CO - Jessica Ridgeway, 10, Westminster, 5 Oct 2012 - #13

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I am a fifth grade teacher and I actually thought that Jessica looked younger and more "sheltered" than most of the fifth grade girls that I teach or see at school. I think she really looked like a sweet, animal loving, happy ten year old with big dreams. I love the pictures of her still playing with dolls. That is not something that I hear of or see anymore and it is something that I loved to do at that age..many years ago. I teach in California, but I would think the kids in Denver and the suburbs would be much the same. I think that Jessica looked like she liked fashion and I thought her outfits were really cute and appropriate for her age.

ITA, I worked around girls of this age the last few years, and I was often shocked at their attire, amongst other things. Jessica did look younger than most of them-sweet and still a kid.
 
The Westminster FB page has several pics of this cross:

Westminster Police Department

For Immediate Release
Direct: (303) 658-4427 Dispatch: (303) 658-4360
Prepared by: Investigator Trevor Materasso
Case Number: 2012-16605
Subject: Jessica Ridgeway - Police Release Photograph of Cross

Date – October 19, 2012

A cross recovered during the Jessica Ridgeway investigation could become a pivotal piece of evidence that helps authorities identify and locate Jessica’s killer. In an ongoing attempt to identify the predator responsible for the abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway, police are asking the public to look at several pictures to see if these will help lead police to the killer.

Police recovered a wooden cross that is approximately 1 ½ inches tall by 1 inch wide. The cross has a hole drilled through the upper part and appears that it can be or was worn on a necklace. On one side of the cross are three vertical bars etched onto the shorter horizontal section and a zig-zag pattern is carved onto the opposite side. The cross appears to be a solid piece of wood and the upper post portion is offset from the lower post below the short horizontal section.

Authorities are looking for someone who may carry or wear this type of cross, may have recently purchased one of these, or is known to have some association with one. Police are also looking for a local business that may sell these specific crosses. Police believe there may be a connection between the Jessica Ridgeway murder and the attempted abduction at Ketner Lake, and urge the public to specifically look for someone with a cross like this that matches the suspect’s description from Ketner Lake.

• Light skinned male
• 18-35 (or someone who’s appearance with a ball cap may look that age)
• Brown hair
• Medium build
• 5’06” to 5’08” (Height can vary above or below these approximations)

Police are asking the community to look through the pictures and call our tip line or send us an email with information that may identify the killer or where he may have got the cross from. Tip line: 303-658-4336 email: PDamberalert@cityofwestminster.us

Any questions regarding this press release or for an interview please contact Investigator Trevor Materasso at 303-658-4427 or through email at: tmateras@cityofwestminster.us

I found the link at:

http://www.facebook.com/westminsterpolice

Crosses like that were very popular in the late 1960s and early 1970 when I grew up.

They had a repeat popularity during the late 1990s retro 70s look and they're going up in popularity again.

So, it could plausibly date from any time from maybe 1965 to 2012. It's very retro looking but whether that's because it was self consciously designed to be retro or whether it is from the 1960s I don't know. I think it may be older than 2012 because it shows the little nicks and edge marks of wear but that depends on how often it was worn.

I'm tending to think older because the original 1960s designs had the sharp edges. So far as I can recall, the retros have all had rounded or chamfered edges, which this cross does not have.

I think it is a mass produced item. Something about it just shouts "me and 50,000 just like me were exported to the US!"

Looking at it closely, I don't think the markings were part of the cross when it was sold. They look like they were scratched in during the life of the cross. I think the marks were the beginning of a design but they quit before finishing the design. Could have been just decorative, could have had some intended meaning but it doesn't look finished.
 
new thread coming shortly
[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8478025#post8478025"]Found Deceased CO - Jessica Ridgeway, 10, Westminster, 5 Oct 2012 - #14 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

also: STOP DISCUSSING the fact that information may have been repeated. If you read something you already read scroll on past.
 
I think the link to the ebay auction (I am sorry I have already forgotten the poster) a few pages back of the cross on the charm bracelet looks the most like the cross the WPD have posted. And a man could wear a charm bracelet like that with the leather strap. If he were trying to attack a woman at a park - I would think she would definitely notice a bracelet like that. Just something to chew on. Especially since another poster mentioned an artist said the hole looked too big for a necklace.
 
Well I guess if he lives up the canyon he wouldn't need to, but the road doesn't lead to anywhere. If he came from town, he'd have to turn around to get back into town.

Carbuff, does it look to you like he came from the west, turned around and headed back west? That's what I was trying to convey, but I suck at it lol. Because you're right, if he lived in Westy or Arvada or anywhere besides the canyon, Western Boulder or Golden, that would be going the opposite direction. Since he most likely did this at night, he most likely came from home and wanted to return home to clean himself and his vehicle up, pronto and didn't drive any more than necessary because of his horrible cargo and the risk of getting pulled over. I still think the body was dumped there because it's one of the first available places if he came down from the mountains. Did he cross the road so that people would assume wrongly that he came from the east and deflect attention from his home to the west? I hope this makes sense, I'm about losing myself as it is lol
 
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