1989: Ted Bundy, psycho killer

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It was 20 years today that Ted Bundy, the signature sexual psychopath in a golden age of serial killers,* rode the lightning in Florida’s Starke Prison.

Executed Today is pleased to mark the occasion with a conversation with Louisville crime writer Kevin M. Sullivan, author of a forthcoming2009 book on Ted Bundy … and a man who knows how the world looks from inside Bundy’s ski mask.

Ted Bundy is obviously one of the most iconic, written-about serial killers in history. Why a book about Ted Bundy? What’s the untold story that you set out to uncover?

The desire, or drive, if you will, to write an article about Ted Bundy and then create a 120,000 plus word book about the murders, was born out of my crossing paths with his infamous murder kit. Had Jerry Thompson [a key detective on the Bundy case -ed.] left Bundy’s stuff in Utah that May of 2005, well, it would have been an enjoyable meeting with the former detective, but I’m certain it would have all ended quietly there. Indeed, I doubt if I’d even considered writing an article for Snitch [a now-defunct crime magazine -ed.], much less a book about the killings. But it was having all that stuff in my hands, and in my home, and then being given one of the Glad bags from Ted’s VW that made it very real (or surreal) to me, and from this, a hunger to find out more about the crimes led me forward.


Ted Bundy’s gear, right where you want it — image courtesy of Kevin M. Sullivan. (Check the 1975 police photo for confirmation.)

Believe me, in a thousand years, I never would have expected such a thing to ever come my way. I can’t think of anything more odd or surreal.

ET: You mentioned that you think you’ve been able to answer some longstanding questions about Bundy’s career. Can you give us some hints? What don’t people know about Ted Bundy that they ought to know?

I must admit, when I first decided to write a book about the crimes, I wasn’t sure what I’d find, so the first thing I had to do was read every book ever written about Bundy, which took the better portion of three or four months.

From this I took a trip to Utah to again meet with Thompson and check out the sites pertaining to Bundy and the murders in that state. Next came the acquisition of case files from the various states and the tracking down of those detectives who participated in the hunt for the elusive killer.

Now, no one could have been more surprised than me to begin discovering what I was discovering about some of these murders. But as I kept hunting down the right people and the right documents, I was able to confirm these “finds” at every turn. And while I cannot reveal everything here, It’s all in the book in great detail. Indeed, you could say that my book is not a biography in the truest sense, but rather an in-depth look at Bundy and the murders from a vantage point that is quite unique. I wish I could delve further into these things now , but I must wait until it’s published.

The Bundy story has a magnetic villain and a host of victims … was there a hero? Was there a lesson?

The real heroes in this story are the detectives who worked day and night for years to bring Ted Bundy to justice. And if there’s a lesson to be learned from all of this, it is this: It doesn’t matter how handsome or articulate a person might be, or how nicely they smile at you, for behind it all, there could reside the most diabolical person you’ll ever meet! We need to remember this.

But how can you act on that lesson without living in a continual state of terror? Bundy strikes me as so far outside our normal experience, even the normal experience of criminality, that I’m inclined to wonder how much can be generalized from him.

Actually, (and I might say, thank God here!) people as “successful” as Ted Bundy don’t come our way very often. I mean, the guy was a rising star in the Republican Party in Washington, had influential friends, a law student, and certainly appeared to be going places in life. Some were even quite envious of his ascension in life. However, it was all a well-placed mask that he wore to cover his true feelings and intentions. On the outside he was perfect, but on the inside a monster. He just didn’t fit the mold we’re used to when we think of a terrible killer, does he?

Now, there are those among us — sociopaths — who can kill or do all manner of terrible things in life and maintain the nicest smile upon their faces, but again, just beneath the surface ticks the heart of a monster, or predator, or what ever you might want to call them. Having said that, I’m not a suspicious person by nature, and so I personally judge people by their outward appearance until shown otherwise. Still, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to see the “real” individual behind the person they present to us on a daily basis.

You worked with case detectives in researching your book. How did the Ted Bundy case affect the way law enforcement has subsequently investigated serial killers? If they had it to do over again, what’s the thing you think they’d have done differently?

