Austin Reed Sigg Was Enrolled In State's Only School With Accredited Mortuary Science Program

Suspect Was Interested In Being A Mortician

Austin Reed Sigg, the 17-year-old who has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, had an interest in mortuary science according to reports by 9News and KDVR.

Both reports cite anonymous sources, and it has not been confirmed by the police or Sigg's school if that is the subject the suspect was studying at Arapahoe Community College. But Associated Press reporter Kristen Wyatt tweeted:

The Denver Post reports that on March 23rd, Sigg won second place in the Health Occupation Students of America State Leadership Conference competition Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) division.

"He was very quiet, shy and to himself. I would say he was gothic. He never really talked about his family or his friends. Like, all he talked about was playing or spending time with us. He always wanted, just, to play capture the flag," Brooke Olds, a neighbor of Sigg's who has known him for nine years told 7News.

According to a custody report, the brown-haired, green-eyed Sigg was arrested at his home in Westminster at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday night. Though court documents have been sealed, the report says that Sigg has been cooperative and waived his rights.

Sigg's home is located just over one mile from where Jessica was abducted on Oct. 5, and less than half a mile from Ketner Laker where he is suspected of the attempted kidnapping of a 22-year-old female jogger over the Memorial Day weekend.

Jessica's remains were found five days later in Patridge Park, and police said that her body was "not intact."

According to the Associated Press, Sigg went to Witt Elementary, the same school Jessica was headed to on the morning she disappeared, but that he moved onto middle school before she enrolled.

Sigg is being held at Mount View Youth Services Center and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday morning in Jefferson County.

Before You Go

Austin Reed Sigg

Jessica Ridgeway Case Photos

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