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!

    No, all is quiet (pertaining to the Bundy book) on facebook too. And really, I’d only want to answer questions at this site anyway, as it’s the appropriate forum to do so. So I’m not sure why it’s so quiet.

    Glad you enjoyed the book!

  3. Hi everyone –

    I have just finished reading the book (for the 3rd time) and I am happy to say i really enjoyed reading it. As with every book i read on Bundy, once i finish, i allways feel the need to want to know more. Whilst this is still the case (since there is still alot that Bundy took to the grave) concerning his life of crime, I feel the Bundy murders brings us one step closer to understanding the real Theodore Robert Bundy. I kept thinking to myself whilst reading the book ‘how can a human being abduct, rape and kill a young lady (and perform all types of obscenities on the corpse) one day and resume the life of a normal person the next? We may never know how Bundy was able to compartmentalize his murders the way that he did but the fact that he was able to do that speaks volumes as to how depraved he was.

  4. Hi Anthony–

    For his early murders, he was a meticulous planner, both with the abduction (Georgann Hawkins, etc) and the dumping of remains.
    However, by the time of the murders in Florida, Bundy was a changed man. The murders were random and completely unplanned. Neither was he so concerned with leaving evidence behind; evidence that would later come back to haunt him.

    The death penalty: The very essence of what justice is all about was greatly served when Bundy was put to death! To allow someone as vile and diabolical as he to keep breathing the same air he deprived of his victims, wold be a crime, in my opinion.

  5. sorry for the mistakes in the above post i shall try again..

    I am just coming back from a trip away so have not been able to keep an eye on the site or the comments made by people but i do enjoy reading this thread and long may it continue…..

    As regards to the death penalty i do believe in an eye for an eye a life for a life. Ted Bundy took away so many innocent lives to let him carry on living would have caused uproar. His death would have provided closure for a lot of people and families.

  6. I am just coming back from a trip away so have not been able to keep an eye on the site or the comments made by people but i do enjoy reading this tread and long may it continue…..

    As regards to the death penalty i do believe in an eye for an eye a life for a life. Ted Bundy took away so many innocent lives to let him carry on live would have coursed uproar. His death would have provided closure for a lot of people and families.

  7. Hey Kev,

    just a quick one from me if i may. Did Bundy have a kill pattern or was it just at will. Most killers i have read about tend to follow a pattern that gets worse as the months/years go by…i know in the case of the green river killer he stopped for a long time as did the BTK Killer….

    Cheers,
    Anthony

  9. Congratulations, Kevin! I thought it was a really good “just the facts” book and especially good for someone who has never heard of Ted Bundy (is there such a person?!). Your explanation of the Wildwood Inn’s heating practises totally explains how Ted managed to abduct Caryn Campbell so easily – it could have being tailor-made for him. I won’t say any more as I don’t want to spoil it for others. xxx

  10. Hi Melissa–

    In the fall of 1974, Bundy moved to Utah to attend law school, and to commit murder. In Jan. 1975, he branched out to Colorado to kill, and by the spring of that year, he was killing once again in Idaho. So no, he couldn’t have been in PA at that time.

    Take care,

    Kevin

  11. Hi, I know you must get questions like this or comments from people who thought they’ve seen him, but can you tell me if he was in Pennsylvania in the fall of 1974 or spring of 1975? I know he obviously wasn’t omnipresent, but I had a disturbing incident that thankfully was thwarted when I was 10 or 11 when I lived near Rt 70 in southwestern PA. Thanks.

  12. Hi, I know you must get questions like this all the time, but I can’t help asking if maybe you know if he was in Pennsylvania in late 1974 or early 1975. I lived near Rt. 70 at that time and was 10 or 11 when I had a disturbing incident that thank God was thwarted.

  13. Hi, I know you must get questions like this all the time, but I can’t help asking if maybe you know if he was in Pennsylvania in late 1974 or early 1975. I lived near Rt. 70 at that time and was 10 or 11 when I had a disturbing incident that thank God was thwarted.

  15. I have recieved the book!!!!! After having a brief look through the chapters, I am looking forward to sitting in bed and starting it properly tonight! Its about time! lol

  16. Thanks Ted! I really appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into the piece. And keep us posted on the outcome with the DFP.
    Thanks again!