They all agree that today, DNA would play a part of the investigation that wasn’t available then. However, in the early portion of the murders, Bundy made few if any mistakes, as he had done his homework so as to avoid detection. As such, even this wouldn’t be a panacea when it came to a very mobile killer like Bundy who understood the very real limitations sometimes surrounding homicide investigations.

I can’t help but ask about these detectives as human beings, too. Clearly they’re in a position to deal with the heart of darkness in the human soul day in and day out and still lead normal lives … is a Ted Bundy the kind of killer that haunts or scars investigators years later, or is this something most can set aside as all in a day’s work?

They are, first of all, very nice people. And you can’t be around them (either in person, or through numerous phone calls or emails) for very long before you understand how dedicated they are (or were) in their careers as police officers. They are honorable people, with a clear sense of duty, and without such people, we, as a society, would be in dire circumstances indeed.

Even before Bundy came along, these men were veteran investigators who had seen many bad things in life, so they carried a toughness which allowed them to deal with the situations they came up against in a professional manner. That said, I remember Jerry Thompson telling me how he looked at Ted one day and thought how much he reminded him of a monster, or a vampire of sorts. And my book contains a number of exchanges between the two men (including a chilling telephone call) which demonstrate why he felt this way

How about for you, as a writer — was there a frightening, creepy, traumatic moment in your research that really shook you? Was there an emotional toll for you?

Absolutely. But the degree of “shock”, if you will, depends (at least for me) on what I know as I first delve into each murder. In the Bundy cases I had a general knowledge of how Bundy killed, so there wasn’t a great deal that caught me by surprise, as it were. Even so, as a writer, you tend to get to know the victims very well through the case files, their family members or friends, and so on. Hence, I’ll continue to carry with me many of the details of their lives and deaths for the remainder of my life. And so, lasting changes are a part of what we do.

However, I did a story a few years back about a 16 year old girl who was horribly murdered here in Kentucky, and this case did cause me to wake up in the night in a cold sweat. Perhaps it was because I have a daughter that was, at the time, only a few years younger than this girl, and that some of what transpired did catch me off guard, so to speak, as I began uncovering just what had happened to this very nice kid.

Watch for Kevin M. Sullivan’s forthcoming The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History from McFarland in summer or fall of 2009.

* In fact, the term “serial killer” was coined in the 1970’s by FBI profiler Robert Ressler, as an improvement on the sometimes inaccurate category of “stranger killer”.

Additional Bundy resources from the enormous comment thread:

On this day..

Possibly related executions:

8,544 thoughts on “1989: Ted Bundy, psycho killer”

  1. Well, Richard, since I’m now mildly curious, I’ll head to my bookshelf and check it out. Thanks for the info.

  2. Lewis is referenced in Aynesworth’s 2/5/81 conversation with Bundy: p 263 or 269 depending which edition of “Conversations” you have.

  3. George–

    Yeah, I still can’t recall reading about Lewis, but at least I now know where he fits in this thing. And Rolling, yes… nothing was going to save him from taking a seat in the chair, or stretching out the arm (I can’t remember which) and exiting this world.

  5. bobby lewis was indeed a friend of bundy on the row.he also gained some cred for escaping from same said place(albeit for a week).i guess great minds think alike.he acted ,years later as a kind of jailhouse lawyer for danny rolling.didnt work out too well for danny though.

  8. OK, I was just curious. Sounds like you book has a broader scope than I originally thought. I’m looking forward to reading it.

  9. I must have also read this in “Conversations” but I don’t recall it off-hand, as they say. And no, there is nothing in the book about this.

  10. In M&A’s “Conversations” book there’s one parenthetical reference to Bobby Lewis being Bundy’s best friend on Death Row. In all the Bundy literature there are no other references. I was curious whether or not there might be anything about their relationship in your book.

  11. Hi George,

    My book covers Ted Bundy from high chair to electric chair, if you will, LOL! Actually, it covers his life from birth to death, but I thought a little levity here might do us all some good.

