Ted Bundy
Ted Explodes In a Rage at the Kimberly Leach Murder Trial
Photo Credit: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ted_Bundy_3.jpg
Photo enhanced by Sly 2010
Ted Bundy. Law student, charmer, thief, voyeur, liar, manipulator, murderer, necrophiliac, sociopath, monster. There are many titles that are befitting and none that can completely or adequately sum up this anomaly of nature. Who was Ted? To some he was called a trusted friend, to others a lover, to another he was a dedicated son, but to most he was nothing more than a disjointed killer with no regard for human life.
Ted Bundy, a name that evokes a vitriol response in countless individuals, a name that conjures up chilling images, and also rouses emotions of both abhorrence and fascination in many. A name synonymous with death, a name that helped to inspire the phrase "Serial Killer." Ted Bundy, a name to both remember and forget.
But forget? That may be impossible since his story first helped to shed light on real life monsters and horror. His story brought the grisly reality of "Serial Killers" into our seemingly safe little worlds, nestled among houses on tree-lined blocks in nice neighborhoods. And with the spotlight aimed at this abject creature, suddenly innocuous places such as churches, grocery stores, playgrounds, parks, and college campuses held a multiplicity of danger that existed in the most common of all forms; the human species.
After Ted's story came to light, strangers were more closely scrutinized than ever before, even the neighborhood Boy Scout was looked upon with suspicion, after all, wasn't Ted once a Boy Scout too?
A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
The man behind the many faces was shrouded in a vaporous cloud of deception, charm and intelligence, all while possessing a monstrous appetite for death and destruction. Ted appeared so ordinary on the outside. He certainly possessed the necessary traits, along with an appealing facade that made it possible for him to blend in with the rest of society. So why is he categorized subhuman? Because he took free will and abused the privilege that was given to us all since the beginning of time, and became the lowliest predator known to man. The human predator.
Ted was a chameleon and the above photos are a good indication of this. During his career as a killer, his looks changed so often that initially he went unnoticed after his escapes.Ted was said to have a face that women were attracted to and most people could trust.
In life, Ted brought terror, death, and anguish to so many lives, but in those last few moments before to his execution, while his heart raced with fear for his own impending demise, he was shown the same mercy he so callously demonstrated on his victims. He was shown death.
But after his execution, when the lights dimmed and the shrouded figure of one of the world's worst serial killers was wheeled away on a gurney to the awaiting death car outside...
...something shadowy and ominous still lingered inside Ted's cell and the execution room of Florida's State Prison. Was it the ghost of Ted? Some swear it is.
While some may scoff at the very absurdity of Ted's story having a paranormal angle to it, there are several instances where extrasensory perception or psychic (intuitive sensing) ability played an important role in saving the lives of some of Ted's would-be victims in this tale of terror. And while telepathic sensing did save some lives, sadly, it may have foretold of a darker outcome for another.
Note: While this page chronicles the life and crimes of Ted Bundy, it is in no way meant to glorify the man or his unspeakable actions.
Please read the biography and then you may be able to draw your own conclusions concerning the supernatural events connected with this story.
Little Red Riding Hood: by Charles Perrault as retold by the Brothers Grimm
Painting by: Gustave Dore (1883)
...as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. The trusting and sweet Red Riding Hood did not know what a
wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him...
Biography
Theodore Robert Cowell was born to Eleanor Louise Cowell on November 24, 1946 at a home for unwed mothers in Burlington, Vermont. The identity of Bundy's father is unknown but there are at least three unconfirmed potential candidates: Jack Worthington, Lloyd Marshall, and Louise's own father, Samuel Cowell. Cowell was known for his volatile personality, his abuse of animals, and his love for pornography, and Ted was said to have loved him deeply.
In the forties, an unwed mother with a child would have brought shame and scandal to the family. To avoid complications, Ted's grandparents called him their own son. So Ted believed that Louise was his older sister for most of his youth and into his high school years.
In 1951, Louise met and married Johnny Bundy. Johnny adopted Ted and legally changed his name to Bundy. As the family grew, Johnny attempted to build a relationship with his adopted son, but Ted was indifferent to his stepfather. The young boy later joined the Boy Scouts of America and also became involved with the Methodist Church Youth Ministry.
