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. Hi Jason–

    The papers to watch are: Deseret Morning News, The Tacoma News Tribune, The Salt Lake Tribune, and The Seattle Times.

    No feedback yet, but that should be changing any day.

    Yes, there are many new things in the book. New info about 4 murders (I added additional previously unpublished information about the Caryn Campbell case earlier this year!) and many new and valuable insights throughout the book. So yes, I’m hoping it will be in category of its own.

    See ya,

    Kevin

  2. Hi Kevin
    Things are definately starting to pick up with the book then. I will be checking out those newspapers you mentioned websites between now and when the book arrives to look up any reviews on the book.
    Considering that it has been been published for some weeks now, what has been the feedback like so far with the book? Considering the amount of new information you have uncovered throughout the book, i would say that in itself puts the book into a category on its own! 🙂

  3. I haven’t heard back from three of the newspapers yet, but the Deseret News is going to do something with it, so says the book reviewer. Also, McFarland has sent copies to the usual folks: Booklist, Library Journal, etc. They told me they could hear something back from these sources anywhere from a month to six months. Also, I’m quite confident that once the newspaper reviews begin showing up, others may pick it up through the Associated Press, which is quite common. One major newspaper in Florida told me last week that that’s exactly how they obtain the reviews they publish in their paper.

    It’s all just beginning, LOL!

  4. Hi everyone
    It looks like we are in the same boat Fiz. We were better off purchasing the book from Amazon.com. Nevermind. Only got another THREE WEEKS to wait lol. 🙂
    Its been rather quiet recently so i would assume that alot of the posters on here must be in the process of reading the book. Have there been any official reviews by newspapers or other forms of media on this book? I have looked over the internet but I could not find any. Ted Montgomery, did u get round to writing one?
    To all of those who recieved the book, happy reading and i will look forward to seeing your opinions on it.

  7. Great news, George. They must have had a good deal of back-orders, as the book was published August 12 and you’re just now receiving yours.

    looking forward to any questions you have.

    P.S. Per your suggestion to everyone here, I purchased a copy of “The Gates of Janus”, and it does look interesting.

  9. Hi Courtney–

    Glad you got it! Looking forward to hearing what you think.

    Kevin

  10. Hey Kevin I just wanted to let you know I received your book in the mail today! I am going to start reading it ASAP (I have to read it around my college classes) but I just wanted to let you know I’ll be getting back with you sometime soon. Hope you’re doing well 🙂

    Courtney

  11. It’s gone down a whole 90 cents , Vidor! The last time I looked there was a 3-5 week wait for it on Amazon.com. I feel like singing singing Diana Ross’, “I’m Still Waiting”!!!! I was stupid enough to change my order from com to UK, only to find on what should have been the publication date, that it wasn’t . Jason N. and I both wish we’d left it with Amazon.com now 🙁

  12. In the US, McFarland has been shipping the book since August 12. In the UK it’s supposed to be Sept. 21.

  14. Hi Claire–

    Sounds like you’re as busy as everyone else, lol!

    As soon as I receive your email address, I’ll get the stuff off to you ASAP.

    The material is copyrighted, so I can’t answer about online use.

    Kevin

  15. Hi Kevin, I finally got around to sending my email to Headsman. He should forward it on to you soon. I’d be happy to transcribe the interviews online (if Kevin has no objection).

    I was worried you’d think I’d lost interest (I’m still interested) but due to personal issues and working 4 ten hour days sometimes I just can’t get online — too tired. Well I have a new job and I’m so relieved it’s a normal mon-fri job. No coming home at 9pm.

    To MR Proper – I know Prince set me back a fair bit.

  16. Not so much as to why he became a killer, but how he was unable to stop his own melt-down, as he continued on his road of murder.

  17. Thanks Kevin for the description of new information in your book! I would have to say that I am very interested in reading about the Caryn Campbell abduction and Bundys journey into madness. Would you say the last topic i mentioned would give the reader a better understanding on Bundy and why he chose to become a killer.

  19. Hello, Mr. Proper–

    Having cut your teeth, as it were, on the previous Bundy books, I think you’ll really like and appreciate my book, for you will easily see the new stuff as it pops up. Believe me, I never expected to uncover the type of info I uncovered, nor the amount of new (actually, unpublished, would be more like it) stuff which I write about.

