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 Brad–

    Glad to hear you’re enjoying the book!

    A couple of things: If you read Bob Keppel’s book, it’s clear Bundy was aware of the circumstances going on at the time (the police dealing with some bikers, etc), and while he denied it being his car, I personally believe he’s lying. Keppel told me during one of our phone conversations, that he thinks it’s Ted’s VW. And keep in mind, they have a witness who told police she followed Bundy to this very location, so that means a great deal also. So yes, I absolutely believe it’s Bundy.

    Take care,

    Kevin

  3. Hi Kevin,

    On page 38 of your book there is a suspected picture of teds VW at Lake Sammamish..I recently read that ‘He also denies a police theory that detectives had a fuzzy photo of Bundy’s light colored VW bug at Lake Sammamish the day two girls disappear.

    Bundy: “I don’t want to burst your bubble. It is an interesting coincidence.”

    Sourced from http://www.kirotv.com/news/4182402/detail.html

    Any comments / thoughts on this Kev?

    Enjoying the book immensely btw 🙂

  4. Good catch, Vidor.

    I thought it was ironic that Liz K and Polly Nelson used the same pseudonym for a young girl.

    Found something else in my notes. Bundy and Carole’s daughter was also thought to be named Rusa, with “Rosa” and ‘Rose’ as nicknames.

    Those pictures on SKC are pretty amazing.

  5. The same page also had the only pictures I’ve ever seen of Julie Cunningham or Lynette Culver.

  6. Vidor–

    You’d be surprised where some photos come from. I have seen the crime scene photos of Laure Aime, but to my knowledge, they’ve never been released or printed. However, they were obtained a number of years ago by a friend of mine for academic (read criminology courses & institutional use) from one of the detectives on the case. This, I believe, is a good thing, as once the aforementioned detective is dead, only God knows where they will end up.

    These things are out there. You just have to locate them.

  7. “I just finished reading another book (#8 for me I think), this time Defending the Devil, and Polly clearly states that Ted’s daughters name was Tina.”

    Look closely at the beginning of the book. There is a disclaimer saying that the names of minor children have been changed.

    Someone above asked when Boone decamped from Florida. Nelson states in her book that she left in 1986 after her mother was injured in a car wreck and simply never came back.

    Looking at the pictures on the SKDB right now. Where do they get these things. That snapshot of Ted and Carole and the little girl. What appears to be a closeup of the face of Caryn Campbell gnawed off by animals (very gruesome). Where do they come from?

  8. Carrie–

    Yes, especially in the early stages of their relationship, Bundy, I believe, would have liked to have had a somewhat normal relationship with Liz Kendall. However (and I point this out in my book) as a sociopath, Bundy still would not have the same type of feelings a non-sociopath would have. He was still an accomplished liar, and lied to Liz all the time; He still “used” her financially; he was still interested in dating (secretly, of course) other women; and he was constantly developing that violent fantasy life (which he wouldn’t have stopped for anything!) which catapulted him into a life of unabated murder.

    Having said all of that, I believe there was a part of him, however small, which may have had something CLOSE to a feeling of regret in certain circumstances: When it came to his family knowing (and especially his mother and his younger brother Richard) he was in fact the brutal killer of the Northwest and beyond; Liz knowing he burned the head in her fireplace; Carol Boone’s son learning about his guilt; etc.
    But of course, Bundy lived and breathed murder, and there was nothing in this life — not family, not Liz, nor friendships — which would have stopped him from doing that one thing he loved above all others. And that is the slaughtering of young women and girls. Bundy was a true predatory animal.

  9. The other day I listened to Ted confessing to burning a skull in Liz’s fireplace. It was on You Tube. Ted said something like “Of all of the things that I did to that poor women I thought that this was one of the things that Liz was least likely to forgive me for” (this is a paraphras).

    In it I got the impression that Ted was attempting to make clear to the investigators that Liz had no knowledge of what he had done. Ted was definitely sick and Liz was a victim of his. However, I do think that Ted had feelings for her in a way that he didn’t for anyone else. I have always been facinated by this given the depth of his depravity.