For all intents and purposes, Ted appeared to be a normal young male, but was really quite shy and introverted. While attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma, he had a few run-ins with the law but nothing serious transpired as a result, at least not then.
Throughout high school and college, Ted claimed that he felt socially awkward because he couldn't comprehend the mechanics of friendships or the opposite sex. During this period of his life Ted became fixated with detective magazines, stories of violent sex crimes, death, and pornography. He also advanced to proficient thief and peeping-tom.
In 1966, while attending the University of Washington, Ted took several courses in psychology and worked as a volunteer for Seattle's Crisis Center, alongside the up and coming crime writer, friend, and future author Ann Rule, who would later write the definitive and chilling biography of Ted Bundy, and bestseller, "The Stranger Beside Me." To Ann, Ted appeared to be a respectful, educated, caring, and charming young man whom she trusted. She would later find out the deadly truth about her friend Ted.
The Stranger Beside Me by True Crime author Ann Rule. This biography of Ted Bundy is perhaps
the best of all true crime accounts of the serial murderer. A must read for all vulnerable young people
In 1967 he met and dated a beautiful coed named Stephanie Brooks.* He was smitten by the dark haired beauty who came from an affluent family with an educated background. They dated for a while then in 1968 Stephanie broke up with Bundy for reasons that included his lack of maturity and ambition in life. The breakup left Bundy devastated. He would later relate how he never felt good enough for her.
After the breakup, Ted discovered the truth of his parentage, which he had doubts about for many years. During this phase of his life, Bundy dropped out of school and seemed to vacillate for a while, but soon enough he went back and majored in psychology. He then went on to become an honors student while also becoming involved in politics, which he showed great promise in. It seemed that the bright and gifted Ted was finally coming out of his shell.
In 1969, a more assertive Ted emerged from the shadows of his murky past and started dating Meg Anders*
(Elizabeth Kendall*) who would later write the book, "The Phantom Prince." The book revealed her life with Ted Bundy. The divorced mother of one young daughter, fell in love with Bundy and dated him up until the time of his arrest. And up until that time, there was no inclination that something so dark and deadly lurked behind the friendly mask of deception, with a fury so explosive that no one could have anticipated it, nor imagined it.
The Odyssey Begins
1972 Ted graduated with a degree in psychology and went on to work for the Republican Party. In 1973, Bundy enrolled at the University of Puget Sound as a law student. While the confident and appealing Bundy carefully crafted and altered his image, he began dating Stephanie Brooks once more. When she saw the new confident and ambitious Ted, she fell in love with him, and soon accepted his proposal of marriage (while he was still dating an unsuspecting Elizabeth). Both women were unaware of the other.
In 1974, as Bundy's plan of revenge (to court and propose to Stephanie) went off without a hitch, he abruptly dumped her, this time leaving her devastated and confused. At or about this stage in his life, he dropped out of law school because his attendance was poor and his grades dropped. Shortly thereafter, women in Washington state began disappearing one by one, as the illusive predator, (who appeared to be the model of success) began hunting and killing innocent women
(who were said to resemble Stephanie Brooks) at an alarming rate.
Note: Ted later denied killing women that resembled Stephanie and claimed there was no set criteria, only that they were young, naive, attractive, and easily accessible to him.
| Murder
In Washington 1974 Candles added in Memory of the Victims January 4, 1974, 18-year-old Joni Lenz (a student of University of Washington) was beaten and sexually assaulted while she slept in her basement bedroom. She survived but suffered brain damage as a result of the attack. February 1, 1974,
21 year-old Lynda Ann Healy, a psychology major at the University of
Washington, and radio voice for Cascade Ski Report, disappeared from
her basement apartment in the early morning hours. Bundy had apparently
beat her while she slept and carried her away. Detectives speculate
that Bundy dressed Healy before taking her away since her bloody
nightgown was discovered in the back of her closet.
  Lynda Ann Healy March 12, 1974, free-spirited student and gifted flutist, 19 year-old Donna Gail Manson was kidnapped and murdered. She was on her way to a jazz concert on the Evergreen State College campus when she vanished. Initially, she was not reported missing until several days after her abduction. 
