a senior this year. In school, he was involved in a student organization called HOSA, or Health Occupation Student Association, where he competed in crime scene investigations and was a state winner in forensic science and biotechnology. Police were at his home Wednesday afternoon and towed a gray Jeep. He has lived in his home since he was an infant. Police said anyone who has any information about Sigg after seeing his photo can still call the tip line at 303-658-4336 or email: PDamberalert@cityofwestminster.us . The investigation is ongoing and any information about Sigg that could be helpful is still welcome. However, affidavits in the case have been sealed. "Justice for Jessica is a process and this is the beginning of that process. I know you are yearning for a lot of information, but we can't give you a lot of information," Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey said during the news conference. "Charges are forthcoming, charges will be filed within a couple of days and then we start a different process," Storey said. "Mr. Sigg has a presumption of innocence and we are going to honor that. And that is all I have to say." Sigg is in court Thursday morning for an initial appearance. He will not be formally charged until later. Jessica's Family Elated A 7NEWS photographer who was outside Jessica's home said that the door to the house opened and he heard laughing inside. The mood at Jessica's home appeared to be relaxed. "We hope and pray that this arrest gives them some measure of closure in dealing with this horrible tragedy and loss that they have suffered. We hope also that know that an arrest was made in this case will help our community to rest a little easier," Birk said. Jessica's great-grandmother said she was elated to hear the news. "Grateful to God that the community pulled together and the police department didn’t quit," said Donna Moss, who lives in Independence, Mo. Moss said she's thankful police didn't let any tips slip though the cracks. Neighbors who have been on edge for more than two weeks said they are relieved now that an arrest has been made. www.turnto23.com/news/us-world/westminster-police-arrest-17-year-old-austin-sigg-in-jessica-ridgeway-abduction-murder-case |
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Post by meme on Oct 24, 2012 17:07:53 GMT -5
Wednesday October 24, 2012 03:10 PM EDT Jessica Ridgeway Murder: Teen Arrested A 17-year-old community college student has been arrested in the brutal murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in Colorado, police announced Wednesday. "This morning the Ridgeway family was notified of this arrest," Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk said. "We hope and pray this arrest gives them some measure of closure in dealing with their horrible loss and tragedy." Austin Reed Sigg was arrested late Tuesday night by officers acting on a tip that led them to a home near Ketner Lake, about two miles from where Ridgeway was abducted on Oct. 5. Her dismembered body was later found several miles away. According to police documents, Sigg is a student at Arapahoe Community College. On March 23, he won second place in the Crime Scene Investigation division of the Health Occupation Students of America State Leadership conference competition. Sigg's arrest came a day after police said they had connected Ridgeway's slaying with a Memorial Day attack at Ketner Lake by a young man who came up from behind a jogger and tried to cover her mouth with a chemical-smelling rag. They also reported that the suspect may have worn a small wooden cross found during the investigation. Police said they would charge Sigg with the attempted abduction of the jogger, but mostly they were relieved to get the major break they'd been hoping for in the Ridgeway slaying, which devastated the community and instilled fears that the killer would strike again. Roughly three dozen police agencies, including the FBI, have been working the case aggressively since Ridgeway disappeared. Sigg's mother said the boy turned himself in, according to an AP report. "I made the phone call, he turned himself in," she said. "That's all I have to say." www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20641979,00.html |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 11:54:19 GMT -5
Jessica's remains found in suspects home Posted: Oct 24, 2012 9:41 PM WESTMINSTER (9News) - Westminster Police have made an arrest in the Jessica Ridgeway case. 9Wants To Know has confirmed that partial remains were found at the house where the suspect in the Jessica Ridgeway murder was arrested. Snip www.koaa.com/news/jessica-s-remains-found-in-suspects-home/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 11:59:07 GMT -5
