Anger over 'disrespectful' behavior at a bridge plagued by one of the state's most notorious crimes

A Wyoming town is in uproar over “disrespectful” behavior on a bridge that is linked to one of the state’s most notorious crimes.

An Idaho-based company called Over the Edge Inc. sparked the uproar by recently organizing jumps from the Fremont Canyon Bridge near Casper, Cowboy State Daily reported.

This is the site of a gruesome murder that shocked the local community over five decades ago and continues to haunt the area to this day.

In 1973, two sisters, Amy and Becky Burridge, were kidnapped and taken to the bridge. Amy, only 11 years old, was pushed off the bridge and drowned in the river below. Her 18-year-old sister Becky was brutally raped before she was also pushed off the bridge.

Becky miraculously survived the fall, but returned to the scene of the accident two decades later and fell or jumped to her death from the same bridge.

Many residents are now angry that a company can be so reckless as to conduct recreational activities in a place with such a tragic history.

Others expressed their support for the company, arguing that it was time to put the past behind them.

In 1973, two sisters, Amy (center) and Becky Burridge (right), were kidnapped and taken to the bridge. Amy was pushed off and drowned, while Becky miraculously survived.

But for many people in the area, the past is too terrible to forget.

The sisters were on their way to a grocery store in Casper on September 24, 1973, when Becky's car tire went flat.

Two men, Ronald Kennedy, 27, and Jerry Jenkins, 29, offered to drive them home, but instead drove the girls 40 miles southwest to the Fremont Canyon Bridge, which rises 112 feet above the North Platte River.

Amy reportedly shouted “I love you, Becky” as the men pushed her from the middle of the bridge, Cowboy State Daily reported. She died on impact.

Becky suffered multiple fractures to her hips in her fall, but was able to crawl out of the water and over the rocks to the river bank. The next day, she was found half naked by an elderly couple.

Ronald Kennedy, 27, and Jerry Jenkins, 29, were sentenced to death for this crime. The verdict was overturned on appeal and they were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Becky later married and had a child, but after her divorce, she returned to the bridge in 1992 at age 37 and fell to her death in front of her boyfriend and two-year-old daughter, the LA Times reported.

The harrowing story left many residents shocked at OverTheEdge.Inc's callousness in its recent marketing campaign.

The company posted pictures of adrenaline junkies jumping off the Fremont Bridge on Monday with the caption: “Don't miss your chance to throw your meat off this amazing bridge near Casper, Wyoming.”

“The thrill of bungee jumping is hard to beat. Coming to a complete standstill in the open air magnifies the acceleration of gravity… Don't miss out on this life-changing experience. $100 for two jumps.”

True crime author Ron Franscell, who documented the murder in his book “The Darkest Night,” lived next door to Amy and Becky in Casper and remembers the aftermath of the tragedy all too well.

“We went to bed (mentally) in one place on the night of September 23, 1973,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “We were able to play outside until the street lights came on. The next day we woke up in a completely different place. I would say that we – Casper never is – returned to this idyllic little town.”

Franscell called it “heartbreaking” to see the photos of people bungee jumping off the bridge, but added that the company was likely unaware of the bridge's history.

“And that's an easy assumption to make, because 50 years have already passed,” he said, adding that Becky's second fatal jump was only 32 years ago.

“It's one of those haunted places that should remind us of both the worst and the best of what we can be,” he said.

Ronald Kennedy, 27, and Jerry Jenkins, 29, were sentenced to death for this crime. The verdict was overturned on appeal and they were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Becky returned to the bridge in 1992 at the age of 37 and fell to her death in front of her boyfriend and two-year-old daughter.

Pictured: Thrill seekers jump from the Fremont Canyon Bridge with Over the Edge, Inc.

Longtime Casper resident Rose Fry spoke out strongly against bungee jumping at the Fremont Canyon Bridge.

She recalled the difficult times the community went through after the tragic events of 1973.

“It's always going to be a sad place, I think,” she told the Cowboy State Daily. “Maybe when – you know – I'm dead and buried, and all the other people who remember it, maybe then.”

However, Eric Lyman, owner of Over The Edge Bungee, defended the company's decision to organize jumps from the Fremont Canyon Bridge.

He argued that the bridge was a public space that should be accessible for recreational activities, such as crossing the bridge by car or picnicking in the area.

“It's significant (as a place), but it has nothing to do with me,” he said. “The story behind it is important. I'm very touched by the story. In fact, we thought about doing a jump in honor of these two ladies.”

Lyman pointed out that the area is frequently visited by climbers and asked if they should also be banned from entering because of their disrespectful behavior.

He stressed that although the company had discussed the history of the bridge during its visit, it considered it illogical to restrict its use for recreational purposes 50 years later.

“We didn’t kill anyone,” Lyman added.

Amy (pictured) was pushed off the bridge and fell 34 metres into the water, where she died on impact

Becky (pictured) miraculously survived her first fall from the bridge, although she broke her hip

Becky later married and had a child, but their relationship eventually ended in divorce. One day she returned to the bridge where she had been attacked, fell and died

Despite the controversy, many people have responded to the post and expressed interest in participating in the jumps.

Some Casper residents are also urging people to leave the past behind and use the bridge as a place of recreation.

“Most of Casper is a crime scene at any given time,” Casper resident Lisa Romfo told Cowboy State Daily. “We can't let that get in the way of the future.”

Romfo added that after five decades, “it is time to use the bridge again.”

Cassie Witt, another woman who was keen to take part in the bungee jumps, expressed her support for the company's decision.

She does not consider the choice of location to be disrespectful and hopes that the company will participate in future events again, provided that local regulations are observed.