Donna Gail Manson On April 17, 1974, Susan Eileen Rancourt, a biology major from Central Washington State College campus went missing. Witnesses claimed that a man with a cast, driving a VW Bug, was seen on campus at the time of Susan's disappearance. Susan was said to be an extra cautious girl who never went anywhere alone. But on this night she was walking alone after dark, and obviously trusted a seemingly helpless stranger, which resulted in her death. 
Susan Rancourt Extrasensory Warning ? On that same night, before Susan disappeared, another coed was approached by the man with a cast. He was walking ahead of her and kept dropping his books. At first she walked past him but then turned back. She was a bit hesitant at first but then decided to help the stranger carry his books. He told her his car was close by. Once they reached the car, she started to panic. She looked at the man, then the car and became terrified. She dropped the books and ran for her life. Only later would she realize that what she had been sensing, saved her life. She was one of the lucky ones to escape Ted Bundy. The next victim was taken on May 6, 1974. 22 year-old Roberta Kathleen Parks disappeared from Oregon State University campus while walking back from Sackett Hall to meet friends for coffee. 
Roberta Parks On June 1, 1974, Brenda Ball was last seen leaving "The Flame Tavern" in Burien, after closing time at 2 a.m. She was in need of a ride and was seen talking to a man with his arm in a sling standing next to a VW Bug. Brenda was also known to be a free-spirit and hitchhiked regularly as a means of travel. She was not reported missing for almost three weeks. 
Brenda Ball June 11, 1974, 18 year-old Georgeanne Hawkins was walking down an alley of UW campus, headed back to Theta House during the early morning hours after spending time with her boyfriend. She never reached her destination. Georgeanne was known to be a cautious girl. Later, students reported seeing a man with a cast on his leg who was struggling with his books and kept dropping them. 
Georgeanne Hawkins One coed narrowly escape becoming the next of Bundy's victims. She offered to help the nice stranger but first needed to take care of some business in her dorm. She told him she would return in a few minutes. When she returned, he was gone, and apparently so was Georgeanne. It appeared that the kind-hearted Hawkins decided to assist a helpless stranger to his car, and this act of kindness unwittingly made her his next target. |
Lake
Sammamish State Park Lake Sammamish State Park Photo Taken on July 14, 1974 This is a photo I snapped with my camera from my copy of, The Stranger Beside Me. July 14, 1974, a brazen Ted Bundy headed out to Lake Sammamish State Park, near Issaquah, during the daylight hours trolling for new victims. But one victim would not suffice that day, Ted took two. Janice Ott and Denise Naslund were among the thousands of visitors at the park that day, and as fate would have it, the only two out of thousands to vanish from the park. From witness accounts detectives gathered information about the first victim, Janice Ott. The story is as follows: Around noon, while Janice sunbathed, a handsome stranger approached Ott. He asked for help unloading his sailboat, and was overheard calling himself "Ted." His arm was in a sling. After a few minutes of friendly conversation, Ott walked away with him, never to be seen alive again. 
Janice Ott Later that day, around 4:30 p.m. Denise Naslund headed to the ladies restroom and never returned to her boyfriend and friends. After an exhaustive search for her in the park, her boyfriend reported her missing to the ranger later that night. Note: Before his execution, Bundy (speaking in the third-person, from the book, "The Only Living Witness") gave a "supposed" scenario involving Ott and Naslund. He said both women were taken to the same place where they were brutally violated. Each victim witnessed the others attack. Following the assaults, the assailant would have killed both women and disposed of their remains.
Denise Naslund A Telepathic Premonition? Jim and Janice Ott were known as a happily married couple who were so spiritually bonded that they often had a kind of telepathic or psychic connection between them. When Jim was away at a job in California, Janice stayed home. During that time they stayed in touch by mail and phone. Just before Janice went missing, Jim sent his wife an inspiring card, but also added a bit of an ominous warning to it. He told her not to talk to or trust strangers. He didn't really understand why he did it at the time because he never felt the need to do so before. On the day that Janice disappeared, Jim had a terrible feeling of dread after he tried calling his wife. Later that evening he fell asleep only to awaken suddenly. He sat straight up in bed and heard his wife's voice calling out to him in the dark. She was crying out for him to help her. Jim knew something was terribly wrong. His fears were realized the next morning when he found out that his wife was missing. Jim later received a letter from his wife after she was murdered, just as his card was reaching her home. In her letter to her husband, Janice was sad without her husband and wrote how "a person could expire" while waiting for the mail to reach each other. Jim's card with the warning never reached Janice in time. And Jan's letter to Jim seemed almost prophetic. Is it possible that Jim and Janice Ott both knew, on some telepathic level, that this would be the last time they would hear from each other? |
The Face Of Evil Revealed
With descriptions of both the stranger at Lake Sammamish and his VW Bug, King County detectives had an artist sketch up "Ted" and immediately had fliers distributed all over Seattle and aired it on the news in the wake of the women's disappearances.