Ridgeway suspect's ex-girlfriend says he was 'sweet' and 'kind 9:30 PM, Oct 24, 2012 Snip 9Wants to Know spoke exclusively with Sigg's ex-girlfriend, Danni, who is having a hard time coming to grips with what he is accused of. At her mother's request, 9Wants to Know agreed to hide Danni's face and change her name, for her protection. "The Austin I knew would never have done anything like that," Danni said. "He was my first boyfriend. He was my first kiss. He was my first date." Danni says she dated Sigg twice, first when he was an 8th grader at Wayne Carl Middle School and again when he was a freshman at Standley Lake High School. "He was so sweet and so kind. I know that heart is still in him. But sometimes things happen that change people," Danni said. She says they first met at Warehouse: 180 in Arvada, which is a gathering place for Christian teens. It may help explain the small wooden cross Westminster police call a vital clue. "We went to church together. It wouldn't surprise me if he wore a cross. He always wore a necklace similar to the one in his mug shot," Danni said. Danni says they never went to the same school and drifted apart two years ago, after they broke up. She can't remember any warning signs, but says Sigg did have a collection of weapons. "I knew he had a sword collection in his room or a knife collection or whatever. But it was his man cave. A lot of people collect stuff," Danni said. Snip www.9news.com/rss/article/295988/339/Ex-girlfriend-says-Siggs-was-sweet-kind-guy?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 11:59:48 GMT -5
Classmates: Ridgeway suspect fascinated by crime-scene forensics The teenager who police say killed 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway was described by a former classmate as nice and helpful, by another as creepy. But those who know him universally describe Austin Reed Sigg, 17, as very smart, and very interested in the science of crime-scene investigation and the mechanics of death. Snip When Miller presented a paper on anti-social personality disorder, Sigg seemed particularly intrigued that she used serial killer Ted Bundy as a case study. As Miller explained how Bundy had no empathy for his victims, she noticed Sigg chuckling to himself. "He was so lit up about what I was saying," Miller recalled. "He was asking about it. He was intrigued. It was almost like he was excited about it. "He said he was intrigued by dead bodies. There was something creepy about him." Snip www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_21848343 |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 12:00:40 GMT -5
Old video clip could reveal may show ‘cross’ police connected to Ridgeway case Posted on: 9:40 pm, October 24, 2012, by David Mitchell, updated on: 09:42pm, October 24, 2012 One of the key pieces of evidence that police shared in the investigation was a small wooden cross. Police released pictures to the public on Friday of the cross because they believed it could be connected to the killer of Jessica Ridgeway. Wednesday, we found a video clip of a boy who resembles Austin Sigg, the suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Jessica. He’s on the left in the video from 2009. Take a look at it. There is a cross around his neck that could be similar to the one police found. We have not confirmed that the boy in the video in in fact Austin Sigg. The video clip was found on Robert Sigg’s website. He is Austin’s father. Snip kdvr.com/2012/10/24/old-video-clip-could-reveal-may-show-cross-police-connected-to-ridgeway-case/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 12:01:14 GMT -5
Austin Reed Sigg arrested in connection to the Jessica Ridgeway case in Westminster 9:57 PM, Oct 24, 2012 Snip Sigg also took forensic science class last year at WarrenTech. A classmate who took the course with Sigg says they studied DNA and crime scenes. Meaghan Barker said Sigg did a project exploring how bodies decompose. He used skinned rats and placed them in several different environments, including freezing temperatures, covered in dirt and out in the open. www.9news.com/news/article/295910/71/Remains-found-at-suspects-house |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 12:01:42 GMT -5
Ridgeway murder suspect Austin Sigg’s father no stranger to police Posted on: 7:34 pm, October 24, 2012 Austin Sigg’s father, 48-year-old Robert Sigg, has a long criminal history dating back decades. He now lives in a sprawling Parker mansion on a hilltop overlooking the city. We have learned he is in Mexico on business. He is the owner of Performance One, a media company in Centennial. Snip kdvr.com/2012/10/24/ridgeway-murder-suspect-austin-siggs-father-no-stranger-to-police/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 12:02:25 GMT -5