  18. Kevin, I decided to post my review of your book here for all to see. The Detroit Free Press is considering running it soon. I will let you know when. I hope it’s informative and interesting to readers of this thread.
    Regards,
    Ted

    “The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History”
    Kevin M. Sullivan
    McFarland

    There is perhaps no one more infamous in recent American history than serial killer Ted Bundy. His long career as a particularly subterranean murderer has been immortalized in seven books, countless television documentaries, and at least four movies. His visage – in both life and death – is ubiquitous on the Internet. Google his name and you’ll get thousands of matches; ask YouTube to call him up and you’ll get a wide variety of news clips, dribs and drabs of interviews and a horrifyingly array of photos of his victims set to music played by death metal wannabes. In short, and please excuse the awkward pun, Ted Bundy has been done to death.
    So why would anyone deign to attempt to tell his story again? What new information could possibly be brought to light about a murderer who died in Florida’s electric chair 20 years ago for murders committed during the Nixon and Ford administrations, especially since Bundy’s horrific crimes have been so meticulously detailed by several authors and at least half a dozen television documentarians?
    Kevin M. Sullivan’s new book, “The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History,” miraculously shines new light on a subject that has been under the white hot glare of the investigative and journalistic spotlight almost constantly since Bundy was apprehended in Florida in 1978. That Sullivan triumphs in his revisiting of the Bundy story is a minor miracle in itself.
    For those who are unfamiliar with Bundy’s terrible legacy, here is an abridged version: Bundy, the product of an illegitimate birth, killed young girls and women in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Florida, and probably many other states along the way. The 35 victims generally ascribed to him is likely way too low a figure, given what we now know about his travels and his constant yearning for victims. When he was finally apprehended and convicted of murder in Florida, he spent 10 years on Death Row before that state was finally successful in its attempt to impose the death penalty on him.
    Sullivan wisely weaves his story around Bundy’s slow but sure descent into total madness. From promising law student and fledgling Republican Party stalwart, Bundy slowly collapses under the weight of his overwhelming desire to murder young women, mostly coeds who represented easy pickings to a glib and handsome man who was completely at home on college campuses. Sullivan charts Bundy’s mental decline in a neat, sequential timeline that has never adequately been put forth by previous biographers of this serial killer.
    Riding the benefit of meticulous research, Sullivan wisely concludes that he will need to offer the reader new information to justify retelling Bundy’s story. In this regard, he delivers on all fronts.
    Sullivan talked to all the primary investigators who were involved in the Bundy saga, and many of them offer new insights heretofore unarticulated in previous works on this subject. Sullivan attributes this new openness to the passage of time; understandably, cops often are guarded about what information they divulge during a working investigation. From the perspective of 30 years on, they can open up about what they learned during the time Ted Bundy was killing. And in Sullivan’s book, they do. That alone makes this an essential read.
    Sullivan also shines a revealing light on many of Bundy’s murders that have always been shrouded in mystery. His keen insight into the madness that Bundy was unsuccessfully fighting back, combined with comments from those who were there at the time, paint a fascinating and horrifying picture of a time when communities in Washington, Utah and Colorado were living on a fault-line of fear and uncertainty.
    “The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History,” should stake its rightful claim as an essential work on the Bundy bookshelf. It is a great and groundbreaking addition to the literature that examines the societal problem of serial murder, and Ted Bundy’s sad but undeniable role in it.

  19. Ted,

    There is a poster on this forum that is acquainted with Bobby Lewis. Lewis was a death row inmate in Florida at Raiford where Ted Bundy was housed, when Bundy was on the row. Bundy and Lewis knew each other. Lewis made a sucessful escape from Florida’s death row. It can be done.

    Iit was posssible to escape death row or the prison, for that matter. It had been done by escape artists less capable than TR Bundy.

    Had Ted hit the streets, he would have murdered quite quickly, because it was his last run. His ability to blend in to a campus scene someplace was nil and he knew it. He’d head for a hunting grolund, possibly killing on his way there.

    No, the life of Bundy had to be taken for the safety of society.