Ted Sketch
Another Sixth Sense Warning
While several women were approached by the man with the sling at Lake Sammamish Park, most simply paid him no attention and walked on. But one young women recalled her encounter with the stranger and how he had asked her for help unloading his sailboat from his car. She walked with him to his car. Upon reaching it she realized that there was no sailboat to unload. He was very pleasant and jokingly admitted that he should have mentioned that his boat was just up the hill at his house, and it would only take a minute to drive there and load the boat on to his car.
At first she wasn't aware of any danger, not until she stood next to the car and looked inside. The young woman abruptly became frightened. She could not fathom where her "feelings of foreboding" were coming from. She refused to get inside of the car with the man and immediately walked away in a hurry. She later saw a pretty young woman with a bike(who turned out to be Janice) walking off with the same man. She didn't know how close she had come to being a casualty until she heard about the two women's disappearances.
Police Tips
As "Ted" tips rolled in to the police, Bundy's own girlfriend Meg reported him to the police as a viable suspect. While other tips rolled in and the Ted flier was aired on virtually every news station around, Ted laughed it off when friends and co-workers told him how much he resembled the Ted on the news. Bundy's name would show up several times as a suspect, and he also drove a VW Bug like the one seen by several witnesses. There was now a face and a name connected to the killer. It was only a matter of time before the truth would be known.
Remains Found
In August of 1974, a road worker pulled alongside the road to stop for lunch when a terrible odor assaulted him. He got out of his truck and went in search of its origin. He found, what he believed to be the remains of a deer carcass down a slope along the road. This was only two miles east of Lake Sammamish State Park. He disregarded it and moved on. Then on September 7, 1974, a hunter came across what remained of Janice Ott, Denise Naslund, and another unidentified female. By then there were only scattered bones of the victims.
Note: Before his execution, Ted admitted to that the extra bones found at the Issaquah crime scene belonged to Georgeanne Hawkins.
| UTAH In 1974, Ted moved to Utah to attend law school in Salt Lake City. While there, his next victims are as follows: October 2, 1974, 16 year-old cheerleader Nancy Wilcox disappeared. She was last seen driving away in a VW Bug. Her body was never recovered. 
Nancy Wilcox On October 18, 1974, 17 year-old Melissa Smith was last seen after going to meet a friend at her work place in Midvale, Utah. Later in the evening she headed back home but never arrived there. Her body was discovered nine days later. She had been raped and beaten. Melissa was the daughter of Midvale police chief Louis Smith and had been taught to be very cautious. 
Melissa Smith October 31, 1974, 17 year-old Laura Aime vanished after she headed out to a nearby park around midnight. She often hitchhiked and was known to be a bit of a free-spirit. Her parents had warned her about the young women in the area disappearing, but Laura told them she could take care of herself and not to worry about her. Her nude remains were discovered by hikers on Thanksgiving Day. She had been beaten and raped. 
Laura Aime The First Living Witness On November 8, 1974, Carol DaRonch was shopping at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray, Utah. A man claiming to be "Officer Roseland" approached her and told her someone had attempted to break into her car. She accompanied him to the back of the mall where he said the sub-station was located. When the man reached a door and knocked (which was actually the back of a laundry mat) and found it locked, he asked her to drive with him to the police station nearby. DaRonch thought it odd that he was driving a VW and not a police car but got into his car anyway and they drove off. Then abruptly, Bundy pulled off the road and tried to handcuff Carol. A violent struggle ensued and he managed to get one wrist cuffed twice. Then he grabbed a gun and threatened to shoot her. Carol refused to go gently and continued fighting with the man. During the struggle, DaRonch fought her way out of the car but Bundy slammed her up against the car and tried to hit her with a tire iron, which she deflected. She then kicked him in the crotch and ran out to the freeway where she flagged down help. Ted sped away in a fury. He had left a living witness. She had escaped death and would live to later testify against Bundy in court.  Carol Da Ronch After the failed kidnap attempt on Carol Da Ronch, Bundy went in search of another victim. Nearly 20miles away in Bountiful, Utah, 17 year-old Debra Kent was leaving a school play during intermission to pick up her brother at a nearby skating rink. She was heading out to her car in the parking lot when she vanished. Screams were heard and a handcuff key was discovered in the parking lot near her car. Kent's body was never found. Apparently Bundy was getting sloppy but didn't seem to worry about it. He had been seen by several witnesses that night, including a drama teacher (who would later identify him in a photo) who said the stranger approached her several times trying to get her to follow him outside; she was too busy and declined. He was also seen hanging around the auditorium, looking disheveled, pacing nervously and breathing hard. 