No bond for Jessica Ridgeway's murder suspect Posted: Oct 25, 2012 9:24 AM Updated: Oct 25, 2012 9:40 AM Austin sigg the suspect in 10 year old JessicaRidgeway murder was in a Golden, CO court room. Seventeen year old, Sigg will beheld without bond at the MountainView Youth facility in Denver. According to our sister station, KUSA, Sigg will be formally charged October 30. Snip www.koaa.com/news/no-bond-for-jessica-ridgeway-s-murder-suspect/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 25, 2012 12:02:55 GMT -5
Source: Suspect Told Police Jessica’s Murder Brought Him No Joy Posted on: 10:30 am, October 25, 2012 WESTMINSTER, Colo. – The young man arrested for the murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway will be tried as an adult, prosecutors said Thursday. The suspect, 17-year-old Austin ReedSigg wasarrested athishomein Westminster Tuesday night after police, according to a source, received a phone from his mother. According to a source, when Sigg confessed to kidnapping and killing the little girl, he told police he didn’t receive the joy from it that he thought he would, so he went further. Snip fox4kc.com/2012/10/25/source-suspect-told-police-jessicas-murder-brought-him-no-joy/ |
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Post by meme on Oct 30, 2012 14:37:27 GMT -5
updated 3:19 PM EDT 10.30.12 Teen charged in Jessica Ridgeway's death (CNN) - A 17-year-old student was formally charged Tuesday with the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, whose body parts were found at a park in a Denver suburb earlier this month. Austin Reed Sigg, a student at Arapahoe Community College, was also charged with attempting to kidnap, sexually assault and murder a female jogger last May. The charges were outlined in a 17-count accusation filed by Jefferson County, Colorado, District Attorney Pam Russell Tuesday. Sigg, who lived about one mile from Ridgeway's home in Westminster, was charged as an adult, a decision that could be challenged by his lawyers. The teen was arrested a week ago and accused of strangling Ridgeway, dismembering her and placing some of her body parts in a crawlspace under his family's home. Police first found parts of her body at a park 5 miles away five days after the bespectacled blonde girl disappeared while walking to Witt Elementary School on October 5. The big break in the investigation came last Tuesday night, when Sigg's mother called 911 and handed him the phone. Sigg, police said, confessed. Along with charges related to Jessica's death, Sigg is also accused in the May assault of a 22-year-old woman on a hiking trail. www.cnn.com/2012/10/30/justice/jessica-ridgeway-charges/index.html |
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Post by meme on Oct 30, 2012 20:04:39 GMT -5
Jessica Ridgeway sexually assaulted before death, prosecutors say October 30, 2012 - 03:09 pm GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) - Prosecutors say a teenager who allegedly confessed to killing a 10-year-old Colorado girl and attacking a runner also sexually assaulted the girl. Seventeen-year-old Austin Sigg was charged as an adult with 17 counts in both cases Tuesday. They include four murder charges. Sigg didn't speak during the brief court hearing in Golden and didn't look at his six relatives in the courtroom that included his mother, Mindy Sigg. His relatives sat silently as the charges were read, unlike the hearing last week where Sigg's mother sobbed audibly. Eight relatives of Jessica Ridgeway, of Westminster, also watched the proceedings, including her mother. Each wore purple, Jessica's favorite color. Defense attorneys anticipate asking the judge to send the case to juvenile court. If convicted as an adult, Sigg faces up to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. If he is tried as a juvenile, Sigg faces a maximum of seven years on each conviction, which, if ordered to be served consecutively, would put him in prison for decades. In charging documents, prosecutors said Sigg acted alone in kidnapping, robbing, and sexually assaulting Jessica. The robbery charge involved Jessica's backpack and water bottle, which were found in another suburb three days after she disappeared while walking to school Oct. 5. "Austin Reed Sigg unlawfully and feloniously, acting alone, committed sexual assault, and in the course of or in furtherance of that crime, caused the death of Jessica Ridgeway," according to court documents. Police arrested Sigg on Oct. 23 after his mother told The Associated Press that she called police and her son turned himself in. Jessica lived on a quiet street about a mile from where Sigg lived with his mother. The subdivision features an elementary school, a high school, small parks, greenbelts, open space and a