Ted Bundy, one of America's most horrific serial killers was executed on January 24, 1989, thirty years ago today. Many stories of serial killers all around the world inspired various movies and books. The story of Ted Bundy was also one of them. The 2002 thriller drama "Ted Bundy" was inspired by his life as a serial killer. Eventually, he ended up being executed in the Florida State Prison electric chair.
Series of murders by Ted Bundy
All That's Interesting noted that Karen spark was the first assault victim of Ted Bundy. On 4th of July, 1974, he sexually assaulted UW student Karen Spark in her apartment leaving her with permanent physical injury.
His first murder was Lynda Healey whose body was found 13 months later in a shallow grave, with two other women bodies. Lynda disappeared on the night of 31st of January. Police had alerted the public of the existence of a serial killer after more missing women bodies from different states were found.
His victims were mostly young women and girls who regarded him as handsome and charismatic. He also abducted a 12-year-old girl on 9th of February and her body was found seven weeks later. In 1975 Ted was first caught by the police but they did not have enough evidence to charge him. Later in 1976, he stood trial for kidnapping and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He escaped from the prison but was later recaptured.
He again escaped on December 1977 and managed to get as far as Florida.
On 15th of January, 1978, he murdered three students and also injured another one. Finally, he was caught by the police while he was trying to head to Alabama. He was then sentenced to death three times and this was finally carried out in 1898 at a Florida state prison.
Fox 13 reported that John Wilson, a former Fox13 anchor and Tony Panaccio, the former Clearwater Sun reporter were two Tampa Bay journalists assigned to witness Ted Bundy's execution in the Florida State Prison.
The early life of Ted Bundy
Ted was born on 24th November 1946, to Eleanor Louise Cowell an unwed mother in Vermont.
His father's identity was never identified. Ted lived in Philadelphia with his maternal grandparents, Samuel and Eleanor Cowell. There was also a suspicion that Samuel was sexually harassing Louise. In 1950 Louise changed her name from Cowell to Nelson.
During his school life, his classmates remembered him as well-liked and social. He dropped out of University in 1968 and started doing odd jobs. Later He studied psychology at the University of Washington and graduated in 1972. He then set up his home in Salt Lake City.