    Now that the book is “out there” (at least in the United States) I can briefly touch on that which is new:

    Previously unpublished (and known to only a few) comments Bundy made concerning the murder of Caryn Campbell; detailed info on the Julie Cunningham murder; the complete story on the Lynette Culver killing; a lot of new info on the hitchhiker Bundy killed on Sept. 2, 1974; info on how Bundy used elements of the Wildwood Inn to help capture Campbell; Viewmont High School info; Bundy’s journey into the vortex of madness, and still other stuff!

    Anyway, thanks for ordering the book, and needless to say, I think you’re gonna like it.

    Take care.

    Kevin

  20. Hi everyone, I`m a Norwegian Bundy buff, and I`ve been a lurker her for the last several hundred posts. First of all, I`d like to express amazed gratitude and congratulations to Kevin for writing the book and, not least, spending so much time with this Thread of a Thousand PostsI, sharing valuable insights and opinions. I must say, if the publisher really is shipping books as we speak, you have a runaway success on your hands (or a way too pessimistic first run). I ordered my copy in June, and according to Amazon.com, I can expect it Sept 29 – Oct 22.
    I have read, and own, all the books (“Prince” set me back $63), favourites being M&A, Keppel and – in theory – yours.
    Having devoured the previous literature and watched all the documentaries and dramatizations, one starts building a pretty solid mental model of the key events; the family, the education, the murders, the investigation, the arrests, the escapes, the trial, the confessions, the chair. You know all the different pics of Bundy’s face and when they where taken, by heart. Same with all the available footage and the key talking heads (“there’s Steve, Bob, Bill (yay!), Ann (yawn)…”).
    At some stage you’re just ticking the boxes with each new recounting (“ok, let’s see how these guys cover Chi O…”), and the sense of repetition is joined by, should I say…this other desire…to know more about what actually happened at the crime scenes. What was he actually doing with them for all those hours, sometimes days? What kind of fantasy did he so crave to live out that he dedicated his life to abducting, torturing and killing innocent young people, and to master and perfect this depravity like an art? It would have to be quite a ‘thing’, as Ted once put it.
    As soon as Bundy knew he was caught, he started looking for ways to tell the world what a great serial killer he was, and certainly let it be known in prison circles that he was #1. But none of his published confessions, “speculative” or otherwise, go into the actual assaults in any kind of detail, beyond the purely mechanical (crowbar to the head, strangled with rope). He spent an hour describing the lead-up to and aftermath of the Hawkins murder to Bob Keppel and Bill Hagmaier, but couldn’t bring himself to talk about what he brought her up there for. In his foreword to CWAK, Keppel chillingly “wonders if some of the behaviour (Ted) described to us should ever be publicly known”. In Riverman, he describes the moment (also available in audio) when Ted confesses to burning Donna Manson’s skull (the person here who earlier claimed it was never identified as hers should pay closer attention to chapter headings…). A few pages later he mentions an exhausted Ted finally telling him the details leading up to that event, calling it “his most bizzare murder”. He doesn’t reveal any of those details. Likewise, we know from Bill Hagmaier’s appearances in various documentaries (check out “Surviving Ted Bundy”, it’s pretty new, and very good save for some little error I can’t rememeber) the Bundy got into some of the “nuts and bolts” of his crimes with Bill, but so far, only bits and pieces of a more general nature have been shared. It may not be surprising – the kind of things we are talking about are such that I wouldn’t feel comfortable typing them down and posting them in this very thread. But our imaginations can horrify us equally well, so it’s part of our lowly human nature to be curious about the details.
    I’m hoping your book will enlighten us a bit in this regard, Kevin, and from what you have posted, I’m excited. Not only for the gore, but for filling in more of the complete picture, especially regarding some of the lesser-known victims (Florida and Washington tend to dominate). There are at least a dozen subtopics already discussed here I could blather on at length about, but I’ll spare you…for now. Take care!

  21. I forgot to mention the Pensacola transcripts: You might want to make contact with Claire once she has them. I simply offered them to her because she showed an interest, and I no longer need mine. It’s not like it’s a large amount of files, ’cause it’s not. So I’m just going to pop them into a mailer and send them off. But because of copyright laws, I’m not going to upload material from an archives or copy them. It’s just standard procedure with me.

    You can always contact the State Archives of Florida if nothing works out with Claire, and they can help you. But really, the best of it (in my opinion) is in my book.

  22. Jason–

    Yes, it has been published in the US. McFarland is filling orders, and they even sent out 3 copies to newspapers (at my request) on Aug. 12, the day of publication. Richard Duffus has his copy, so I’m sure the UK can’t be far behind.

