Search For Evidence Continues At Sigg Home
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4)- Investigators continued to search for evidence at the home of the teen who confessed to police that he abducted and killed Jessica Ridgeway.
Detectives gathered evidence on Thursday at Austin Sigg's home that he shared with his mother in the 10600 block of 102nd Avenue. Investigative teams wanted to make sure that no evidence was overlooked.
When Sigg, 17, confessed to police shortly before he was taken into custody on Tuesday night he told them where to find some of Jessica's remains in a crawl space under the home.
Jessica Ridgeway, 10, was abducted while walking to meet friends on their way to Witt Elementary School on Oct. 5.
Prosecutors have said they have overwhelming evidence against Sigg, including DNA and a confession.
Sigg appeared in court on Thursday. Bond was denied for the teenager who faces two counts of murder and kidnapping in the Jessica Ridgeway case along with charges relating to the attempted kidnapping of a female jogger on Memorial Day in Ketner Lake Open Space Park.
There will be no death penalty for Sigg because he is a juvenile.
"There is no death penalty for juveniles. The United States Supreme Court came out with a decision a number of years ago saying to execute a juvenile constitutes cruel and unusual punishment," said CBS4 Legal Analyst Karen Steinhauser.
Sigg will be officially charged on Tuesday.
Jessica Ridgeway Murder Timeline
- Jessica Ridgeway, 10, disappeared on her way to school on the morning of Oct. 5. After leaving home on foot, she never met up with friends she normally walks to school with at Chelsea Park. The park is about three blocks from her home and about a mile from the school.
- When she didn't arrive at Witt Elementary School in Westminster, Jefferson County Schools officials tried to contact her mother. They made a call at 10 a.m. but were only able to leave a voicemail. Ridgeway's mother, who works an overnight shift and sleeps during the day, didn't get the message until 4:30 p.m. and immediately contacted Westminster police.
- It took about five hours before the protocols were met in the case for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to call an Amber Alert.
- Ridgeway's backpack was found on the sidewalk near Alpha Court and Andrew Drive in the Rock Creek neighborhood in Superior. That's 6.4 miles away from her home. It's unknown so far at what point the backpack wound up there.
- The CBI analyzed the backpack for DNA evidence and collected evidence from Ridgeway's home for comparison.
- Searches were taking place around Jessica's home and her school, as well as in open space areas in Westminster. Another area that underwent an extensive search was Rock Creek and open space areas near there.
- A day after their tearful televised plea for help and thanks to the community, police on Oct. 10 ruled out Ridgeway's parents as being involved in her disappearance. Police said Ridgeway may have been abducted by an unknown suspect.
- Late in the day on Oct. 11 Ridgeway's body was found in Arvada on Highway near Pattridge Park Open Space and Highway 93, about seven miles from Ridgeway's home.
- Police arrested Austin Reed Sigg, 17, at his home in the 10600 block of 102nd Avenue on Oct. 23. According to the police report, Sigg confessed to police and waived his rights when taken into custody.
Westminster Police Ridgeway Case Tip Line: (303) 658-4336 or pdamberalert@cityofwestminster.us
