Jessica Ridgeway Body Found, Community in Alert for Killer of 10-Year-Old

Jessica Ridgeway's search ended on Friday when authorities said the body found Wednesday in Arvada, Colorado, was hers.

10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway had vanished on October 5.

Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk said that after a DNA test, the body was identified. According to reports, Ridgeway was kidnapped, murdered and dismembered. 

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"The mission has changed from a search for Jessica to a mission of justice for Jessica," Birk said. 

"There is a predator at large in our community," he added.

The body was found near Pattridge Park Open Space in Arvada, Colorado, seven miles away from her home.

The girl disappeared on October 5 at around 8:30 am as she walked few blocks from her home to a park where she met other friends to walk to their Elementary School together.

Governor John Hickenlooper released a statement following the identification of the body.

"This is an unthinkable end to an unthinkable crime in our community," he said.

"It is with a profound sense of sorrow that we learned of Jessica Ridgeway's death. On behalf of all of Colorado, we offer our deepest sympathies to her family and friends. The Colorado Department of Public Safety and other federal, state and local agencies involved in the case will continue to provide all of the support they can as the investigation continues."

Local police and the FBI are looking for the responsible of this crime. They have asked the community to help reporting any behavioral changes in any person.

They noted that often someone is associated with the offender of the crime without knowing it and asked to report if a person has underwent any sudden changes such as missing work, miss scheduled appointments, changes of personal appearance of the appearance of a vehicle, etc.