  10. Hi Katie–

    That’s true. However, towards the end (when he was attempting to buy more time) he would have confessed to (and did, in my opinion) all the murders of adult women. That said, I suspect he probably murdered more young girls than he would have ever admitted to, even if it might have kept him out of the chair a day or two more.

  11. of course its possible Bundy would have reason to lie about some of his timelines if he killed along the way and wanted cops to think he was nowhere near he had actually been

  12. Ted’s biological daughter with Carol was named Rosa according some notes I have. I didn’t attribute the source for that in my notes. Rosa was called “Tina” in Polly Nelson’s book. She visited Ted regularly until ’86, until various factors broke up Ted’s jailhouse family. Rosa became very upset when Ted was put on deathwatch in ’86 and she wasn’t allowed to have contact visits with him. She never saw him again after she was about 4 years old. She knew he was her father and had a strong attachment to him when she was very young.

    Carole was pretty protective of Rosa and both have pretty much dropped from sight. Carole lived in the PNW after she left FLA, Rosa lived with her for some time, but the whereabouts of both is unknown at this time. Most writers and media have left them alone, most of their story is well known.

    Lori, I must commend you on your hard work and scholarship on your term paper. You are putting more effort into that paper than I can recall applying to my entire college career.

  13. Lori,

    They autopsied Ted but found no abnormalities with the brain, at least that’s my understanding.

    When I first spoke with Bill, he said he played a 12 (or was it 20?) minute tape on a late night TV show some years ago. It could have been Nightline, I don’t know. Of course, I’m sure he has a lot of notes, plus an excellent recall of that time, but I don’t know how many tapes he made of their meetings. But yes, he has good info (he told me numerous things I didn’t know) so if he writes a book, I’ll be buying it as soon as it’s out.

  14. Laura,

    Thank you so much for posting that – You are indeed right – it is very creepy thinking about what he did to all those poor girls, and here he is with a wife and daughter. It makes you wonder if the daughter ever figured out whose daughter she really was, or if Carole and Jamey kept it from her all her life. I know if I had found out Bundy was my dad i’d be self-analyzing every part of my life, hoping I didn’t iniherit the psychotic gene. It’s too bad Diane Weiner didn’t allow them to keep Ted’s brain and do studies on it to see what malignancy could have been found in it.

    Kevin, when you spoke with Hagmaier, has he ever discussed what he plans to do with all the tapes he made of him and Ted in the future? I believe, as you mentioned previously, that he probably has tons of information as well that has never been leaked or discussed.

  15. Just looking at that picture is creepy, to think what he had done to countless daughters and there he is with his own I wonder if he even cared for the girl, in the way a father would some say he didnt really feel anything for anybody.

  16. Hi Lori

    here is a direct link i uploaded it to my photobucket account:
    http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a173/LaurasAlbum/Bundyphoto.jpg

    I got this on the WWW i actually have a larger clearer copy on my other pc but i dont have access to that so will need to make do with this just now.

    What year did Carole and his daughter finally get out of his life for good, or was she in contact till the end (I know she moved)….or did she cut all ties completley I believe her son kept in touch as I know he was with him in his final days.

  18. Hey Lori–

    Yes! These former cops and detectives always speak like it’s been only yesterday. I believe the intensity of the case, and the horrific events surrounding the murders, guaranteed this story will be forever burned into their minds. Indeed, while writing my book, I was very mindful of the fact that, for some of these folks, this might be the last time they’re interviewed for something as substantial as a book.

    Come to think of it, I remember asking someone about Bob Hayward, and they told me he was deceased; but they were probably think of Pete. Had I known, I would have absolutely tracked him down. But still, that was a great find for you, and it should give your paper quite a boost!

    Also, if you happen to talk to Bob again, tell him that the Salt Lake City Public Library has two copies of my book, and the Salt Lake County library has one, if he wants to check it out,
    (get it: Check it out , meaning to look it over, or check it out from the library, LOL!) Always room for a little humor.

  19. Hey Kevin –
    I did mention it to him and he said he was surprised that there was still so much interest in someone dead for 20 years! I taped his interview with me and I’m in the process of transcribing it. After asking Bob the first question, he spoke as if everything had happened just yesterday, it was all so clear in his mind. He is truly a treasure for anyone wanting to research Bundy because you are right Kevin, he has a lot of information that we haven’t heard about.

