Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, is the worst mass murderer in U.S. history.

Video

Ridgway's Life Behind Bars

Now that he's behind bars, it is Gary Ridgway who is in danger.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Karen O'Leary visited the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, the prison that Ridgway now calls home.

Slideshow

GENERAL POPULATION AT WALLA WALLA Inside The Washington State Penitentiary

Most inmates live crowded together in 4-man cells, surrounded by meager possessions, sharing inches of space while dreaming of life on the outside.

There is entertainment from radio, color television, and when the cell door is opened, there is recreation in the day room, or in the "Big Yard."

But Gary Ridgway will almost certainly never be in a situation like this, where he lives with other inmates, where he shares meals and yard time. He'll be alone.

Slideshow

INTENSIVE MANAGEMENT UNIT Inside The Intensive Management Unit At Washington State Penitentiary

It is called the IMU, the Intensive Management Unit, a prison within the prison where inmates live alone in concrete-walled cells that measure 81 square feet. The goal is to eliminate all physical contact between the inmates.

"Oftentimes, once they're escorted out of their cell they can see who the person is that they're talking to. Bbut when they're in the cells communicating back and forth, there's no face to face contact," said Sean Murphy, who manages the IMU.

"It's a terrible way to live," said Arthur Longworth.

Longworth, 39, a convicted murderer from north Seattle, knows firsthand there's no harder time than the IMU.

Video

Life In The 'Intensive Management Unit'

"It does funny things to you. It does really funny things to some people. Some people lose it, they turn into screaming idiots that need to go to the mental floor. No, it's not a nice place it's no way to live," Longworth said.

Yet as many as 96 inmates are housed in the round, yellow building at any one time. Most have violated prison rules.

A few, like Ridgway, are here for their own protection. Prison officials, inmates, and even the relatives of his victims know there is an invisible target on his chest.

"Somebody's gonna slip and is gonna have that glory in prison to take you out to get that name," said Jose Malvar the brother of a victim, at Ridgway's sentencing hearing.

Video

Prisoners 'Get Used To Living In Hell'

"He's someone who needs a lot of protection," said Indle King.

King, another convicted murderer who arranged the death of his mail order bride in Everett, has been at Walla Walla less than two years.

He says it was hard getting used to the violence among inmates, the prison code of silence -- even after a vicious attack.

"And it went [noise] right through my leg, all the way through. Didn't say anything, didn't cry, didn't scream, bled like hell, I got so much respect for that, for taking it," King said.

But for Ridgway, he says, there will be no chance to find respect. Ridgway is considered the worst of the worst and will always be in danger.

"I wouldn't in the world want to be in his shoes," King said.

In the IMU, if Ridgway follows the rules, he'll get some privileges: a black and white TV, weekly visits with no physical contact, a couple of books or magazines.

For one hour a day, he'll be able to leave his cell, to exercise alone, in what's euphemistically called "The Yard."

"You know, a concrete box with some daylight that comes through a square," said Arthur Longworth. "I think it's sensory deprivation."

And it takes a toll. Many inmates here are on medication, antidepressants.

Sean Murphy says corrections officers look in on the inmates every half an hour, and sometimes talk with them.

"Just as I would do with you. 'How are you doin' today?' 'Good, how are you?' 'Things are a little rough for me, I just got news from my mother,' that kind of thing, and then we just rebound that a little bit," Murphy said.

"It's hard not to have any human contact," said Longworth.

Longworth has worked his way up to medium security. But on this day he was wearing the same orange jumpsuit issued to inmates in the IMU.

And when he was moved through the prison, it was in the same chains used on IMU inmates whenever they leave their cells. He was accompanied by two officers, just as in the IMU.

Unlike his many victims, Gary Ridgway still has the possibility of years of life, but they will be restricted, lonely, hard.

And no one here feels any sympathy.

"I don't like him," said King.

O'Leary: "you don't think anyone will be his friend?"
Longworth "No."
O'Leary: "Nobody?"
Longworth: "No."