Ted Bundy was one of the most prolific and violent serial killers in U.S. history, responsible for the murders of at least 30 women and girls between 1974 and 1978. Investigators believe the true number of victims may be far higher.
Operating across multiple states, Bundy targeted young women and girls, often abducting them in public places before assaulting and killing them. His crimes spanned Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Florida, leaving devastation across the country.
Bundy was executed on Jan. 24, 1989, but the impact of his crimes continues to resonate decades later.
Early Life and Background
Theodore Robert Bundy was born on Nov. 24, 1946, in Burlington, Vermont, to Eleanor Louise Cowell, who later relocated with him to Tacoma, Washington. She married John Bundy, who adopted Ted and helped raise four additional children.
Bundy appeared outwardly normal during his youth. He participated in Boy Scouts, held part-time jobs, and performed well academically at times. After graduating high school, he attended several colleges, including the University of Washington, where he earned a degree in psychology in 1972.
He worked various jobs, including political campaign work and employment at a crisis hotline. Colleagues described him as intelligent, articulate, and personable — traits that later helped him gain victims’ trust.
By 1974, Bundy had moved to Utah to attend law school, though he never completed the program. At the same time, he was actively committing murders.
The Murder Spree
Bundy’s confirmed killing spree began in early 1974 and escalated rapidly. His first known victim was 21-year-old Lynda Ann Healy, a university student who disappeared from her home in Washington. Months later, her remains were discovered in a wooded area where several other victims would later be found.
Over the next year, multiple young women vanished across Washington and Oregon. Bundy frequently targeted college students, often abducting them in daylight.
His pattern involved pretending to be injured or impersonating an authority figure to lure victims into his vehicle. Once inside, he incapacitated them, restrained them, transported them to isolated locations, and killed them — often by strangulation. Sexual assault was a recurring component of the crimes.
After drawing suspicion in Washington, Bundy relocated to Utah, where he continued killing. His victims there included teenagers and young women, some of whom were abducted while hitchhiking or walking alone.
In November 1974, 18-year-old Carol DaRonch survived a brutal attack after fighting Bundy and escaping his vehicle. Her testimony later played a critical role in his conviction.
Arrest, Escapes, and Continued Violence
Bundy was arrested in 1975 after being pulled over by a state trooper who discovered suspicious items in his car. He was later convicted of kidnapping and assault based on DaRonch’s identification and sentenced to prison.
While incarcerated, Bundy escaped custody twice. After his second escape in 1977, he fled to Florida and committed some of his most infamous crimes.
In January 1978, Bundy attacked a university sorority house, murdering two young women and severely injuring others. Shortly afterward, he abducted and killed 12-year-old Kimberly Leach, his final confirmed victim.
He was arrested weeks later after a violent encounter with police.
Confessions and Victim Count
While on death row, Bundy admitted to killing at least 30 women and girls. However, investigators and criminal profilers believe the number may be significantly higher.
Bundy himself made vague references to earlier crimes and suggested his total victim count could be much larger. Some experts estimate he may have killed between 50 and 100 people, possibly beginning in his teenage years.
He also admitted to returning to crime scenes, moving remains, and engaging in acts of desecration — details that underscored the calculated and compulsive nature of his violence.
Survivors
Despite the brutality of Bundy’s crimes, several women survived his attacks.
Carol DaRonch escaped after a violent struggle and later identified Bundy in court. Karen Sparks survived a brutal assault in her home that left her with permanent injuries.
During the Florida attacks, multiple sorority members survived severe beatings that would have been fatal had Bundy not been interrupted. Another woman survived an apartment attack after neighbors heard the assault and called police.
Their survival provided critical testimony and helped ensure Bundy’s conviction.
Convictions and Sentencing
Bundy was tried and convicted in Florida for multiple murders and attempted murders. He received three death sentences for his crimes.
He spent nearly a decade on death row, filing numerous appeals that were ultimately unsuccessful.
Execution
Ted Bundy was executed by electric chair on Jan. 24, 1989. In the hours leading up to his death, he provided additional information about some victims but did not fully account for all suspected murders.
His execution marked the end of one of the most notorious killing sprees in American history.
Remembering the Victims
Bundy’s crimes are often remembered through his name, but advocates and survivors have emphasized the importance of centering the victims — the women and girls whose lives were cut short.
They were students, daughters, sisters, and friends, taken through manipulation and violence. Their stories continue to serve as reminders of the human cost behind one man’s calculated brutality.