    The picture of Ted in the woods was also seen in the Bundy movie with Michael Rourke and I was able to print it while watching it by hitting Control P to get for my project. I also found the picture of Ted with Carole, Jamey and Rusa, but have never seen the one Laura has of Ted with her on his shoulders. Laura, any chance you would like to share and email it to me for my term paper? If so I would greatly appreciate it.

  20. Laura–

    Yeah, I believe I’ve seen those pictures too.

    A picture I like )and one I think is rather unique) is the one on the back jacket-cover of The Phantom Prince, where Bundy is jumping up in the air, a smile on his face, with the desolate woods behind him. I can’t help but think he’s smiling because he’s at the portal (the woods) where he did much of his diabolical work, LOL!

    A few years ago, I purchased a couple of photographs of Bundy used by The San Fransisco Chronicle. On the back of each photo is a cutout of said photo from each issue in which it ran.

  21. Kanchana–

    I don’t have a bad opinion of Carol, it’s just that, given her belief in Ted’s innocence until close to the end, I didn’t feel she could tell me anything worthwhile. But I’m sure she didn’t plan it that way. And like Liz, I hope she found happiness in her life.

  22. Bundys daughter as far as I am aware was called Rosa. I have a photograph saved on my PC and its of Ted, Carole and the little girl who looks about two or three up on Teds shoulders. On the back of the original photograph it says “Ted Carole and little rose” somebody had the original on ebay and the starting price was 40K (USD)!!!!. There is another picture too of Ted Carol their daughter and her son Jamey.

  23. I have a bad opinion of Carole too..I read in “The only Living Witness” that she used to bring Ted drugs in her vagina and also that the drinks she brought had alcohol in them..That’s screwed up..I wonder why she was so desperate to marry a murderer of all people..Couldn’t she find love with normal people?
    I don’t understand how she felt he was 100% innocent,married him and then suddenly leaves him because she believed him guilty all of a sudden..It’s not like the man proved himself innocent anyway..He always kept proving the opposite..It was already obvious (even when she met him) enough that he was guilty even without much evidence..Ted loved using people..Carole didn’t realise it,I guess..Having his child is the worst mistake she made,doesn’t she know how the child will be treated if known that she’s Ted Bundy’s child?It’s not exactly a name to live up to..I don’t blame the daughter at all,it’s not her fault at all..Liz on the other hand was more cultured and sophisticated..Her book was so sad..The hopes and dreams she had all came crashing down on her because she trusted Ted..He could have just sought help and married her instead..He always said people never accepted him but Liz accepted him without any strings attached..All she asked was that he love her in return..Even that he couldn’t do..Liz and her daughter deserve happiness..Of course,him blaming porn is just lame..He’s the one who went in search of it..Ted was one disgusting human being..Using people for his own selfish needs and them throwing them away as if they were paper dolls..Pity he once roamed this earth..Waste of space..

  24. Hi Lori–

    Liz identifies her daughter as Tina in The Phantom Prince, and I have no reason to doubt her. I think I was told once the name of Bundy’s daughter, but I can’t remember at the moment.

    Good going on locating Bob Hayward! To be honest, I didn’t know he was still alive. I’m certain Pete Hayward is deceased, and for a very long time now. You know, Lori, you should interview Bob, as I think it would be well-worth your time. I’m certain he still has unpublished info on Ted, and if I were you, I’d go and get it!

    And yes, you can still get some good deals on particular Bundy books, and that’s good. I picked up a copy of The Phantom Prince just before I decided to write the Bundy book, and I’m glad I did. I purchased it at a second-hand book store for about 5 bucks, I think.

    Say, did you mention my book to Bob? If yes, what was his reaction to another Bundy book?

    See ya!