lake. Sigg is being held without bond at a youth correctional facility. The charges filed were four counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, sexual assault on a child and robbery in Jessica's abduction and slaying as well as attempted murder, attempted sexual assault, and attempted second degree kidnapping in the attack on the runner. Prosecutors also charged Sigg with six counts of crime of violence. "There's DNA evidence, and the evidence is overwhelming," prosecutor Hal Sargent said at a hearing Thursday, arguing that Sigg should be held without bail despite having no criminal record. Police said the runner reported being grabbed from behind by a man who placed a rag with a chemical smell over her mouth. Police have not revealed whether the rag was soaked with a chemical meant to subdue the woman. Former high school classmates painted a picture of the 5-foot-6, 160-pound Sigg as an intelligent teen who often wore black and complained about school but who would stay late sometimes to work on computers. Sigg was interested in mortuary science and was taking forensics classes, according to classmates. Sigg enrolled in August at Arapahoe Community College, which offers the state's only accredited mortuary science program. The school said Sigg didn't have enough credits yet to apply to that program. Sigg had left Standley Lake High School in July after finishing the 11th grade and later earned a GED. School officials don't know why he left. Former schoolmate Sarah Morevec said Sigg had been bullied for having a high voice. www.wjla.com/articles/2012/10/jessica-ridgeway-sexually-assaulted-before-death-prosecutors-say-81567.html |
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Post by meme on Nov 29, 2012 2:51:13 GMT -5
Teen accused of brutally murdering Jessica Ridgeway will be tried as an adult Austin Sigg's lawyers didn't file transfer request Posted: 11/27/2012 Last Updated: JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. - Austin Sigg, the teen accused of brutally murdering Jessica Ridgeway will be tried as an adult. According to Rob McCallum, spokesman for the Colorado Judicial Department, Sigg's lawyers never filed the reverse transfer motion as they were expected to. The motion would have requested the case be moved to juvenile court. During the hearing, the judge ruled that despite his age, Sigg should be moved from the juvenile facility where he was being held to the Jefferson County adult jail. Sigg will not be 18 until January 17. Court testimony revealed that Sigg will be held in a SHU, a special housing unit. www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/teen-accused-of-brutally-murdering-jessica-ridgeway-expected-in-court-tuesday |
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Post by meme on Nov 29, 2012 3:08:32 GMT -5
City Counsel Passes Motion to Rename Chelsea Park to Jessica Ridgeway Memorial Park Posted on November 26, 2012 The Westminster City Counsel has passed the motion to rename Chelsea Park “Jessica Ridgeway Memorial Park “. It is a GREAT honor that the City of Westminster has decided to rename the park in Jessica’s memory! Jessica will never be forgotten! Don Tripp was hired on as the new director of Parks, Recreation and Libraries in the city of Westminster back in June, 2012 and was instrumental in having the motion to rename the park pass. Thank you Don for all of your help! Any who want to donate to the “Jessica Ridgeway Memorial Park” should contact Park and Recreations for Westminster or Don Tripp, Director of Westminster Parks and Recreation. You can visit the Westminster Parks and Recreations Facebook fan page by clicking here or going to www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Westminster-Parks-and-Recreation/141443072589388Link to article: www.jessicaridgeway.com/2012/11/city-counsel-passes-motion-to-rename-chelsea-park-to-jessica-ridgeway-memorial-park/ |
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Post by meme on Nov 29, 2012 3:10:06 GMT -5
Nov 27, 2012 4:11pm Jessica Ridgeway Murder Suspect Eats Alone, Plays Sudoku Sigg, who appeared in court in a bright green jail jumpsuit, will be tried as an adult. The defense waived its right to fight for him to be tried as a juvenile in the first week after his arrest. Nine members of Ridgeway’s family showed up for the hearing, many of them wearing the color purple, Ridgeway’s favorite color, which they have worn at each of the hearings since Sigg’s arrest. They showed little emotion during the two hour hearing, but were upbeat and even making jokes with their victims’ advocate and among themselves. At one point, they exchanged notes and chuckled. Five member of Sigg’s family were also in the courtroom, including his mother. Neither Sigg nor his family showed any emotion during the hearing. A trial date has not yet been set. abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/jessica-ridgeway-murder-suspect-eats-alone-plays-sudoku/ |
