SEATTLE (Reuters) - A truck painter pleaded guilty on Wednesday to strangling 48 drug addicts and prostitutes to death -- in a killing spree known as the Green River murders -- and said in a confession, "I killed so many women I have a hard time keeping them straight."

Gary Leon Ridgway, 54, said in a confession read by a prosecutor in open court that he murdered the women because he hated prostitutes and knew that they would not be missed. As details of his grisly crimes unfolded, relatives of the victims wept in court and the owlish-looking Ridgway showed no emotion.

Ridgway, who some law enforcement officials believe may have killed more than 100 women, pleaded guilty in return for prosecutors' agreement to spare his life.

Ridgway's confession included details of how he gained his victims' confidence by showing them pictures of his son, had sex with them and then took pleasure in strangling them from behind, often in his house or truck.

Before disposing of the bodies, he had sex with them again, often over several days, according to court documents.

I don't think this one needs a whole hella bunch of commentary, except to ask what the hell is a truck painter?