  23. Regarding post #777 above, on why Bundy attracts such interest:

    1) Not one, but two escapes. That makes a great story.

    2) The nature of the victims. There is a certain expectation, if we are all being honest, that prostitutes, runaways, and hitchhikers are likely to get murdered. And sure enough, when we hear that a Gary Ridgway killed fifty hookers, people chalk it up to the occupational hazard of being a streetwalker. Ted Bundy killed women that were white, middle class, high school or college age, and for the most part attractive. It’s the same reason that the disappearance of a beautiful young woman like Natalee Holloway attracts such attention while no one cares about the thousands of missing persons that aren’t young and attractive.

    3) The nature of the criminal. Most serial killers, when they are exposed, look like scumbags and deviants. Gacy had a criminal record of sexual deviancy. Gary Ridgway’s portrait screams “serial killer”. Ted Bundy was charismatic, attractive, desired by women and popular with men, bright, a law student. The fact that his monstrosity was hidden behind such an attractive package is part of what draws people to his story.

  25. So has the Bundy Murders been published in the US then? I was wondering since there was someone who posted above who had a question about something in the book? I ordered my copy from Amazon.com but i changed it to amazon.co.uk which didnt make much of a difference.So it looks like September is the official release date of the book in the US then.
    To Claire or Kevin, Would it be possible to upload the interviews Bundy gave in pensacola at some point? I would think there would be quite a number of transcripts so if not, its no problem since Kevin mentioned that it will be contained in the book.

  26. This is my order status…

    Delivery estimate: September 16, 2009 – September 22, 2009 2 of: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History
    Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

    So I guess everybody is in the same big boat

  28. I was very tired last night when I wrote it does state 15th Sept on amazon.co.uk. It was 2am here in the UK – lol – and I had a 10 hour shift this morning so excuse any typos tonight.

    I’d be very much interested in you sending the transcripts Kevin. I’ll get my email over to Headsman.

  30. I’m ready to attack amazon now! I said in February I wanted to read your book, didn’t I, Kevin? Still waiting and the publication date in the UK is the day my youngest is off to uni, so I hope it comes then, as I will need something to distract me after I get back! Kevin, I think I understand what happens with books with publication areas in several countries. I was flicking through a true crime magazine on Saturday, and I saw a book I fancied. The publisher was Pan, who publish all around the world – however the magazine said very firmly that if you want it, you have to go to Pan Australia, not the UK. I suspect that the demand for your book on Amazon.com led your publishers to decide to publish it here.

  31. Hi George,

    Yes, they are unedited. Since you’re in the US it should be easy for you to obtain them from the Florida archives. If you go to their website, they have an extensive list of things, and you can fairly quickly find them. You can then call them, and order them at a very minimal cost. I offered to send Claire mine as she is in the UK, and I no longer need them.

    When I have some extra time, I’d like to check out the Evans book out, but alas, it can’t be now, lol!

  32. Hey everyone-
    To the best of my knowledge killer next door never had a second edition,and while the deliberate stranger did it’s afterword is a page and a half and contains no information that could not be readily found elsewhere.However Claire,I have just read The Gates of Janus,by Ian Brady.His analysis of T.B and all the others is more than compelling.How is the old chap,anyhow?
    Kevin,while im recommending books, The THIRD REICH AT WAR is excellent.It’s by Richard Evans,the conclusion of a trilogy.By the way are those transcripts unedited?I too would be very interested at a look.

  33. I ordered thru Amazon last week. They said 3-5 weeks for shipping. That about maps to that 9/21 date you got from Amazon UK.

    I think it’s same same.

    Didn’t somebody get a book in about a weeks time from a domestic USA vendor?

  34. Hi Claire,

    I’m not certain the Winn / Merrill book ever had a second edition. Larsen’s book did, but I believe only in paperback. I was lucky in that I was able to obtain Larsen’s book in hardback through ABE Books for $14 when I began my research (it came from a book store in Bountiful, Utah).

    I don’t know why it’s the 21st of September in the UK. However, all McFarland books have their publishing locations as “Jefferson, North Carolina and London”, so it could be under going a printing in the UK.

    I have quite a bit about the Pensacola interviews in my book. However, if you can’t find the interviews in a substantial form on the internet (this may be possible), you can contact the Headsman and he can pass your email address off to me. I will contact you, and if you give me your home address, I’ll mail you my copies of the interviews, as I don’t need them any longer.

