Ted Bundy Biography

American serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy was one of the most notorious criminals of the late 20th century.

Who Was Ted Bundy?

Theodore "Ted" Bundy (November 24, 1946 to January 24, 1989) was a 1970s serial murderer, rapist and necrophiliac. He was executed in Florida's electric chair in 1989. His case has since inspired many novels and films about serial killers.

Victims: How Many People Did Ted Bundy Kill?

Ted Bundy admitted to 36 killings of young women across several states in the 1970s, but experts believe that the final tally may be closer to 100 or more. The exact number of women Bundy killed will never been known. 

Death in the Electric Chair

On January 24, 1989, Ted Bundy was put to death around 7 a.m. at the Florida State Prison in an electric chair sometimes known as "Old Sparky." Outside the prison, crowds cheered and even set off fireworks after Bundy's execution.

Ted Bundy’s Wife and Daughter

In February 1980, Ted Bundy married Carole Ann Boone, a mother-of-two whom he’d dated before his initial arrest, in a Florida courtroom during the penalty phase of his trial. When Boone gave birth to a daughter in 1982, she named Ted Bundy as the father. Boone eventually realized Bundy was guilty of the crimes and stopped visiting him during the last two years of his imprisonment. 

Family, Childhood and Education

Ted Bundy was born in Burlington, Vermont on November 24, 1946, starting life as his mother's secret shame. Eleanor Cowell was 22 years old and unmarried when she had her son Theodore, which humiliated her deeply religious parents. She delivered the child at a home for unwed mothers in Vermont and later brought her son to her parents in Philadelphia. To hide the fact he was an illegitimate child, Bundy was raised as the adopted son of his grandparents and was told that his mother was his sister. Eleanor moved with Ted to Tacoma, Washington, a few years later. In 1951, she married Johnnie Bundy and the couple had several children together. From all appearances, Bundy grew up in a content, working-class family.

Bundy showed an unusual interest in the macabre at an early age. Around the age of three, he became fascinated by knives. Bundy was a shy but bright child who did well in school, but not with his peers. As a teenager, a darker side of his character started to emerge. Bundy liked to peer in other people's windows and thought nothing of stealing things he wanted from other people.

While a student at the University of Washington, Bundy fell in love with a wealthy, pretty young woman from California. She had everything that he wanted: money, class, and influence. He was devastated by their breakup. Many of his later victims resembled his college girlfriend—attractive students with long, dark hair. His killings also usually followed a gruesome pattern. He often raped his victims before beating them to death.

He graduated from University of Washington with a degree in psychology in 1972 and had been accepted to law school in Utah. By the mid 1970s, Bundy had transformed himself, becoming more outwardly confident and active in social and political matters. Bundy even got a letter of recommendation from the Republican governor of Washington after working on his campaign.

How Was Ted Bundy Caught?

The most damning evidence connecting Ted Bundy to the two Chi Omega murders at FSU were bite marks on one of the bodies, which were a definitive match to Bundy. In July 1979, Ted Bundy was convicted for those crimes. He was given the death penalty twice. He received another death sentence the following year in the murder of Kimberly Leach.

Bundy’s Trial

Ted Bundy’s charm and intelligence made him something of a celebrity during his trial. Bundy fought for his life, spending years appealing his death sentence. He tried to take his case as high as the U.S. Supreme Court, but he was turned down. He also offered information on some of unsolved murders to avoid Florida's electric chair, but he could not delay justice forever. Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989. 

Where Is Bundy's Grave?

Bundy's body was cremated in Gainesville, and no public ceremony was held. Before he was executed he requested his ashes be scattered in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, where he murdered at least four of his victims.

QUICK FACTS

NAME

Ted Bundy

OCCUPATION

Criminal, Murderer

BIRTH DATE

November 24, 1946

DEATH DATE

January 24, 1989

DID YOU KNOW?

Ted Bundy was a 1970s serial murderer, rapist and necrophiliac.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bundy was executed in Florida's electric chair in 1989.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bundy admitted to 36 killings of young women, but experts believe he could've actually killed more than 100 people.

DID YOU KNOW?

Murder is not about lust and it’s not about violence. It’s about possession.

PLACE OF BIRTH

Burlington, Vermont

PLACE OF DEATH

Starke, Florida

ORIGINALLY

Theodore Robert Cowell