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Post by meme on Nov 29, 2012 3:11:30 GMT -5
Suspect in Jessica Ridgeway case - Austin Sigg -appears in court, to be moved to an adult facility 4:32 PM, Nov 27, 2012 During the hearing on Tuesday, Mount View facility put the director of youth corrections on the stand. That director testified they wanted Sigg moved to an adult facility due to his "high intelligence" and "high maturity." The director said Sigg has been in isolation since his arrest even though there has never been a court order to do that. The director claimed threats had been made against Sigg's life, so the facility decided to put him in isolation for his own protection. He is extremely limited outside of his isolation. Two other witnesses took the stand and testified Sigg is well behaved and has not caused any problems with the staff. One witness said the only complaint they have heard from Sigg is him asking the staff why they check on him so late at night. One witness also said some youth they house at Mount View may have "I've-got-nothing-to-lose" attitudes and may act on the indirect threats made towards Sigg. The witnesses argued that the special-housing unit in Jefferson County would be a better fit for Sigg. Sigg would have access to continuing education, be able to arrange college courses, and be able to play video games, watch TV or access a library in the day room. He also would be able to be released into either an indoor or an outdoor yard. The defense team for Sigg opposed his transfer -saying it is inappropriate to house a juvenile in an adult facility. They also said Mount View is the right facility for Sigg since they have trained counselors on staff. Since Sigg is underage, he was appointed a guardian ad litern. His guardian testified there is a "significant risk" by moving Sigg to Jefferson County. Also during Tuesday's hearing, the court set a date for his preliminary hearing for Feb. 22 at 8:30 a.m. A preliminary hearing is where a judge gets to hear the evidence in the case and where witnesses can take the stand. In this case for the preliminary hearing, the court could hear in full detail what investigators found in Sigg's home and what Sigg may have told police during initial questioning. The preliminary hearing could be waived - as has happened in recent, high-profile cases like troubled ex-Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sullivan. www.9news.com/rss/article/301670/339/Ridgeway-suspect-described-as-intelligent-mature?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter |
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Post by meme on Nov 29, 2012 3:12:42 GMT -5
Ridgeway suspect Austin Sigg to be separated from adult prisoners 5:21 PM, Nov 27, 2012 GOLDEN - Austin Sigg will now be housed in the special housing unit at the Jefferson county detention center. He is the first juvenile detainee in three years to be housed at the detention center. Jacki Kelley, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department told 9NEWS that Sigg will be escorted everywhere by a deputy. Sigg will be kept away from all other adult prisoners. He will not be able to see or hear them. When being moved around the facility, the jail staff will have to lock other inmates down while Sigg is in that specific part of the facility. The restrictions will be in place for 53 days, until Sigg turns 18 in January. Then the jail staff will assess what's safe for him. Everyone in the special housing unit is checked every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day - at a minimum. Every person in the unit is assessed individually. The average population in the unit is 30. On Tuesday there were 22 people in the unit, which also houses inmates who are mentally ill, disabled, on suicide watch, or have other special needs. www.9news.com/rss/article/301782/339/Sigg-to-be-separated-from-adult-prisoners?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter |
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Post by meme on Apr 12, 2013 16:58:21 GMT -5