    The larger question of capital punishment is one that I will leave alone. I have some pretty firm opinions about it. but arguing about it has long ago lost it’s appeal to me.

  20. No way, Ted. You are fine with me. It would be great, however, if I knew your actual name; but then again, I have no knowledge of the person behind the writings of MR. Proper, either. But that’s no big deal.

    You’re okay with me, Mr. Ted! It’s all cool.

  21. KGYB, You said, “There is almost two debates. The death penalty in general and the death penalty for Ted.” I’m not exactly sure what you were implying by that. I for one was talking about the death penalty in general, and we just happen to be discussing Ted Bundy here. I believe it is wrong, full stop it. If anyone deserved it, it was Ted, but that still does not make it correct, morally. I am not on Ted’s side, far from it.

    I am well aware that he broke out of jail twice, but the chances of him escaping from Florida State Prison, while on death row, surely would be slim to none (and for the very reasons you stated.)

    I get the feeling that i have gotten on the wrong side of you, Kevin, though i don’t know why. It would seem that i have rubbed a few people up the wrong way. In regards to the death penalty, my feelings will never change on that. We will just have to agree to disagree on that particular subject.

  22. Ted–

    You already know my views concerning executing those guilty of vicious crimes, so no need to continue in this vein.

    Yes, Dick Larsen did continue seeing Bundy after he was introduced to the world, but his “friendship” at that point had more to do with investigating his life (it’s always about the story!).

    the difference between the executioner and Ted is simply this: The executioner has a distasteful job to do, but is worthy of life. Ted bundy, because of his actions, was worthy of death.

    Take care…

  23. MR.Proper–

    You make me laugh, and I mean this in the right way! I do not get offended (but I might smile) when someone is being negative concerning an aspect of my work. Now, concerning the above: As you can see, my contribution to this thread came quite late (or early) and after correcting it, I still “looked” at the correction and wondered. What you can’t see, however, is that my wife and I have been tending to a problem with a family member for about a week and have had little sleep, which aided in the prompting of your comments, lol! But at the end of the day, isn’t this why God made editors?

    I respect your opinion about killing humans. From war, to self-defense, to executing folks for their crimes, it’s all rather distasteful, I admit. I don’t know if you have children, MR proper, but I do, and I assure there are people out there who would think nothing of killing them, and would enjoy reliving the events in their warped mind for years to come. Folks like this need killing, and as I said above, and that’s all they need.

    Peace!

    P.S. I carry a weapon everyday of my life; just my contribution towards the “bad people” if they attempt anything, LOL!

  24. There is almost two debates. The death penalty in general and the death penalty for Ted.

    I, too, have problems with the broad application of the death penalty in this country. There have been many errors in executing people in the US. Some people have been put on death row for shaking their babies to death. That is a crazy verdict, but it happens to the poor who have no clout in the system.

    Ted?

    He HAD to be put to death. He was a shewd chameleon who had broken out of jail twice. And had killed three more times after his escapes. He was an extreme threat to society as long as he was alive. If you can believe the story he told Polly Nelson, he wriggled into a low security area at FSP from death row. If Ted had escaped from death row, you would have seen armed groups of cops with orders to shoot to kill, I’m sure.

    Ted was a loud ticking time bomb that would savagly kill as long as he was breathing.

    Society had an obligation to kill Ted to protect vulnerable people from Bundy’s savagery. Ted simply wasn’t born to die a natural death.

  25. Mr Proper, My thoughts exactly, on the death penalty and capital punishment!

    Kevin, why do you want to know, lol?
    Of course, that isn’t my real name, i just put it up there because it sounded funny at the time. And, now i am gonna have to stick with it, alas!

  26. So many interesting comments!
    Laura, we have the exact same views regarding the death penalty. I agree with all that you said, in post: 1068. Life in jail is sufficient punishment, in my opinion. I do not know what pain one goes through in the electric chair, but, one thing’s for certain, the pain is short-lived. Ted did deserve to suffer for all that he did, but, in fact, he probably had it easy. You said that the mother of one of Ted victims, would have liked to have seen him spend the rest of his days in jail (as apposed to him receiving a quick death by electrocution), and this makes me wonder if, in fact, more pain was caused to the victims families (and very much including Ted’s own mother) as a result. One would assume that you could never stop loving a son or daughter that you gave birth to, no matter how heinous there actions may have been. You could very much despise the behaviour of that person, but you would never stop loving them. And, so, i can’t even begin to comprehend the feelings of his mother, her flesh and blood facing the electric chair.

