Gary Ridgway has been talking, a lot. Several sources intimately familiar with this case tell KIRO Team 7 Investigators that Ridgway has admitted to killing more than the 49 known Green River victims.

Ridgway Drops Bombshell On Investigators

He's coming clean to avoid the death penalty.

In just the past 2 months, King County detectives have discovered 4 new sets of human remains linked to the Green River case. KIRO 7 Eyewitness News has learned that luck played no part. Our sources say suspected serial killer, Gary Ridgway, is literally pointing out places to look.

He's also reportedly telling the task force that its list of victims is incomplete and that 49 dead women is too low a number. There are more out there.

Why open up now, before a trial? We talked with Seattle University law professor John Strait about Ridgways pending plea deal.

"It would make sense for Ridgway be fully cooperating and revealing every possible homicide he committed, because if he left anyone out, he could be prosecuted on that one. Any deal struck on the ones he didn't talk about wouldn't prevent the prosecutor from seeking the death penalty in any new ones that came about," Strait said.

The Green River killings are the largest unsolved serial murder case in U.S. history. Former Green River Task Force Commander, Bob Evans, told KIRO Team 7 Investigators last year that he had long suspected the death toll was greater than 49.

"I can't imagine someone getting away with much less 48, 49, 50, or worst case scenario, a hundred," Evans said.

Officially, the Task Force and Prosecutors office remain mum about Ridgway's cooperation and about the higher than expected body count. Detective Katie Larson today wouldn't comment specifically. but did not close that door.

"Certainly we'll keep an open mind, but right now we have to concentrate with what we have at hand. and that's certainly a lot of cases," Larson said.

Officially, there is no written plea agreement for Ridgway. Most records have been sealed by a judge.

However, numerous defense attorneys that spoke with us said there is no way Ridgway would speak so candidly with detectives if a non-death penalty guilty plea were not completed.