Debra Kent Colorado 1975 As 1974 came to a close, 1975 marked a new year of murder in the life of Ted Bundy. As his crimes in Utah made news, he began searching for new hunting grounds and new victims. He made several trips to Colorado, leaving a path of carnage behind and detectives baffled. On January 12, 1975, Caryn Campbell was vacationing with her fiancé at Snowmass, Colorado. While heading back to her room at the Wildwood Inn to retrieve a magazine, she simply vanished. There was a search but it produced nothing. Her nude body was later discovered on February 18, 1975, off Owl Creek Road. She had severe head trauma along with cuts and bruises on her body. 
Caryn Campbell More Remains Discovered On March 1, 1975, forestry students doing work on Taylor Mountain discovered a fractured human skull, it turned out to be that of Brenda Ball. While Detective Bob Keppel and his team of men began a massive search of the area. There was more to be found. March 3, 1975, Bob Keppel came upon Susan Rancourts skull. Also discovered was the skull of Roberta Parks and part of Lynda Healy's lower mandible. Note: Before his execution, Bundy admitted to dumping Donna Manson's body there also, but her remains have never been found. On March 15, 1975, 26 year-old Vail ski instructor Julie Cunningham disappeared on her way to meet a friend at a nearby tavern for a drink. She was never found. On April 6, 1975, 25 year-old Denise Oliverson vanished while riding her ten-speed bike to her parents house after an argument with her husband. Her bike and sandals were found but her body was never recovered. April 15, 1975, 18 year-old Melanie Cooley left her high school and never made it home. Her body was recovered 8 days later. She had been beaten and raped. On May 6, 1975, 13 year-old Lynette Culver went missing from her junior high school in Pocatello, Idaho. And while this seems to differ from the other locations of Bundy's crimes, Ted later confessed to taking a trip to Pocatello in search of a victim. He kidnapped Culver, raped, murdered, and dumped her body in a river. She was never found. On June 28, 1975, 15 year-old Susan Curtis simply ceased to exist after walking back from a youth conference at Brigham Young University campus. Before Bundy's death he confessed to her murder. She was forever lost, along with a string of other victims whose bodies remain missing. Note: Before his death, Ted confessed that he buried some victims, dumped others in the woods, and tossed others into rivers. There is speculation that Bundy killed many more women than he admitted to, possibly up to a hundred according to Keppel and other experts. |
The Arrest and Escape
While detectives in Washington had a file on Theodore Robert Bundy sitting on the desk waiting to be examined, a phone call came in from Utah. On August 16, 1975, Utah Highway Patrol officer Robert Haywood pulled over a suspicious light colored VW. The officer noted the missing passenger seat, then discovered burglary tools in the car. Ted was arrested and brought in for questioning then released.
On August, 1975, Ted was again arrested for the burglary tools and in connection with the Carol DaRonch case. After the drama teacher (from the Debra Kent case) and Carol DaRonch identified Bundy, he was was found guilty on DaRonch kidnapping. On June 30, 1976, Ted was sentenced for up to 15 years in Utah State Prison, while detectives were busy trying to tie Ted to other unsolved cases.
When police retrieved the car that Ted sold, they had it processed and discovered hair strands in it that connected him to Carol DaRonch, Caryn Campbell and Melissa Smith.