    Kevin, everything you said makes perfect sense, and it is difficult to argue with that.. Obviously you are “for” the death penalty (under extreme circumstances), and, of course, you are very much entitled to your own opinion on that. But, I don’t believe there is ever any justification to take another persons life. We do not have the right to make that choice. I have a real, big problem with the judge and the executioner, though it is hard to determine which one is more guilty of murder. I honestly don’t know how either could live with themselves, i would hate to have that on my conscience. I agree with you that it is absurd to think that there is worth in every human being. Every child is born with an equal amount of worth, but Ted basically became a killing-machine. He lived to kill. There is no worth in that. Ted Bundy deserved to suffer, that is without question, and i will go as far as to say that he, too, deserved to die. But, an eye for an eye is never the answer. And how is the “executioner”, who pulls the lever, really any better than Ted Himself? The only difference is, he has been given a license to kill.

    Brad, You’re welcome!
    Indeed, the most interesting and fascinating account of Ted Bundy, would be the one coming from his mother, and i also hope that one day, Bill Hagmaier will write a book, concerning his close relationship with Ted.

    Looking back on previous comments, i was sad to learn that Richard Larson had passed away. I haven’t yet read, “The deliberate stranger”, but saw it on video, recently. Can someone tell me, is it true that Dick Larson still had a friendship with Ted (and continued to meet with him), even after it became clear that he was, indeed, guilty of the crimes he was accused of?

  27. Re: #1070: …um, you actually got it right the first time, “the very thing he deprived others of”, i.e. life. Sorry, can’t help myself. If you want to get really anal about it, you shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition, so an even better way of putting it would be “He desperately wanted to hold on to the very thing of which he deprived others”. Although this “rule” is now considered impractical and more of a general guideline, it can often makes for more elegant prose. Churchill, when confronted with grammatical nitpicking concerning this rule, wrote “this is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put”. That shut ’em up, no doubt.

    For the record, I’m against capital punishment on the grounds that it is state sanctioned murder. Nowadays, it is only practised in a handful of the most backwards, fundamentalist barbaric regimes in the world. And the USA.
    Emotionally, I support it 100%, of course. I’d like any rapist, murderer, child molester, or anyone else committing violence against innocent people to be subjected to prolonged, horrific torture until they die. But I just don’t think it’s right, legally or morally. I’m not saying “it makes us no better than them”, because that would be idiotic – supporting the death penalty doesn’t make you a pervert or a sadist. Neither do reserve the exclusive right to kill for God, because I don’t believe in supernatural beings. But I do think we should draw the line at actually ending another life, if for no other reason than the fact that innocent people have been executed, and no amount of satiated bloodthirst can compensate for that.

    This thread is really a great read. Thanks to everybody who has posted links to interesting stuff, and shared their opinions, especially – once again – Kevin, whom I have probably offended again. Please don’t take it personally, because I think you’re ace.

    Love, respect

    MR Proper

  29. Hi Brad–

    Thanks for ordering the book, and please let me know what you think of it, will you?

    Louise Bundy is in a nursing home, and has been a part of assisted -living for the past few years. The Bundy’s do not like talking about Ted, so they shun those who try to track them down, and otherwise bring up the subject. Of course, I can’t blame them. I believe they’ve said all they’re gonna say about what happened. Oh, and Ted’s adoptive dad has been dead for awhile now. And God only knows where the kids are scattered.

    Take care,

    Kevin

  30. ‘Ted Bendy’ – Thanks for the footage link, much appreciated.

    Regarding comment 1067: ‘As for Ted’s family being victims also, i completely agree. I have often wondered what it must be like for his mother (and others that were close to him), to come across things like that’.
    I think one could safely assume that the relatives of Bundy would not intentionally discover imagery, comments, info etc relating to the subject.

    Although I think it would be interesting to hear from his mother about her feelings and the like, as she would probably ‘know’ the unhidden part of Teds life quite well. Of course this will never happen – Does anyone know much about his mothers movements since 1989? presuming she is still alive of course.