    Anyway, it is an in-depth look at Bundy and the murders, and as such, it will provide the reader with a full accounting of each crime, as well as many new and important facts I uncovered along the way. It, as I mentioned above,is not a biography in the truest sense, but I still present everything important pertaining to Ted’s early life, his gradual development into the monster he became, and an explanation concerning other pertinent facts about him during his life of murder. Of course, You’ll have to wait for the book to understand what I’m saying here, but I’m sure you understand.

    I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Hagmaier on several occasions, and I always found him to be extremely helpful as he endeavored to answer all of my questions. And frankly I found him to be a very nice guy. However, I do not cover the end-time confessions of Bundy in great detail, although the facts of said confessions are mentioned in several places.

    As far as Ms. Wiener, I believe I quote her at least once in the book, perhaps twice, but again, it wouldn’t be an in-depth look into Bundy’s relationship with her.

    I hope you enjoy the book.

    Kevin

  12. You know, Richard, in my research, I came upon hundreds of names, and to be honest, I can’t recall the name Robert Lewis. This is not to say I didn’t see his name If he had a connection to this tale somehow, I just can’t recall. If you give me additional info. it might rattle the cage of my mind, and something might pop out.

  13. kevin,im very much looking forward to the book,having studied bundy for years.i was wondering if you discuss the following:when bundy began to kill,as well as the true scope of his crimes;the likely circumstances surrounding the lake sam murders and his post conviction relationships with agent hagamier and attorney diana wiener.thanks.

  14. Kevin, in your research into Bundy did you come across anything about Robert Lewis?

  16. It looks like:

    “It’s a pity that the divine, good-looking, elegant, and intelligent Ted Bundy was more dedicated to crimes than to a brilliant career as a lawyer or psychologist. He was the Rudolf Valentino of serial killers!”

    – more or less.

  17. I’d love to respond, but I haven’t a clue as to what Nora is saying. Anybody care to translate?

  18. divino guapo elegante e inteligente ted bundy lastima que se dedico mas a los crimines que a su brillante carrera de abogado y psicologo !!!!!!parecia el rodolfo valentino de los asesinos en serie

  19. It seems conclusive to me (and I assume it does to Richard per his above post) that he stopped in Louisville based on Bundy’s conversation with Dr. Holmes. It must be remembered too, that Ted Bundy had innumerable reasons to lie when it came to murder, and to his very convoluted feelings about women. But to lie about something so meaningless as what city in which he stopped to eat or fill up the tank of his stolen car, seems a bit ludicrous to me. And so, as far as I’m concerned, it is an “absolute” fact; as much a fact as every other “meaningless” bit of information he gave about his travels ( towards the end of his life when he had little to hide), or his highly-developed ability to steal; a skill he had proudly honed since boyhood.

    Of course, people are allowed to believe anything they want to believe about Ted Bundy or anyone else on the planet. But I’ve learned from years of experience, that if you really want to get at the facts of a situation, or an individual, if you study them carefully, you’ll usually be able to separate fact from fiction. Perhaps not every time, but most of the time. And Ted Bundy wasn’t any different in that respect, as far as I’m concerned.

  20. Kevin –I agree with the post made by Richard on 13 March about not assuming anything with Ted. You referenced the interview by Dr. Holmes, obviously Ted was in Louisville at some time in his life since he was able to tell about the restaurant and the area but it doesn’t necessarily mean that he was there in 1978 unless that’s been proven. I agree that he would have had nothing to hide about his travels from Colorado to Ann Arbor. I don’t agree that he had nothing to hide about the rest of the trip. I believe that the story he told about traveling through Louisville on his way to Atlanta from Michigan may have been intended to mislead from what his real intentions were. I believe he was headed for the Midwest because he had probably been here before and it may have been somewhat familiar to him rather than going to a strange place.  For some reason shortly after arriving in the Midwest he decided to go south to Florida, it may have been that the police were close on his trail or even that it was just too cold in the Midwest. In prison he was trying to prolong his life but he was probably thinking that if they were going to execute him eventually, why give them every detail, Bundy had proclaimed his innocence for years. Authorities suspected that he did far more than what he admitted to. I don’t believe anything Ted said unless there were witnesses to prove it.