On June 7, 1977, Bundy was taken to the Pitkin County courthouse in Aspen for a hearing on the Campbell case. During a court recess, he escaped from the second-story window of the courthouse's law library. Bundy headed up into the mountains and hid in a cabin for a few days. On June 13, 1977, while driving a stolen car, Ted was pulled over by police officers who recognized him immediately. After six days on the run, Ted was taken back into custody.
The Ever Plotting Bundy and Recaptured Bundy
Escape # 2
While awaiting trial, clever Ted plotted and planned his next escape and future while being holed up at the Garfield County Jail in Colorado. After coming in the possession of cash and a hacksaw, he refused meals and lost a considerable amount of weight. He cut through a fixture in the ceiling after a few weeks and on December 30, 1977, he pulled himself through the small hole (hardly large enough for a child to fit through, much less a man) and found his way into the apartment of the jailer who was out for evening with his wife, and escaped to freedom.
Bundy hitched a ride into Vail, caught a bus to Denver, and boarded a plane to Chicago. By the time Bundy's escape was discovered, he was safely in Chicago.
Ted Graces The FBI's Most Wanted Poster
| Florida
1978 Next, Bundy hopped a train to Michigan, then stole a car and abandoned it before boarding a bus for Tallahassee, Florida. On January 8, 1978 he stepped off of the bus with the new identity, Chris Hagen. Bundy had no problem renting a room and continued life as this new entity. To survive, Ted shoplifted and purse-snatched to avoid finding work without a proper ID. Life for Ted could have gone smoothly, but it didn't take long for the "compulsion" to rear its ugly head. More Bad Vibes On January 14, 1978, Ted went to Sherod's Disco, located next to the Chi Omega Sorority House at Florida State University. It was a popular club for students. While trolling for potential victims, Bundy asked one young woman (a Chi Omega coed) to dance with him. Initially she declined but then opted to dance with the good looking stranger. But once she was on the dance floor, she noticed his eyes and became so alarmed that she avoided looking at him until the dance was over, then walked away immediately. When she looked back again, he was gone. Killing Frenzy In the early morning hours of January 15, 1978, after most of the sorority sisters had gone to sleep, Bundy entered the Chi Omega Sorority House armed with a heavy log he had found outside among the wood pile. Quietly and methodically, he climbed the stairs and went from room to room checking for unlocked doors. He then attacked, bludgeoned, and sexually assaulted four sorority sisters. Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman died as a result of the vicious attacks. Karen Chandler and Kathy Kleiner survived the attacks.
  Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy As Ted ran down the stairs to escape, he didn't realize a sorority sister saw his profile as he ran past her. But it seemed the rage was not yet satiated and Bundy found his last victim of the night. As Cheryl Thomas slept a few blocks away in her home, he broke in and beat her unmercifully. She survived the attack, and the next morning Bundy went about his life without a care in the world. Premonitions of Evil The afternoon of January 14, 1978, just before the killing rampage at Chi Omega Sorority House, several girls and the house mother arrived after being gone for half of the day. The house had been empty except for the house cat that lived there with all the coeds. After entering the house, a few girls picked up on an ever-present evil that seemed to hang in the air. Even the cat ran out of the house spooked, its fur on end. It did not return for several weeks. But that was not the only evil that was sensed. Later that night, while the attacks were underway, two girls told of their terrifying premonitions of danger: One coed was heading down the darkened hall to go to the restroom, she made her way as far as the light switch when for some unfathomable reason she felt a dreadful fear come over her and was afraid to go any further. She sensed something terrible was going to happen to her if she continued forward, while feeling as though there was something evil near her. She left the light off and ran back to her room where she proceeded to lock her door. Another coed decided to go downstairs for a bite to eat, which was not out of the ordinary for her. As she headed down the hall to the stairs, she suddenly froze at the top of the stairway. She felt a profound fear wash over her and had the strangest feeling that someone was downstairs waiting for her. She rushed back to her room and locked the door. Throughout the attacks at Chi Omega, nobody saw or heard a thing except for Nita Neary, who saw the profile of the attacker on the way out of the house. And for those that experienced the premonitions of evil and listened to their intuition, they were lucky enough to live to tell their stories. The Final Victim Ted's twisted need for another "release" was executed on February 9, 1978. This was to be his last victim. Bundy drove to Lake City, Florida in a stolen van. After failing to kidnap one young girl, he went in search of another until he found pretty 12 year-old Kimberly Leach at her Jr. High School. He abducted her, raped, murdered, and left the child in a pig shed where her remains were later discovered.