    Kevin, I finally ordered your book today – the book should be on its way to Australia (where i live) and arrive in approximately 4 weeks!

  32. Laura–

    One of the greatest reasons to kill Bundy, was because he wanted to stay alive! He desperately wanted to hold onto the very thing he deprived others of. Also, for most of the family members of murder victims, it is very difficult to put an “end” to the ordeal while the killer lives. When the murderer of their daughter, son, wife, husband, etc, remains eating everyday, watching TV, laughing, and yes, experiencing (in a confined environment) life, while their loved rots in the ground, is almost too much to handle. So, for the sake of the families, and for justice itself, the execution of the truly guilty must continue.

    And while we’re on this subject, let me add a few words about our supposedly “politically correct” society: This idea that there is “worth” in every human life is ABSURD. Some people need killing, and Theodore Bundy was one of them. And believe me, there are thousands out there even now who are planning to kill, rape, assault, and in various ways, attack innocent people. These folks need killing! And that’s all they need!

  33. I could be wrong with the book title but it is mentioned along with a ” welt” along his face one writer descruibes it similar to Freddie Kreuger, apparently it appeared out of nowhere.

    As it stands I do not agree with the death penalty, how can you condemn a person for taking a life by giving them the same punishement?. Surely somebody somewhere realised that 20 years in solitary is far worse than a stint on death row at least on death row you know your misery will end………..Life in jail is far far worse than any electrocution which only lasts seconds. I remember watching a mother of a bundy victim and she wished he’d live a real long life on death row……..Because she said the pain she suffered would never compete I think it was Denise Nasulands Mother as far as I know she died recently never having gotten over her daughters disapearance…..And to her all these years later till he confessed thats all it was a disappearance much better than the alternative

  34. Claudia, You are welcome! It was the first time i had seen it too.

    Laura, Thanks for the information regarding Ted’s eyes! You know, i have never heard that said before (about his eyes changing colour), and i have read many books about Ted. I have got “The only living Witness”, but have not read M&A’s other book, “Conversations with a killer”, so it is probably that book you are referring to.
    You just expressed my own feelings. I also have compassion. I feel for Ted as a child, just not for the monster he became. I am also against the death penalty. As for Ted’s family being victims also, i completely agree. I have often wondered what it must be like for his mother (and others that were close to him), to come across things like that. There is just no end to it, it seems. He was indeed her little baby boy at one time, her own flesh and blood, and i can’t for one minute imagine the pain she must feel, when it comes to seeing pictures like that. By putting that link up, i was by no means trying to offend anyone.

  35. Re: Teds Eyes, his eyes were blue but in the M & A book a childhood friend describes how the colour could change to an almost brown colour, I think Liz Kendall mentioned it too. Of course I dont think that actually happened but perhaps an intensness or something took the blueness out but it is something that has been talked about and certainly in some publications they do look brown.

    The video is horrid I watched it once. I know who he was and what he did was awful, but I am one of these who still feels compassion for folk and I cannot help it. He was executed, it wont bring those beautiful girls back but it is some kind of justice for the families but one thing I always keep in mind is Ted had a family too, who were as much victims as anybody else and regardless of what he did he was still somebodys son. Imagine his mother not only having to live with what he did and who he was, with the constant films, books etc and the opinions about him but to see pics like that after his death bandied about for the world to see. REgardless of what he did its uncofmortable too me that was her baby and while I couldnt gas about Ted I do feel for those he was related to specifically his poor mother and I feel for her in that respect when I see pics like that or footage etc of him post mortem.

  37. Eerie, wasn’t it? Sends a cold chill down the spine! I too noticed the eyebrows, and was thinking the same thing, lol. Also, i noted that his right eye looks a lot larger than the left (or the pupil is greatly dilated), the effects of electrocution, i assume?

    I had read somewhere that Ted was described (by someone) as having piercing, blue eyes. yet in the majority of photos (and video’s) I have seen of him, his eyes look brown, i wonder why that is? The thing i find the most peculiar, was Ted’s apparent chameleon-like image, no two pictures of him look the same. If you didn’t know it was in fact Ted, then you would assume you were looking at a different person, each time. I have never known that with anyone before. Do you think his ever-changing appearance was a deliberate, conscious effort on his part, or he wasn’t even aware of it?