  21. I provide the name of the restaurant and its location in downtown Louisville, and I mention it again during the Florida section of the book, as Bundy became a regular at a similar establishment while living in Tallahassee.

  22. I guess we won’t learn where he had lunch. I double checked and the penalty for going by way of Louisville is 65 miles or one hour – not three. I’ll let you know what I think after I read the book.

  23. Hey Richard–

    Ted was both an accomplished liar and killer, to be sure. A pure sociopath. You have to double-check (as best you can) everything they say.

    I don’t spend a great deal of time describing his journey from Ann Arbor to Tallahassee, but I do mention his stop in Louisville, and the conversation he and Holmes had about it. Those things that will jump out and surprise readers ( things that I’ve previously hinted about), can, of course, be found throughout the book. But as far as his trip south (beyond his Louisville visit) there won’t be any new revelations.

    As mentioned in some of my above posts, the book may be out as early as summer, but if not, no later than the fall of this year.

    After you read it, Richard, let me know what you think.

    See ya,

    Kevin

  24. Hi Kevin,

    Sounds like you’re going to detail Ted’s southward journey in your book so I’ll wait to read that. But it is odd to find him 100 miles further west than he should be.

    As you suggested, Bundy did err from time to time in recalling certain events and I agree he had nothing to hide about his trip from Colorado to Michigan. Beyond that, I’m not so sure.

    Serial killers tend to be con men which is why one needs to examine everything in detail. The easiest thing for a con man to get you to believe is what you want to believe. But if you check things thoroughly, you’ll often find the facts point to something different.

    Take care,
    Richard

    PS Tell your publisher to hurry it up.

  25. Hi Richard–

    Yes, you’re right: We can’t assume anything with Ted! However, I suspect that the time-line he gave to Michaud and Aynesworth is probably an honest assessment by Bundy, as there would have been no reason to lie about such a thing. Of course, he could be wrong concerning some of this logistical information he’s given people, but again, if that is so, it’s probably just an error of memory.

    I would have to recheck the manuscript, but I follow the M&A time-line as far as when he headed south. That is, they gave a date, said it was a Tuesday, and continued with the story, etc. I then deduced his day of departure from Ann Arbor, and took note of the fact that they said he slept awhile that night and continued south. So I have his arrival in Louisville the following morning, without giving an exact time, because the exact time is unknown. Now, the drive from Louisville to Atlanta, even in those days when the speed limit was lower than it is today, could be made in 8 or so hours. And unless he ate again, he’d only have to stop once for gas. Of course, from Atlanta, Bundy caught a bus to Tallahassee.

    Also, Richard, I can see that you’re a stickler for details, and I like that. Some folks don’t like the little details, but I do. And thank you for your comment about the book; a book I think you’ll very much enjoy as I follow Bundy and his trail of murder very closely, with many new things for the reader to discover.

    KMS

  26. Hi Kevin,

    I wouldn’t assume anything with Ted. Based on what you say, it looks like he did stop in Louisville. That’s significant. I’ve suspected for some time that his destination was other than Atlanta. If he deliberately “turned right at Cincinnati,” that bolsters my suspicion. The Nashville route adds three hours to an already long drive if he was headed to Atlanta, so why go that way? Any idea what day? I ask because the FBI says one thing (see my previous post) and Michaud & Aynesworth say another.

    M&A:
    1/1/78 Arrived Ann Arbor
    1/4/78 Stole vehicle (5PM), left Ann Arbor
    1/6/78 Left Atlanta
    1/7/78 Arrived Tallahassee, signed lease at the “Oaks”

    They differ from the second through the fifth. It makes a difference when he left Ann Arbor because M&A’s account gives him an extra day. Also, the FBI has him stealing two cars in Ann Arbor, not one.

    The problem with a lot of this information is I don’t know what it’s based on: facts (for example stolen car reports) or “Ted said.”

    I’m looking forward to you book, by the way.

  27. Richard–
    One more thing: Bundy did get lost leaving Ann Arbor. Not only was Ted a bad driver, but he wasn’t always so good with directions.