Kimberly Diane Leach |
The Arrest Of A Killer
On February 15, 1978, Pensacola police officer David Lee pulled over Bundy after running a license plate check on a missing vehicle and discovered it was stolen. Bundy took off running. When Officer Lee finally tackled Bundy, he cried, "I wish you would have just killed me." Bundy gave the police the name Kenneth Misner and refused to talk. He was fingerprinted and soon they discovered who he was, he was sent back to Tallahassee where he was charged with the Chi Omega attacks and murders.
The Trial 1979
In June of 1979, Bundy went to trial for the Chi Omega murders. He acted as his own attorney and showed his true arrogance by cross-examining witnesses. In the beginning, Ted seemed to draw a lot of female attention to himself as throngs of admirers showed up to court just to get a look at the infamous "Ted." But in the end, the true monster emerged and Ted was sentenced for his grisly crimes based upon bite mark analysis, hair and fiber analysis, and eyewitness accounts.
Dr. Richard Souviron presents dental evidence at the trial of Ted Bundy for the Chi Omega Murders.
1979 Florida Memory Project photo #MF0013 Credit: Mark T. Foley
http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/
The verdict was read and Bundy was sentenced to death by electrocution. Later he was also tried for the Kimberly Leach murder and again sentenced to death. And still the manipulative Bundy managed to make a mockery in court when he married his then girlfriend, Carol Ann Boone. Boone was allowed conjugal visits with Bundy and gave birth to a daughter in 1982. Later she and her children moved back to Washington where their whereabouts are unknown to the public.
End Of The Line
In 1984, Ted contacted King County's former homicide detective Bob Keppel and offered to help with the case of the Green River Murders. The end result was a book written by the former detective. Having worked with Keppel on the case, Bundy felt somewhat comfortable opening up to him. Before his execution, Ted contacted Keppel in hopes of buying more time for himself by offering to help with the unsolved crimes attributed to him and the locations of the bodies.
The Riverman
Keppel introduces the new face of evil, Gary Ridgeway, the serial
murderer whose crimes shocked a nation. A terrifying look into
the dark twisted mind, and diabolical crimes he committed.
Keppel spent time trying to get as much information and more confessions out of the condemned man. Ted admitted to many of the murders and places where he dumped the bodies. He also confessed to several other pending cases involving missing and murdered girls. After speaking to Bundy, Keppel was said to be shocked by Ted's admissions of his crimes and thought that the man was "born to kill." In the end, when all his appeals were exhausted, and his confessions did not buy him any more time, Bundy's time finally ran out.
The Execution
The night before his execution, Ted gave one last interview. He told Dr. James Dobson (Focus on the Family) that alcohol and pornography played a significant part in the crimes he committed. He also claimed that violence in the media, along with hard-core pornography, and violence against women, in particular, was helping to create future generations of Ted Bundy's.
Some experts felt that Ted was disingenuous while answering many of the questions raised by Dr. Dobson. That he used alcohol and pornography as a scapegoat for his actions, which brings to mind the old saying, "The Devil Made Me Do It."
Ted Giving His Last Interview Just Hours Before His Execution
Taken from a video still of Ted's last interview with Dr. James Dobson
On January 24, 1989, while Ted Bundy was prepared for his execution, he did not go willingly, he struggled all the way up "the walk" to the electric chair. But the doomed Bundy was dragged in, placed on the chair, and strapped in. Witnesses claim that there was a profound fear in Ted's eyes, but no tears. As his last few minutes of life ticked away, his last hopes must have been on that phone call from the governor granting him one last stay of execution.
His last words were: "I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends." Finally, the phone rang and the answer was no. The switch was pulled at 7: 06 a.m. The room filled with harsh drone as 2000 volts of electricity coursed through the prisoner. Ted was pronounced dead at 7:16 a.m. When the hundreds of people that were gathered outside of the prison heard that Bundy was dead, they cheered and celebrated.
Foundation Of Evil
No one can say for sure what dark thoughts filled Bundy's mind, when he starting killing, or why. There will always be theories, but in the final analysis, only Ted knew the real answers to all the perplexing crimes he committed, and he took most of that information with him to the grave.