Austin Sigg enters not guilty plea Posted on: 11:49 am, April 12, 2013, by Web Staff, updated on: 01:54pm, April 12, 2013 GOLDEN, Colo. —Despite the fact that he allegedly admitted guilt to police, Austin Sigg, the man accused of kidnapping and killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, pleaded not guilty in court Friday. Sigg, now 18, is accused of brutally killing Ridgeway. The girl disappeared while she was walking to school on October 5. Her torso was found in a Jefferson County open space less than a week later. He faces 17 charges in the case and will be tried as an adult. Nearly three weeks after Ridgeway’s disappearance, Sigg called 911 and told the dispatcher he had murdered the 10-year-old. The call was played at his preliminary hearing on Feb. 22. “I murdered Jessica Ridgeway,” Sigg said during the phone call. “I have proof that I did it and I’ll answer all the questions that you want.” In the process of their investigation, police were able to link Sigg to an attack on a female jogger at Ketner Lake on May 28. Six of the 19 charges he is facing stem from that attack. Because he was 17 when Ridgeway was murdered, Sigg cannot face the death penalty. He would likely face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years if he pleads guilty or is convicted. kdvr.com/2013/04/12/austin-sigg-expected-to-enter-plea-friday/ |
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 19:42:42 GMT -5
Theater shooting, Ridgeway murder suspects to be arraigned this week
9:22 PM, Mar 10, 2013
Snipped
On the other side of the metro, Tuesday in Jefferson County Court, Austin Sigg, the 17-year-old who police say admitted to killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway and dismembering her body, is also expected to be arraigned. During Sigg's preliminary hearing, plenty of evidence came out in court, which said Austin Sigg confessed to the crimes. He also at one point said he planned to plead guilty. Investigators testified during his preliminary hearing that Sigg "knew what he did was wrong and wanted to make up for it." When Sigg said that though, it was before lawyers got involved. Whether he will follow through with those statements will be seen on Tuesday. Even though Sigg is charged as an adult, because he's a minor, he does not qualify for the death penalty. www.9news.com/news/article/322814/339/Theater-shooting-Ridgeway-murder-suspects-to-be-arraigned-this-week
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 19:44:44 GMT -5
Teen suspect in slaying of Colo girl to enter plea
3/12/2013
GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — Police say the teen suspect accused of kidnapping, slaying and dismembering a 10-year-old Colorado girl told them he wants to plead guilty, and on Tuesday a community sent into a panic over the crime will see if that's what he does, or if he'll ask for a trial despite his alleged confession and the discovery of some of the girl's remains at the home he shared with his mother. SnippedIt's unclear whether prosecutors will drop the sexual assault charges in exchange for a guilty plea to murder in order to avoid a prolonged trial. Prosecutors added the sexual assault charges because authorities said they found child pornography during the investigation. Prosecutors and defense attorneys won't comment on whether Sigg will plead guilty to all or some of the charges because a judge has issued a gag order in the case. Sigg also is charged with an earlier attack on a jogger in Jessica's neighborhood. www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gl6eXOzaVNH7ZozEIYFYMj7AIo1g?docId=c99e01fcdeea4c3d9164e06e873fdaf0
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 19:47:33 GMT -5
Austin Sigg arraignment delayed for 30 days in kidnapping, death of Jessica Ridgeway
March 12, 2013 8:32 PM GMT
Updated: 03/12/2013 02:32:28 PM MDT
GOLDEN — A judge on Tuesday agreed to delay the arraignment for Austin Sigg for a month so his attorneys can prepare his defense in the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway last fall. Snipped
Jefferson County District Court Judge Stephen Munsinger granted a 30-day delay in the arraignment. The judge set the new arraignment for April 12. Sigg's attorneys said there are 50,000 pages of evidence, as well as 1,800 pieces of physical evidence and pictures to review before their client can enter a plea. They said they lack the computer software to examine some of the evidence.www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22772890/austin-sigg-enter-plea-kidnapping-death-jessica-ridgeway
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 19:49:29 GMT -5
Plea hearing for teen suspect in kidnap-slaying of 10-year-old Colorado schoolgirl
Updated: April 12, 2013 - 3:16 AM
GOLDEN, Colo. - A Colorado community sent into a panic over the kidnapping, killing and dismembering of a 10-year-old girl last fall may learn whether the teenager charged with the crime asks for a trial Friday despite his alleged confession. Austin Sigg, 18, is to enter a plea in the Oct. 5 disappearance and slaying of Jessica Ridgeway in the Denver suburb of Westminster and a May attack on a 22-year-old jogger at a lake in Jessica's neighborhood. Sigg originally was to enter a plea on March 12. Defense attorney Katherine Spengler asked for more time to study the evidence and analyze his mental state at the time of the crime. Judge Stephen Munsinger granted the request. www.startribune.com/nation/202654631.html