  25. I clicked submit too fast!

    I was going to tell you that I was able to find for $1.99 on Amazon a first edition hardbook on Defending the Devil and The Only Living Witness. Have ordered Larsens book and think that cost me $5.00, so there are deals out there still – Well, except for the Phantom Prince which I can’t see myself spending $125.00 on for a term paper research project! If anyone knows where I could find a copy reasonably please holler. Thanks, Lori

  26. Hi again Kevin,

    Can you clear something up for me? I had read in an FBI file somewhere that Bundy’s daughters name was Rusa and Liz Kloepfer’s daughter’s name was Tina. I just finished reading another book (#8 for me I think), this time Defending the Devil, and Polly clearly states that Ted’s daughters name was Tina. Hoping for some help. BTW I was able to contact Bob Hayward through the Utah Highway Patrol and we chatted for about 20 minutes on Tuesday – He is an extremely nice man! I wonder how many interviews he offers in a month, and how we could get in on you tube for preservation of facts. Thanks!

  28. Hi Laura–

    You’re correct in your assumption that I see a difference between Liz and Carol. First, I do have a compassion for Liz Kendall, as she loved Bundy deeply and was diligently preparing for their future together. She spent six years with Ted, helped him financially, forgave him for indiscretions, and it was clear she was in it for the proverbial long haul. Keep in mind, also, that she met Ted after a failed marriage, and the last thing she wanted was for this relationship to go bad too. However, her troubled mind about Bundy (once the accusations started) and her ability to question his innocence speaks of an honest heart. As such (and no matter what struggles she had with the back-and-forth issue of Bundy’s guilt or innocence) she was determined to do the right thing; something she eventually did. So yes, I feel for Liz, and someone at this site said that after Bundy she married, and that’s good. I hope she has found the happiness in life she was looking for. As I’ve often said, Liz Kendall was a Bundy victim too!

    Now, Carol Boone: Well, I feel for Carol too, but not in the same way. And here’s what I mean. I suppose the entire world knew Bundy was guilty by the time Carol entered Ted’s life in a serious way. Of course, I’m kidding here, but not too much. As such, the fact that Carol obviously believed in Bundy’s innocence so late in the game, spoke volumes to me. I mean, how is that possible? From the position of a researcher/writer, I knew there would be very little she could tell me that I’d be interested in hearing, frankly. It would be like interviewing someone from the Flat Earth Society, if they in fact exist. I just had no desire to do it.

    Now I do feel for their daughter (and yes, I believe it’s Ted’s).

  29. I should have added I hope you dont mind my questions, its just interesting to me. If I am way off I apologise.

    I find the whole Carole part of his life actually very interesting and I consider it quite a big part of the whole overall story so its interesting to me very little is ever made oi it in various books and publications, especially as they had a daughter. Kevin as a last question do you believe the child was his?

  30. Thats a book I havent read – the only Bundy one I havent read – so its on my list going to see if I can pick it up on Amazon (the Killer next Door).

    I think a book by Hagmaier would be very interestihng, to me the person after he was captured is just as interesting as what went on before, Carol Boone would be another interesting one, or their daughters view. She wouldnt have much to tell story wise but certainly her thoughts etc would be interesting.

    Kevin earlier on or in past discussions on here both Carol and Liz have cropped up. I could be way off but you seem to be quite sympathetic in tone when you speak about Liz but very dismissive of Carole Boone and completley uninterested in her, given that she did marry Bundy and apparently had a child by him I find it strange that somebody isnt interested in her part of the story as for me it provides another interesting twist in the Bundy story. Am I right and if so is there a reason for this? Do you feel while Liz was almost duped by Bundy that Boone should have known better? Do you think deep down Carole knew he was guilty, I mean any rational person no matter how well you think you knew somebody surely couldnt believe it was all made up, the world was against him and he was completley innocent…?

  31. Both are excellent books. Larsen’s is unique because he knew Ted and had on-going contact with him until he escaped from Colorado the second time. However, “The Killer Next Door” is excellent too. It’s well researched and very well written, and I have always considered it a must read for those interested in the case.

  32. Which book is better “Ted Bundy : The killer next door” or Richard Larsen’s “Deliberate Stranger”?

  33. In regards to the executioner, and what Ann Rule originally said about it in her book “The stranger beside me”, i have the updated version in front of me and this is what she writes:

    “Some of the information i added to my original book turned out to be untrue-folktales and rumor that most of the Bundy experts believed- and i want to correct those. The single executioner who pulled down the arm that activated the electric chair in Starke, Florida, wore no mask, nor did he have thick, mascaraed eyelashes. That was part of the legend of Ted.”