Several experts believe Bundy's first murder took place when he was 14 years old, when eight-year-old Ann Marie Burr vanished from her home in Tacoma in 1961. She lived in one of the houses that was on Ted's paper route. Bundy denied having any part in her disappearance and asserted that he killed for the first time in 1972.
Other hypothesis includes: Rejection from from his first relationship and the ultimate betrayal concerning his parentage.
Born Evil?
Impish Baby Ted
Was Ted Bundy born with a vile need for destruction? The following story is disturbing and unquestionably revealing. It may prove that Ted was inherently evil. While Ted's 15 year-old Aunt Julia was sleeping one afternoon, she woke to find the three year old Ted grinning at her mischievously; he had placed a whole set of streak knives (pointing at her) around her as she slept. This story is based on fact. Perhaps Ted Bundy may have been born to kill, just as Bob Keppel once stated.
Ted Bundy's Ghost Returns To Florida State Prison
Photo enhanced by Sly 2010
After the execution of Ted Bundy, several stories began to surface in the prison about ghostly sightings of Ted among both prisoners and guards at Florida State Prison. The stories really began to take shape in 2001 after a former guard of the Prison left. His story is as follows:
While walking into the death chamber where Old Sparky sits, he glimpsed the ghostly image of Ted Bundy staring at him. It was quite unnerving for the guard since Ted had been executed in that very chair. He went on to claim that Ted appeared there several times, often grinning at him. Eventually, the guard got up the nerve to move closer and tried to speak to the ghoulish prisoner, but the apparition vanished before the guard reached the chair.
Other guards also alleged to have seen the dead prisoner in the electric chair, unstrapped, smiling sardonically at them. As they stood transfixed by the specter, he simply vanished like a whisp of smoke. Another ghostly Ted tale states
"the lady killer" has been seen in the cell where he spent his last few hours on earth before his death. Witnesses swear he was smirking triumphantly at them, then spoke to them saying, "he had beat them all," then disappeared like a bad nightmare.
In Conclusion
The story of Ted Bundy is one that has been retold often, and unfortunately will probably continue to be told for many years to come. While the horror of this ungodly yarn continues to unravel and haunt many of us, it should also serve as a warning to future generations of young and vulnerable people. It is a reminder that true evil does exist and presents itself in the most common of forms, and may be closer to you than you think.
And while some may scoff at the intuitive, supernatural angles attached to this story, there is viable evidence that supports this notion. Throughout the ages, countless tales of victims have used intuitive skills, and have lived to tell their stories of survival.
There are Various Ways to Describe These Sometimes Latent, or at Other Times, Obvious Gifts We All Possess:
Intuition, Gut Feeling, Telepathy, Sixth-Sense Warning, Suspicion, Instinct, Psychic Warning, E.S.P., Hunch, Sense of Fear or doom, Impression, Inkling, Emotion, Response...
However one may choose to describe it, there is no doubt that these abilities exist in one form or anther and is an intrinsic part of our survival skills. Unfortunately for the victims, their guards were down and instincts did not factor in, while others were taken by an unfortunate surprise attack. And for the lucky few, intuition played a huge role in saving their lives.
And are we to believe that the ghost of Ted Bundy has returned to the very prison he was executed in? If Ted is haunting Florida State Prison, could it be retribution on his part for being put to death there? Or is it possible that his spirit is trapped there? Or finally, is it possible that "Bundy fans" are simply unwilling to let Ted stay dead? Who can say for sure. And who can say if this ghostly Ted tale is just that...a tale.
In this finale, the story ends sadly. There are lives that were lost forever and lives that were changed forever as a result of those lost. There's a broken-hearted mother that will never see her son again, and families of the victims that will never see their loved ones again, or sleep as soundly as they once might have. And ghost or no ghost, this is one story that continues to haunt many of us.
To all the victims of Ted Bundy, and to all other victims who have fallen prey to the evil that stalks this world. My heart goes out to the innocents and their families. May their memories live on and their souls rest in peace.
IN MEMORY
Copyright © Sylvia Zimmer 2009
Related Videos
(Focus On The Family) Part 1
Sources:
The Stranger Beside Me
The Only Living Witness
Ted's Last Interview with Dr. Dobson
The Deliberate Stranger
A&E Biography
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