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 19:52:56 GMT -5
Austin Sigg enters not guilty plea
Posted on: 11:49 am, April 12, 2013
updated on: 06:50pm, April 12, 2013GOLDEN, Colo. — Despite the fact that he allegedly admitted guilt to police, Austin Sigg, the man accused of kidnapping and killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, pleaded not guilty in court Friday. Sigg, now 18, is accused of brutally killing Ridgeway. The girl disappeared while she was walking to school on October 5. Her torso was found in a Jefferson County open space less than a week later. He faces 17 charges in the case and will be tried as an adult. Nearly three weeks after Ridgeway’s disappearance, Sigg called 911 and told the dispatcher he had murdered the 10-year-old. The call was played at his preliminary hearing on Feb. 22. “I murdered Jessica Ridgeway,” Sigg said during the phone call. “I have proof that I did it and I’ll answer all the questions that you want.” In the process of their investigation, police were able to link Sigg to an attack on a female jogger at Ketner Lake on May 28. Six of the 19 charges he is facing stem from that attack. Because he was 17 when Ridgeway was murdered, Sigg cannot face the death penalty. He would likely face life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years if he pleads guilty or is convicted. kdvr.com/2013/04/12/austin-sigg-expected-to-enter-plea-friday/
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 20:28:44 GMT -5
Jessica Ridgeway murder case: Motions hearing Friday for suspect Austin SiggPosted: 05/03/2013
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. - The teenager accused of kidnapping and killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway is scheduled to be in court today for a motions hearing. Austin Sigg pleaded not guilty last month to 18 counts in the Ridgeway case and the attempted abduction of a jogger near Ketner Lake. A two-and-a-half week jury trial for the case was scheduled to start with jury selection on September 20. While Sigg entered a plea of not guilty, his attorneys mentioned Sigg's mental health, indicating a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity was still on the table. If convicted, Sigg faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. Sigg, who is 18, cannot face the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the slaying. -- We caution readers that this story below contains gruesome details. Jessica Ridgeway was abducted as she walked to school on Oct. 5, triggering a massive search that ended with the discovery of her dismembered body five days later in an Arvada open space field. Jessica's remains were found when two men collecting litter in that field came across a shiny black plastic bag, said lead Westminster Police Detective Luis Lopez. The men called their supervisor and the trio open the inner bag and found the girl's torso, which was missing her arms, legs and head, Lopez said. The rest of the girl's remains were found in the crawl space of Sigg's home, the detective said. An autopsy showed Jessica died from asphyxiation due to strangulation or suffocation, Lopez said. Sigg came onto investigators' radar on Oct. 19, when a neighbor woman called a tip line in response to police saying they had recovered a small wooden cross that might have been worn by the killer. The neighbor said she knew a teen named Austin Sigg who had worn a similar cross, according to Lopez. The woman said she was concerned about Sigg because he had dropped out of high school and "he was obsessed with death and the decomposition of bodies," the detective recalled. Based on that tip, the FBI took a DNA sample from Sigg that day, Lopez said. Four days later, Sigg called 911 and confessed, police said. "I murdered Jessica Ridgeway, I have proof that I did," Sigg is heard saying on the recording. "I'm giving myself up completely, there will be no resistance whatsoever." When the dispatcher asked Sigg if he had a criminal history, he confessed to a second crime. "The only other (incident) was Ketner Lake, where a woman was attacked. That was me," Sigg said. Lopez said Sigg's DNA was linked to "touch" DNA found on Jessica's torso, underwear, water bottle, boots and gloves as well as the clothing of the jogger who was grabbed at Ketner Lake. During a search of Sigg's home, police seized computer equipment. Westminster Police Detective Chris Pyler, who specializes in crimes against children, testified that child pornography images were recovered from a laptop and a computer tower seized at the home. The Sigg family did not know the Ridgeway family, Lopez said. But it might have been a crime of opportunity. In court, prosecutors presented a map showing the location of the jogger's attack, Ridgeway's home, and Sigg's home. All were within one mile of one another. Sigg studied mortuary science at Arapahoe Community College and had interest in becoming a mortician. www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/jessica-ridgeway-murder-case-motions-hearing-friday-for-suspect-austin-sigg
