Suspect arrested in Jessica Ridgeway murder case

By Doug Stanglin and Michael Winter USA TODAY | USATODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption 17-year-old charged with Jessica Ridgeway murder Westminster Police have made an arrest in the Jessica Ridgeway case. 17-year-old Austin Reed Sigg was taken into custody. Sigg is a student at Arapahoe Community College, according to the custody report released by Westminster Police.

Police in Colorado have arrested a 17-year-old community college student in connection with the killing of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, who disappeared on her way to school Oct. 5.

Jessica's body, which was described by police as "not intact," was found five days later in a field in an area of abandoned mines in Arvada, Colo.

CBS' Denver affiliate reports that the suspect told police he hid some of her remains in a crawl space at home.

The suspect was identified as Austin Reed Sigg, a student at Arapaho Community College. He will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as kidnapping charges. His first court appearance will be Thursday at 8 a.m. MT (10 a.m. ET).

Reed also will be charged with the attempted abduction of a woman who was jogging in the Ketner Lake Open Space on May 28.

Police said they notified the Ridgeway family of the arrest Wednesday morning.

"I would like to thank the community for the thousands of tips they have provided us ... for the tremendous outpouring of support," said Westminister Police Chief Lee Birk at a news conference in the Denver suburb. "We hope and pray that this arrest brings them some measure of closure in dealing with this enormous loss that they've suffered."

In a news release, police said they received a call late Tuesday that led them to Reed's home, near Ketner Lake Open Space.

Police said Sigg was arrested at his home Tuesday evening. The house, which was undergoing a police search on Wednesday, is 1.4 miles from Jessica's home in Westminister.

Sigg's mother said said her son turned himself in.

"I made the phone call, he turned himself in. That's all I have to say." the AP quoted her as saying.

Citing unidentified sources, CBS Denver reports that Sigg first told his mother he had killed Jessica, then confessed to police an waived his right to remain silent. He then told police he hid some of her remains in a crawl space under the home, the CBS station says.

Sources also told the station that Sigg said he strangled Jessica after he got her into his vehicle as she headed to Witt Elementary School, which he also had attended.

KUSA-TV quotes sources as saying Sigg was interested in mortuary science. Arapahoe Community College has Colorado's only accredited mortuary-science program, but the station does not say whether he was enrolled. The two-year degree program prepares students to be funeral directors, embalmers and morticians.

CBS' Denver affiliate says Sigg did not receive his diploma from the local school district but completed the GED program.

Police said there is a direct link between an attempted abduction of the jogger at Ketner Lake on Memorial Day and the killing of Jessica. The unidentified runner told police she fought off a man who attacked her from behind and tried to subdue her using a chemical-soaked rag.

Police officially linked the two cases on Monday, KUSA-TV reports.

After the arrest, police released Sigg's photograph and called on the public to come forward with any additional information they might have on the Ridgeway case or other possible crimes.

Contributing: KUSA-TV