    Further on in the book, she gives an eye-witness account to the actual execution, and unlike it has been claimed, i think, in other books, Ted only received one surge of electricity, that was all it took. If anyone wants to know what the eye-witness said, then i will type it out.

  34. Vidor,

    My point in the Ocean City murders was that the murder weapomn was so puny. It’s very possible that Ted, the embryonic killer learned that is important to wield a blunt object when going out to murder.

    When you consider Bundy would have been early in his killing career, maybe the Ocean City slayings were part of the design of his murder kit. After Jersey, he had a tire iron or other blunt object with him.

    The detectives that investigated the slayings said the wounds were very small. One guy said a fountain pen or a nail file may have been used. Ted may ha ve learned to pack a knife, ice pick or hatchet in Jersey also.

    Has anyone heard anything about the ’69 Memorial Day murders down on the Shore?

  35. Vidor–

    Keppel told me that there was no way of being sure about “Ted” as being the actual name, but that’s all they had to go on. Of course, they knew he drove a VW, and it wouldn’t be long before they would receive other calls about a “Ted” who drove a VW. And the rest, my friend, is history, LOL!

  36. Jason–

    I remember talking to a fellow who lived at the Rogers house where Bundy lived, and he told an interesting story about Bundy not included in my book. He said that across the street from the boarding house they lived in, a family had two teenage girls living there. Well, according to my source, this guy came home one day and saw Bundy talking with them, and I believe he said Ted would make it a point to talk to them from time to time. Just an interesting tidbit, I guess.

  37. “I really feel the lack of blunt force trauma in the Ocean City killings actually point to Ted.”

    Seems to me it does exactly the opposite. Stab wounds and no blunt trauma are exactly the opposite of Bundy’s MO, except for the Leach murder, which was a departure for him in lots of ways.

    As for the discussion upthread of why Bundy made the “mistake” of using his real name–gets back to what I wondered further upthread, namely, why so many people assumed “Ted” was actually the killer’s real name. Weird.

  38. I am not sure whether Bills story would warrant him writing a book based on his dealings with Bundy. Unless it was a timeline or it included information on other areas related to serial murder, it would be an interesting insight nonetheless.

    Even if the people mentioned contributed to a book on finding a greater understanding of Ted, rather than each writing a book, would be very insightful. Especially Louise Bundy and Stephanie Brooks as mentioned. There is still a sense of mystery around Bundy which authors of books on him have lessened to some extent. I am sure there is alot more information out there to be uncovered but it seems that we may never get a full picture.

  39. Liz K got married. Wrote the “Phantom Prince”.

    “The Phantom Prince” was the basis for the 2002 Ted Bundy movie.

    She had small articles based on her phone conversations with Ted in Pensacola upon his arrest appear in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. The Seattle PI claimed Bundy confessed to Liz, which Liz basically denied.

    Liz is funny, she wants out of the limelight, but wants the record of their relationsip set straight from time to time. She is basically one of Ted’s victims and I feel sorry for her. A sociopath like Ted could care less about ruining the lives of decent people like Liz and her daughter.

  40. I certainly hope Bill Hagmaier will write a book one day. He didn’t really seem all that interested in doing it when we talked about it. If he does, it will not be a full bio, but will be (he and I spoke about this) based upon his dealings with Ted during his last years; and that would be interesting, indeed.

    Stephanie Brooks? Do you mean Diane Edwards? If so, that would be very interesting. Also (and this is NEVER going to happen) it would be exceedingly interesting to hear from Louise Bundy. But to be honest, you would only get small pieces of the puzzle from John O’Connell, Boone, Weiner, and John Tanner; and especially John Tanner, as I doubt if Ted was really converted despite Mr. Tanner’s sincere efforts to help him. I think he may have been telling the Tanner’s what they wanted to hear. Just my opinion, of course.