  38. Hi everyone –
    I have just checked Amazon.co.uk and it says that the book is being ready to be dispatched. So we can have piece of mind that the book is going to be finally on its way this week. I got to say, i feel sorry for those posters who are itching to ask questions but are choosing to wait until we get the book. I appreciate your patience.

    I just saw the documentary ‘Ted Bendy’ posted above and just seeing that pic of Ted post-execution is disturbing. His eyes make him look like he is alive. You can tell that he must of regularly plucked his eyebrows because you can see how thick they are in the picture. I believe M&A mentioned it in their book as well. I wasnt prepared for seeing that picture though! lol.

  39. Thanks for that, Kevin!
    Jason, going back to your comment on 1055. I watched the Youtube clip you gave a link to, creepy! And, talking about creepy, last night i came across another video on Youtube that i have not seen before: Robert Ressler – Serial Killers. Himself and Robert Keppel discuss Ted Bundy, and there is a shot of Ted after his execution, (eyes wide open). Here is the link for anyone who hasn’t seen it and would like to, but, be prepared, it is a chiller.
    I wish i hadn’t seen it now, that image will stay with me forever.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiqUpiUFuGc

  40. I know, Fiz, can you believe it! How much have we all talked about this? I can’t wait to hear what you, Jason, Claire, and everyone across the pond have to say about it!

    Kevin

  41. ted–

    Order online at Amazon UK, or head to the local bookstore and place an order. You should have no problem getting a copy.

    Take care,

    Kevin

  42. Kevin, did you know you were in the post and on your way to me?! Not you physically, but the book! I can hardly believe it after all this time!!!

  43. Hi again Guys!
    Did you not detect the sarcasm, lol? I thought a joke was in order, to lighten the mood, so to speak. Actually, i enjoy reading as much as i can about Ted Bundy, my fascination with him and the case, never ends. Your book sounds very interesting, Kevin! Now all i have to figure out is how to get my hands on a copy. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I am from England.

  44. Hi Ant–

    It was meeting Jerry Thompson in 2005, and having Bundy’s murder kit in my home, that sparked an article about him, and eventually, a book (check out the interview at the top of the page).

    When I began the book, I had no idea there was any new info to uncover. A good friend of mine told me I was wasting my time doing another book on Bundy, but I followed what I felt on the inside of me, and so , here we are. However, when I was about at mid-point in the book, I began to see just how much new stuff I was uncovering, and at that time, I knew for a certainty I had made the correct decision in forging ahead with this project.

    Take care, Ant,

    Kevin

  45. That was on my cover of “Riverman” – it creeped me out and had two small children whom I did not wish to terrify so the picture is covered in stickers! My eldest asked to see it (she’s 22 now!) and I showed the same picture in another book – she admitted it unsettled her even now. I think you would have to be crazy not to be, and that was probably what Ted’s victims saw last…

  46. KYGB –
    The youtube link i was referring to was an 11 part series of the Ted Bundy ‘Live countdown to his execution’.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZfI2Q-6Jw

    From 6.26, you can see the first of rare pictures of Ted Bundy minutes before the Kim Leach verdict came in. The last picture will leave you kind of creeped out lol.

  47. Hi Kevin,

    Just had to ask what led you down the path of writting a book about Bundy? It must of been overwhelming at times given the nature of what you where trying to uncover old or new information.

    Ant

  48. Hi Kevin,

    Just had to ask what led you down the path of writting a book about Bundy? It must of been overwhelming at times given the nature of what you when trying to uncover old or new information.

    Ant

  49. Richard–

    I forgot to add: Please don’t take my comments as some type of judgment on your relationship with Lewis or any other person you’re trying to retrieve info from. Anyone who wants to go down what I have always felt is a slippery road, is okay with me. It’s just not for me.

  50. Hi Robert…

    First check with Amazon.com to see what their shipping rates might be for your part of the world. Also, you can use the internet to locate bookstores and distributors in your area, and this may save you some money.

    I hope this helps.

    Kevin

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