    KMS

  28. Hi Richard–

    In the 1980’s, Bundy was interviewed by Dr. Ronald Holmes, then a criminology professor at the University of Louisville. When Ted found out he was from Louisville, he mentioned to Holmes about stopping in Louisville, where he exited the freeway, and where he stopped to eat. Of course, Holmes knew he was telling the truth because he knew the area well, and knew the restaurant. I too remember the place, and while it is now long-gone, I pass the location every morning.

    As far as to why Bundy took this route, I cannot say; however, it is my opinion that he came through Louisville as he said to Holmes (and Holmes said to me), and continued (we can assume ) through Nashville, and on to Atlanta. And as far as cars being stolen and never seen again, this was standard procedure for a number of vehicles stolen back in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

  29. Bundy’s timeline:

    1/1/78 Arrived Ann Arbor, stole vehicle
    1/3/78 Stole unknown vehicle, Ann Arbor
    1/5/78 Left Ann Arbor
    1/6/78 Left Atlanta
    1/7/78 Arrived Tallahassee, signed lease at the “Oaks”

    Since he said he’d left the keys in the car in Atlanta, it’s easy to believe it was stolen (again) and never recovered. But there could be another reason they didn’t find it in Atlanta: it was never left there. He could have gone another way. You said he stopped in Louisville. How do you know that? And why? Wouldn’t he have taken I-75 straight on down? Did he get lost or was he turning away from Atlanta?

  30. Kevin – Thank you for your time. I don’t put much faith into anything the infamous Ted Bundy said. He denied any guilt until the very end (even to his mother and wife). Everyone knows that Ted took a lot of secrets to his grave, only letting out little tidbits of what happened when it benefited him to do so. Maybe he had something more to hide about his trip south. I’ve made the trip from Columbus to Florida several times on vacation and it’s easily done in two days and Atlanta can be reached in just one long days drive. It still doesn’t take much more than that when you figure Ann Arbor and Louisville into the equation. He was in Ann Arbor and maybe curious about OSU, and being so close he decided to check it out. I guess there are some things we will never know.

  31. Barbara–
    I suppose the best way to figure this one out is to find out what Theodore Bundy said about his 1978 activities while in route to Tallahassee: Bundy stated to the writer Stephen Michaud (and to others) that he intended to travel to Columbus from Chicago, but because he couldn’t get a train to that city, and would have to rely on a bus taking him there, he changed course, deciding to head for Ann Arbor instead. As I stated in an above post, he stole (found the keys in, was more like it) a Japanese vehicle and began his trek south. Bundy was also quite clear that he kept this same car until he reached Atlanta, ditching it there. Though he loved killing women, and had ample time to do so, he made it clear in numerous interviews that his only desire at the time was getting south as quickly as possible.

    As to the detectives who may have investigated his supposed ramblings in Columbus, well…it appears they were following an evidence trail which never existed.

    I hope this helps.

  32. Kevin,              When I met Ted, I assumed he was a student at Ohio State University. He had asked me about school, when I asked him how long he had been going to OSU, Ted said  that he had just got to town and wasn’t a student, but that he planned on going back to Law school once he got back on his feet financially. He was driving a Light cream color VW Bug in Columbus obviously it couldn’t have been the original bug since that was impounded in 1975. The color or make really doesn’t matter, since he had stolen a lot of vehicles. Who’s to say that he kept the car from Ann Arbor for very long, remember it was never found in Atlanta and he could have switched vehicles several times on the way to Atlanta. Also, an orange VW Bug in Florida was one of many stolen vehicles that he was driving there. If it wasn’t the Ted Bundy, then where do you think this impostor got the back ground information on the real Ted Bundy? Also when Ted escaped from the Colorado prison he had planned on coming to Columbus Ohio from Chicago. But instead went to Ann Arbor, because he didn’t want to take a bus to Columbus. I know that he was only in Ohio for a few days, I asked my friend about him a couple of days later and she said “He’s gone, nobody knows where he went”. This guy didn’t just look like Ted Bundy, he said his name was Ted Bundy and his middle name was Robert. I know that I can’t be the only person that remembers Ted being at OSU. If it wasn’t possible then why would the detectives have wasted their time coming here?