  41. I believe that we could get closer to understanding Theodore Bundy with insights from the following people: –

    Stephanie Brooks
    John O Connell
    Bill Hagmaier
    Carole Boone
    Diana Weiner
    Louise Bundy
    John Tanner (and his wife)
    (Amongst others)

    The only person from that list that we are the most likely going to get information and possibly a book from is Bill Hagmaier. Kevin, based on your conversations with him, do you think its likely he would write one?

  42. I have no idea what Liz Kendall did after Bundy’s execution. I would think she did some local interviews (at least!) after her book was released, but she has, to my knowledge, kept a low profile since that time.

  43. After Ted’s execution did his former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall give any interviews about her relationship with Ted?The book she wrote was before he died and I was wondering if there were any updates from her?

  44. FSP had a list of potential executioners. They get (’89 dollars) $150 and a chaffeured ride to and from. I don’t think the person was from the correctional community, but that might be wrong.

    Was it a woman?

    Ann Rule had this in her book…”No one knew whole the executioner was, but one witness saw thick, curled lashes fringing his/her eyes. “I think it was a woman”.

    Jom Peck, a spokesman for the governor didn’t help matters when he refused to ID the executioner. Then he added, “it could have been a woman”.

    The Bundy movie of a few years ago showed a female executioner and made a big deal of it.

    I’ve never been able to run it down completely and highly doubt it was a female, but the whole thing has traveled into “Urban Legend” territory

  45. It wouldn’t have been Kim Leach’s mother, or any other family member of a victim; or any citizen, for that matter. The person was no doubt drawn from the regular pool of folks from the correctional community.

  46. Wondering what Cowart thought about that carnival-like atmosphere on January 24th, 1989… Probably wasn`t very impressed, which is understandable.

    By the way, any guesses who was the executioner? Some folks have speculated that she was Kimberly Leach`s mother. Anyhow, must have been a memorable experience for that person..

  47. Sure, Monica, that’s understandable. And you know, the “take care of yourself” statement is rather funny (though Cowart didn’t mean it to be) because the Judge made sure what was going to happen to Bundy. LOL!

  48. Hi Kevin! I understand what you are saying. From what i have read Cowart was one of those individuals that feel compassion for all, so obviously no disrespect was intended. It was just his choice of words, in particular: “Take care of yourself, young man. I say that to you sincerely; take care of yourself, please.”
    I was attempting to put myself in the shoes of the victims families (if they watched that trial), and i, myself would have felt outrage.

  49. Hi Monica–

    You know, I think that was Cowart’s way of being civil to Bundy. He had just sentenced him to death, but I think maybe he was speaking with the Ted Bundy which could have been, had he gone “another way”, as the judge referred to in his talk. Cowart was an extremely nice guy, and as a judge, he must be impartial, so his “I don’t feel any animosity towards you” makes perfect sense. And while I see your point here, that’s just how Cowart was, and one of the reasons everybody (or most everybody) loved him. I believe he meant every word he said to Bundy.

  50. Hi Guys!
    Speaking of Judge Cowart, no offence to him, as i am sure he was a good man, but what was he thinking when he addressed Ted Bundy with these words after sentencing him to death?

    “It is ordered that you be put to death by a current of electricity, that current be passed through your body until you are dead. Take care of yourself, young man. I say that to you sincerely; take care of yourself, please. It is an utter tragedy for this court to see such a total waste of humanity as I’ve experienced in this courtroom. You’re a bright young man. You’d have made a good lawyer, and I would have loved to have you practice in front of me, but you went another way, partner. Take care of yourself. I don’t feel any animosity toward you. I want you to know that. Once again, take care of yourself.”

    I agree that it was a tragedy to see such a total waste of humanity (though the same could be said for all his victims). And sure, he was a bright, young man who would have made a good lawyer (though some might argue with that, lol). But, “take care of yourself, young man. I say that sincerely, take care of yourself, please.” and: “I don’t feel any animosity towards you”? WTF? Did he forget who he was talking to for a minute, or had Bundy managed to charm him as well? You don’t tell a brutal, heinous serial killer of young woman and children to take care of himself. The victims families must have felt sick to their stomach hearing that. Unbelievable!

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