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 20:30:43 GMT -5
Jessica Ridgeway murder case: Austin Sigg defense attorneys question DNA testing
Posted: 05/03/2013
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. - DNA results are being questioned in the Jessica Ridgeway kidnapping and murder case. In court Friday, the lead defense attorney for suspect Austin Sigg called into question the quality of work done on the DNA evidence in the Ridgeway case and the attempted abduction of a jogger at Ketner Lake. The defense team said it has received three memos from authorities that show three DNA samples may have been contaminated -- two in the Ridgeway case, one in the Ketner Lake case. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation report on the Ketner Lake case said the Ketner Lake sample was in a tray of other samples. CBI said it doesn't think the Ketner Lake sample was contaminated, but they think another sample in the tray may have been contaminated. Contamination can occur when a DNA sample is heated. Sometimes gas or liquid from one sample may contaminate another sample. In the Ridgeway case, no details were released about the possible contamination, but officials said those samples were tested individually. Sigg pleaded not guilty last month to 18 counts in the Ridgeway and Ketner Lake cases, despite confessing to both crimes to 911 dispatchers. A two-and-a-half week jury trial for the case is scheduled to begin Sept. 20. While Sigg entered a plea of not guilty, his attorneys mentioned Sigg's mental health, indicating a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity was still on the table. If convicted, Sigg faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. Sigg, who is 18, cannot face the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the slaying. www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/jessica-ridgeway-murder-case-austin-sigg-defense-attorneys-question-dna-testing
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 20:32:28 GMT -5
Austin Sigg's attorneys ask for change of venue
Posted: 06/19/2013 06:23:38 PM MDT
June 20, 2013 12:30 AM GMT Attorneys for the teenager accused of kidnapping, killing and dismembering 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway are seeking to move the case out of Jefferson County and close court proceedings to the public. More than 20 motions were filed last week by Austin Sigg's attorneys. Sigg, who turned 18 in jail, is charged with 18 counts related to Jessica's death last October and an attack on a jogger at Ketner Lake Memorial Day weekend. A not guilty plea was entered for Sigg in April, over objections from his attorneys, who said they need more time to consider the plea. Four of the counts carry mandatory life sentences. The motions, which were made public on Wednesday, touch on a broad range of topics including the public's access to hearings and efforts to exclude evidence and testimony. Several of the 26 motions were heavily redacted. A hearing has been scheduled for Friday at the Jefferson County courthouse. www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23497049/austin-siggs-attorneys-ask-change-venue
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Post by meme on Sept 2, 2013 20:33:50 GMT -5
Austin Sigg's attorneys call initial police contact into question
Posted: 06/21/2013 08:18:52 AM MDT
Attorneys for Austin Sigg, who is accused of kidnapping, killing and dismembering 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, called into question whether officers properly explained his rights when they were called to his home in October. During a hearing in Jefferson Country District Court Friday morning, attorneys questioned Westminster police Officer Albert Stutson. Stutson was one of the first officers to arrive at Sigg's home after they received a phone call from his mother. Stutson, who is a member of the police department's Special Enforcement Team, said he advised Sigg of his rights shorty after he arrive at the home and again with his mother present, after Stutson realized he was 17-years-old. www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_23511268/austin-sigg-due-jefferson-county-court
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