  33. Barbara–

    The person you dealt with could not have been Ted bundy, and here’s why: As I said earlier, it is an established fact that Ted was moving quickly south, so he wouldn’t have set up shop in Columbus. Also, his removable-door handle “death car” VW was no longer his to use, and the car he stole in Ann Arbor was of Japanese manufacture. It is, of course, quite plausible you did meet someone by the name of “Ted” who drove a VW, but it wouldn’t have been the infamous killer. The official record speaks otherwise.

    Take care.

  34. Kevin – Thank you for you reply. Ted Bundy did come here to Ohio. He wasn’t here long, but he was here. I met him through an old friend. He said his name was Ted Bundy, he also mentioned that his middle name was Robert. He made it very clear that he didn’t like to be called Teddy. Ted had asked me about my Mother being so old. I told him that my Mother was really my Grandmother. He said that’s like de-ja-vu. I then asked Ted if his Grandparents had adopted him, Ted said “something like that”. Ted also asked me if I had ever parted my hair in the middle or worn it longer. While Ted was in Ohio he stayed at a rooming house by campus. He was driving a cream color VW Bug. The passenger door could only be opened from the outside, Ted had removed the door handle, his excuse was that it was broken and needed to be fixed. Detectives came to Ohio looking for him in Jan /Feb of 1978 before he was caught in Florida. According to the local news in 1978, investigators were on the Ohio State campus asking questions about Ted. These events happened before any book or movie was ever out there so not much was known about him.
    I don’t see how it could not have been him. I wanted to keep this reasonably short, so I’ve kept some of the details out of it. I’m not sure this is the right forum for them. I’m looking forward to your new book being released.

  35. Hi Barbara–

    I found your comment to be very interesting, but I must say, I have, in the past, spoken to numerous people who claim to have “run into” Bundy during his time of murder, and most of these folks (because they had no direct contact in the normal circles Bundy moved through) and they certainly weren’t victims, most if not all of these people are honestly mistaken.

    Now, Bundy’s 1978 escape from Colorado (his second and final from the state) landed him in Ann Arbor, not too far from where you were in Columbus. However, he stole a car in Ann Arbor, and made his way south, stopping only to eat, refuel, and take care of those human necessities we all have to deal with. He even made a stop in Louisville, KY (my hometown) and had breakfast at a certain eatery, and was back on the road again. In other words, he was moving south as quickly as possible. So if you did meet Bundy during this time, I would certainly like to hear the particulars, for it must have been an interesting meeting indeed.

    Take care.

  36. Hi. Kavin just came aross your website. I know for a fact that Ted Bundy took secrets to his grave. I met Ted in 1978 when he was on the run. I was living in Columbus Ohio.

  37. Hi Nicole

    In 1981, Ted was on Death Row in Florida. I have no knowledge of Bundy ever being in Montana. This is not to say he couldn’t have visited the state at some point in his life, but I’m fairly certain he didn’t commit any murders there.

  38. Hi. Do you perhaps have any information on Bundy’s whereabouts in 1981? I am putting the pieces of a traumatic event that happened to me as a young girl. I am trying to rule out an occurence with the late Bundy. I’d like to know the time frame and whereabouts of Mr. Bundy in Montana. Any help you can give me to clear up this matter would be great. Thank you for your time.

  39. Hi Ted–

    My editor told me a while ago that it is on their fall 2009 list for publication, but that it could be out somewhat earlier than that. If I hear anything more exact in the months ahead I’ll let you know.

    Thanks,

    Kevin

  40. Kevin, thanks for the nice note. I’ll look forward to reading your book. Do you have a rtelease date yet?
    Cheers,
    Ted

  41. Hi Ted,

    You can check with McFarland concerning review copies, as I know they provide them to a number of folks, so your best bet is contacting them as we get a little closer to publication.

    Concerning that which is new: You’re having the same reaction I had as I began discovering various aspects of these cases which haven’t been covered before in print. Of course, I’m chomping at the proverbial bit to tell you what they are now, but I can’t. Suffice it to say that after you read the book, you will know what I’m talking about, and why I had to wait to reveal them.

