A teen from Colorado has admitted to kidnapping and brutally murdering a ten-year old girl, according to KCTV5.
Austin Sigg, 18, pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to all the charges that he was facing. He did so against the advice of his attorneys. Jessica Ridgeway was walking to school the morning of Oct. 5, 2012, when Sigg reportedly snatched her. Jessica's father, Jeremy Bryant, and his family live in Independence.
Hundreds of police and residents searched for her and parents escorted their children to and from school. The FBI asked residents to report suspicious behavior by friends, neighbors and even family members. Her torso was found in a secluded park Oct. 10, 2012. Parts of her body were found underneath the home where Sigg lived with his mother, who alerted authorities to her son's crimes.
Sigg also admitted to trying to kidnap a woman from a Denver area park. The sentencing hearing will begin on Nov. 18. Since he was 17 years old at the time of the crimes, Sigg is not eligible for the death penalty. Members of Jessica's family were in court on Tuesday. They wore purple in honor of Jessica's favorite color.
Jessica's mother left the courtroom during the more graphic parts of Tuesday's hearing. Sigg is scheduled to go on trial later this week. He dropped out of high school after 11th grade and later earned a GED. Former classmates say he was intelligent but complained about school and was bullied for having a high voice.
At Jessica's memorial service, Pastor Rick Long of Grace Church said she loved Disney films, was a member of the peewee cheer leading squad at a nearby high school and had been looking forward to dressing up as a zombie lifeguard for Halloween.
