A Possible Break in the Case of Jessica Ridgeway

Ten-year-old Jessica Ridgeway of Westminster, Colorado, disappeared without a trace while walking to school on October 5^th, 2012. The body of a girl who appeared to be around Jessica’s age was discovered on October 11^th in Arvada, Colorado, seven miles from where Jessica disappeared. On October 12, the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit released a behavioral profile of the person or persons whom they think could be responsible for Jessica’s disappearance and murder. Later that day, the discovered remains were positively identified as those belonging to Jessica.

Jessica’s parents were eliminated as suspects in the case just prior to Jessica’s body being found and the FBI releasing the suspect’s behavioral profile. The FBI profiled the suspect as a male who may have suddenly left town or not shown up for work on the morning Jessica disappeared, and may have given an excuse such as car trouble, being sick, or having a death in the family. He could also have already drastically changed his appearance and may either be showing an intense interest in the media coverage surrounding the investigation, or forcefully changing the subject when part of a group of people discussing the case, especially if there’s any mention of feeling sympathy towards the victim’s family. The FBI also specifically said to be on the lookout for the “average” guy, the “guy next door”, a boss, friend, or even a family member who may be acting abnormally and could have had the opportunity to be in the area where Jessica was walking to meet her friends for the walk to school like she did every morning.

Authorities are also investigating the presence of three separate cell towers in the area where Jessica disappeared and her body was found. If each one of the cell towers registers the same one cell phone number as being within its vicinity around the time Jessica disappeared and would have been murdered, then investigators may very well have found their prime suspect.