    Two things I will say: Many of the Bundy books were written years ago, when mystery still surrounded a number of these cases. Also, there is something to be said for catching people years later, when they’ve mellowed a bit, and are more willing to reveal certain aspects of the crime after a long time has passed. Of course, I like the previous books on the cases, and they are all excellent works on Ted Bundy Having said that, I believe what I’ve created with my book is quite unique, and I certainly hope you agree after reading it, either for personal enjoyment, or for review.

  42. Kevin, I’m looking forward to reading your book. I occasionally review books for newspapers and on-line (I’ve reviewed Bob Keppel’s books twice, for example). Do you know if MacFarland makes review copies available to reviewers?
    On a side note, and with all due respect, what could you have possibly discovered that isn’t detailed meticulously in other books about Bundy? Ann Rule, Steven Michaud, Hugh Aynesworth, Bob Keppel and others have seen all the files related to Bundy’s crimes; is there something they missed that you discovered?
    Best of luck,
    Ted

  43. (Editorial note: For convenience, I edited Kevin’s comment there to put the link to his (fascinating!) article on the Bundy gear directly in line in his comment.)

  44. Hi Sallyann–

    If you click on the section above “from inside Bundy’s ski mask” it will take you to a site which republished an article I wrote about having all that stuff in my home. But the only thing I have today is one of the Glad bags from Ted’s car which Det. Thompson gave me before he returned to Utah. Thompson has had these things for many years now, as he was the lead detective in the case.

    Now to Richard Larsen: I really enjoyed his book, and I was very,very, sorry to learn of his death when I started the research for my book. I would very much have liked to interview him , as I think he would have been interesting to talk to, and I think he would have been pleased with those additional (and very important) “finds” I’ve uncovered, and the direction the book has taken. Needless to say, I think you’ll like the book.

  45. By complete fluke I have stumbled across this website today. I have just finished reading another Ted Bundy book , Deliberate Stranger by Richard Larson. I cant get enough of Ted, so I was blown away to find that you will be publishing a new book on the case. How come you were allowed all the murder kit ? I thought the police would keep that for evermore in the vaults of crime. I must make you shudder to see the balaclava – those things always look sinister – and especially with the mouth eyes and mouth picked out with black piping !! I think I would have to smell it ! just to see if it smelt of Ted – I guess thats the closest I’m ever going to get to him – Dont be worried I am not a freak or anything hahah ! No chance of you selling just at least one item to me ? pretty please ? – Joking aside – good luck with the book – I shall be first down the bookstore for my copy – Best wishes Sally & Limedog – UK

  46. Hi Cathy–

    Ted was cremated, and to be honest, I don’t think investigators are interested any longer in searching out any more answers in the case. Most believe he’s responsible for the deaths of at least 36 women and young girls, but that number could go higher. I do know that in the last couple of years they have been able to rule Ted out of a couple of murders in Washington State that they believe he committed according to some DNA work that was completed, but I don’t see a lot of that in the future.

    However, I do find it interesting the secrets he took to the grave. For example, he admitted to killing 11 in Washington State but we have the names of (off the top of my head) I believe 8. He told Utah investigators he killed 8 in the state, but admitted only to 5 by name. So there is still quite a bit of mystery here, and any answers we receive in the future will be welcome, to both the families and the public at large.

  47. I saw Bundy in court once, and he was a scary guy. I have been studying everything I could get my hands on ever since, and am looking forward to your book.

    Do you know if there has been any effort by Law Enforcement to get Bundy’s DNA into the system? At one time a few years ago, we found out they had never done a DNA test on his DNA because he was dead. We hop they may be able to solve a cold-case or 4 if they can DNA match him to old evidence.

    Looking forward to reading your contribution to the Bundy corpus.

    • Ted Bundy’s DNA was placed in the FBI in 2011, I believe. That date is off the top of my head, but I am pretty sure of it.

  49. Hi Fiz–

    I found it to be exceedingly interesting; I couldn’t quite believe Bundy’s murder kit had actually made its way into my hands. I mean, what are the chances of something like that happening to a person? Very surreal.

  50. Yay, Kevin! How did you feel when you had all that creepy stuff on your table? I think I’d be sick!

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