Jessica's Neighbors Hope Arrest Brings Peace, Closure To Grieving Family

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4)- Jessica Ridgeway's neighbors have mixed emotion after learning a suspect has been arrested in her abduction and murder.

A family friend told CBS4 Reporter Ty Brennan that the family is relieved to hear that there has been an arrest in the case. Austin Sigg was arrested at his Westminster home on Tuesday night. The 17-year-old lives several blocks from Jessica's home.

The neighborhood surrounding Jessica's home near 106th Avenue and Moore Street has been on heightened alert since her abduction Oct. 5 and the discovery of her body five days later in Arvada open space.

"We came here to express our relief, our gratitude that her killer is being brought to justice that there is justice for Jessica today!" said one neighbor who stopped Wednesday at a memorial honoring Jessica's life.

"We were all afraid. We were all afraid for our children and I have grandchildren and I was afraid for them to come and visit me and that's not okay," said another neighbor.

"I'm very relieved," said another.

Neighbor Jessica Davis said life hasn't been the same since Jessica Ridgeway was abducted.

"These two have not been out at all since it happened without me or their father," said Davis. "They've been sleeping with me every single night. I'm just relieved I can put them back in their own bedrooms."

The community hopes to return to some routine now that a suspect has been arrested and remains in custody.

"It was that innocence that was ripped apart recently and we need to preserve that again and we need to reinstall that in our children that there is still life, that there is still a hope and innocence in the world and we need to embrace that and not let it disappear because of what happened," said one neighbor.

The Ridgeway family has previously expressed being grateful for the support of the community. They have not made a public statement regarding the arrest of Sigg.