Kasee[1] Ann Lee (née: Woods; see list of aliases below) was a teenager who went missing from Seattle in 1982. Gary Ridgway confessed to her murder, but her body has never been located. Her name has been alternatively spelled as "Kase" and "Kassee." [2]
Background[]
Kasee was born in Spokane County, Washington, on February 26, 1966. Details about her childhood are unavailable. She was known to be a sex worker and married a man believed to be her "pimp" months before her disappearance.
It's believed Kasee had someone in her life who was abusing her, as she often came home with cuts and bruises. When asked, she would never say who was responsible.
Case[]
Disappearance[]
Kasee was last seen by her husband on August 28, 1982, when she left the home to buy dinner supplies. She was last seen near the Sea-Tac International Airport at around 11:30 p.m. Her husband reported her missing two days later.
Link to Green River Killer[]
Investigators at the time believed Kasee to be a victim of the then-unidentified Green River Killer. She fit the profile of most of the victims and was last seen near the Sea-Tac International Airport, where one of the victim's remains would be found. She was added to the list of suspected victims in September 1982.
The Green River Killer was identified in 2001 as Gary Ridgway. He was charged with four of the victim's murders and would confess to most of the murders attributed to him in 2003. One of the women he confessed to murdering was Kasee.
Ridgway also confessed to murdering Kelly McGinniss, and he believed he murdered Patty Osborn but couldn't recall any details. He's a suspect in the disappearances of Kristi Vorak, Patti LeBlanc, Darci Warde and Cora McGuirk.
Ridgway claimed he strangled Kasee soon after her disappearance and dumped her body near either a drive-in theatre or behind a bowling alley. Despite him disclosing the location of Kasee's remains, police failed to find them. Ridgway would be charged with the murders of forty-nine women, but he was not charged with Kasee's murder, as her remains have not been recovered.
Known aliases[]
- "Wanda (Marie) Mercury"
- "Rachel Marie Chinery"
- "Cynthia Marie Lee"
- "Amanda May Stevenson"
- "Dase Ann Woods"
- "Kay Martin"
- "Jennifer Michelle O'Neil"
Characteristics[]
- Lee had blond or strawberry-blond hair
- In photographs, it appears to be a darker shade of auburn.
- Blue eyes
- Scars near her nose, right eyebrow, and right cheek.
Clothing and accessories[]
- Lee was last seen wearing a white top.
- Blue shorts.
- Blue sandals.
- A brown purse containing $20.
Gallery[]
Exclusions[]
- Los Angeles County Jane Doe (1984)
- Becca (1991)
- Pierce County Jane Doe (2010)
- Winchester Jane Doe (1991)
Media[]
- Lee's photograph appeared on an episode of Cold Case Files when the Green River killings were discussed.
- Various other documentaries detailing Gary Ridgway's crimes have also used photographs of Lee.
Sources[]
- Kasee Lee at Find a Grave
- Kasee Lee at the Doe Network
- Kasee Lee at NamUs
- Kasee Lee at the Charley Project
- Gary Ridgway on Wikipedia
- Green River Killings (archived)
- The News Tribune (subscription required)