    See ya,

    Kevin

  35. Correction I’ve just been on amazon. There is a 1979 edition of the killer next door. That has to be the original publication date. I wanted to know too if the later editions contain any extra info. Like Larsen and Winn adding in the Leach trial etc?

  36. Just a quick question Kevin and anyone else. Which edition should I get of the The deliberate stranger and The killer next door? Do you think it’s better to try and get an original release like Merill & Winn’s 1981 copy?

    Does anyone know if The killer next door later editions are missing info? It’s the Pensacola interviews I’m interested in and I’d hate to buy a later edition and not having them in the book.

    I’ll catch up on my psot reading at some point tomorrow. I’ve not been on here for a week or so and there is so much to get through.

    PS kevin it says September 21st for the UK. Is this because there are so many to ship within the USA? I don’t know whether to just order through Amazon.com rather than amazon.co.uk.

  37. Monica and Jeff, I had that picture as a cover on the original of Bob Keppel’s “River Man” book. I found it profoundly disturbing and had two small girls at the time, so I covered the jacket and spine (where it was repeated) in small stickers – I didn’t want to traumatise them for life!

  38. Kevin, Just superstition, i guess!
    Indeed, it would appear that fate played a part in you coming to have that gear in your possession(for a time), as it spurred you on to to write this book. So, in that way, some good came out of it.

    Jeff, i won’t be getting back to you, after all (via email), as i have decided to lay my interest in/and fascination with Ted to rest, finally. I think about it a lot more than is healthy, and find it is consuming me. When an interest in a subject (no matter if it is only in the pursuit of understanding), becomes emotionally distressing, than i think it is time to call it a day, lol .but it was very interesting discussing things with you. Thanks, again!

    Kevin, i wish you the very best of luck with your book, and thank you for your time!

    Take care!

    Monica.

  39. Monica–

    I didn’t find anything weird about handling the Bundy murder kit. I was very surprised to have it in my home that night, and I still have one of the large Glad trash bags that Ted carried to dispose of his victims’ clothes. It was all a surreal experience to be sure, and something that took me by surprise, as mentioned above. Not only did I not feel anything was “bad” about having that stuff for a time, but it sparked the article for “Snitch”, and was the catalyst for the book. So it was a very good thing.

    The Bundy book is actually my third book. My first was on George Custer and was published in 1995. My second has not yet been published, but when I have additional time, I’ll begin “pushing” it again.

    I was a minister for many years, and if you scan the previous comments, you’ll learn some things about my career before writing.

    See ya,

    Kevin

  40. KYGB, Ah! that makes a lot of sense. Thanks a lot for sharing the info! Lol, “Pissed off, but vacant Bundy stare”. I know exactly which look you are referring to.

    Kevin, No worries!
    It’s awesome that you have the original photograph!
    My mother told me yesterday, for the first time, that many years ago she was given a framed picture, and she put this up on the living room wall. Almost immediately, she said, she felt a coldness in the room. This picture unsettled her so much, that she had to throw it out with the rubbish. She did not know this at the time, but, apparently that picture had been on the hall wall, overlooking the stairs, where the body of a woman was found (at the foot of the stairs), with a wardrobe on top of her. There was talk that the man she was seeing at the time, was violent, but he was never charged with murder. Sounds fishy, though. My mother believes it was murder, and that the “picture” had witnessed the death of that woman. This got me thinking about the Bundy “murder kit” you had on your dining room table, unbelievable! I clicked on the link for “inside Bundy’s ski mask”, and you wrote that you had, indeed, put it on (i know i would have to do the same, lol). Did you not get any strange feelings from it, at all? and did you find you could sleep alright, having that gear in your house? I’m not a fan, myself of collecting memorabilia, but if it was something that actually belonged to Ted, well, that would be a different matter entirely, lol. It would be amazing to handle those things, as Ted is like some mythical creature to me. I still find it hard to believe he actually existed (i wasn’t even born, when he allegedly began his killing spree), but i know i would not be able to sleep a wink with that gear (so much as in the same building as me).
    Kevin, I’d really be interested to know about your work before you came to write “The Bundy murders”. It’s all fascinating stuff to me!

    Thanks, Jeff!
    You have corresponded with Ann Rule? i find that very interesting, and i’d love to hear what she had to say to you. It would seem that i am in the minority here, but i did actually enjoy “The stranger beside me”, and it was the first book i read on the subject of Ted.
    In regards to the audio clips, the link i posted on 892 , was actual audio. Is it the same thing, do you know? There are so many gaps, so much left out, which is quite annoying. That’s another thing, why is it so hard to get hold of more than twenty minutes of the confessions that Ted gave to Bob Keppel? I have heard that some of what Ted talked about was found to be too disturbing/distressing, i also read somewhere that Bob Keppel said there are “some things he will never talk about”.. Many, many years have gone by, and i think we already get the “gist” of the kind of things Bundy must have got up to with his lifeless victims, so why all the secrecy? Maybe it is out of respect for he victim’s families?

    Thanks, again, Guys!

  42. Hi Monica–

    I’ve been having PC problems, and have been offline. But yes, it’s a strange picture indeed. Bundy later said he was just being dramatic, but I don’t think so.

    BTW: I have the original photograph that the San Francisco Chronicle used to run when they wanted to show that picture.

    Take care,

    Kevin

  43. Monica, the picture was taken after Ted heard the verdict on the Leach trial. One of the reasons for that reaction was historical. When Ted was convicted in Salt Lake in the DaRonch case, he had a fairly strange reaction. He just gave his famous pissed off, but vacant “Bundy stare”. The Salt lake papaers commented that his reaction was some proof of his guilt. They wrote that a normal innocent person would have been outraged, etc.

    Most observers felt that Ted’s reaction that was captured in the photo was to demonstrate to reporters that he was outraged at being found guilty. One of the authors of a Bundy book said the same thing in their work. I tend to think that’s certainly a factor in his exaggerated reaction to the verdict.

    Kevin, got the email from Amazon urging me to buy the book. Clicked on the link, and it was all set to take my order, so I did it “with 1-click”!. With Amazon on track, you’ll see some orders, pal.

    Now about that gift wrapping you were gonna do….

  44. Richard, thanks for posting those page #s. I have that book, so I will dig it out and re-read those pages. It just feels like Bundy would have blown a gasket by the time it came down to 1 day left and still no stay. Had it not gone through, I don’t think he could have possibly pulled out “bones” in the last 5 or 6 hours… at that point it would have been way too late. So the gamble was huge and it’s almost as if Ted somehow knew he’d win the stay.

    Monica, and any others who enjoy discussing all these facets and interesting pieces of the Bundy saga, shoot me out an email (I posted my email address in post # 889) as we may have answers to some of each others thoughts and questions…and with respect to Kevin, I dont want to keep posing questions here until after I get the book and read it. I have corresponded with Ann Rule many times and she has given me some insights from her point of view. Some of them I don’t completely agree with, but others make a lot of sense. Those 3 phone calls to Ann, I’d like to discuss in further detail. And I may have some answers on Bundy photos for you Monica. I also have some actual audio clips from Bundy’s confession with Keppel to anyone who may be interested to listen to Bundy himself talking about the Hawkins murder. Creepy!

  45. Kevin, can i ask you one more question before i read your book? As you said you do not cover much about the trials, i am sure it is safe to ask this question. It’s a pretty basic one, really. There was a picture taken of Ted, during the Kimberely Leach trial in Orlando (if i am correct). A black and white photo, where Ted was looking menacing, indeed. He was open-mouthed and had his hand raised in the air above him (just how you’d imagine he would have looked for real, holding the crowbar above him, about to bludgeon his poor, unsuspecting victim). Quite clearly the mask slipped, and he was caught on camera, but that is about all i know, and can’t find any further information about it anywhere. Have you any idea what lead up to this explosive outburst in the courtroom?
    I’d appreciate to hear anything you can tell me about it, if you yourself know, that is.
    Thanks!
    Monica.

  46. Yeah, I mention Rule only twice in the book, both times when she was with Bundy.

  47. Actually it was the first escape. It’s certainly interesting but, like you say, “who knows?”

  48. That seems reasonable, at first glance, but who knows? Also, which escape? Would have to be the second, I would assume, and probably not before he reached Ann Arbor, anyway. Just one more thing we’ll always think about!

  49. Kevin, connecting with the pain and fear is a good reason for it.

    There was another series of three “dead air” phone calls made to Ann Rule the night of his escape from Aspen. If the first set were probably made by Ted, isn’t it more likely that the calls to Rule were also from him as she believed?

  50. He was gambling it wouldn’t happen. And he was worried. Polly Nelson was confident he’d win his appeal, so he held off. But he told her to let him know just as soon as possible if it looked like things were going to go against him (her book, p 134-135) because he had “things to do.” There was little time left, but apparently he had another way he could begin his revelations on such short notice.

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