Ted Bundy was a renowned killer in America in the 1970s who, until now, remains a symbol of the horrifying depth of human depravity. Behind Bundy’s charm and intelligence was a relentless predator who preyed on young women in multiple localities. After numerous run-ins with the law, Bundy was incarcerated and got the death penalty, where he died in the electric chair. Here are some more little-known facts about this notorious serial killer.
1. Bundy Once Worked At a Suicide Hotline
While Ted Bundy was a psychology major at the University of Washington, he took a job at Seattle’s Suicide Crisis Center. This is where he met Ann Rule, a former Seattle police officer and a writer who wrote a biography about him.
Bundy was very good at this job, as his co-worker mentioned that he was helpful to the callers and saved many lives. When the murders were made public, people did not imagine that he was capable of all those crimes.
2. Ted Bundy Got Married in the Middle of His Trial
In Florida, a law states that a proposal in court is a legal marriage as long as the judge is present. As such, Ted Bundy became a married man in the middle of his trial in Florida to his sole character witness during cross-examination.
As Bundy was questioning Carol Ann Boone, a witness in his case, he asked her to marry him, and she said yes. Boone was Ted’s wife until the end of his life, and together, they have a daughter, Rose Bundy, who was born while Bundy was on death row.
3. Ted Bundy Was His Attorney
Ted Bundy dreamed of becoming a lawyer, and after his psychology degree, he got into law school but dropped out a year later. This did not deter him from acting as his lawyer despite having his attorneys present during his trial.
His highly televised trial was moved from Tallahassee to Miami because a jury without prejudice could not be found there.
4. Ted Bundy Escaped Custody Twice
As Ted served as his attorney, he was exempted from wearing cuffs or leg shackles. During a court recess, Bundy asked to go to the courthouse library to research his case. He opened a window and jumped out while out of view of the guards. He was found six days later.
On the second occasion, while in jail in Colorado, a light fixture was not secure and needed to be welded in, but it wasn’t. He started his escape plan by losing weight and then created an opening in the ceiling so that he could fit books and pillows to make it look like a body in bed.
Ted Bundy left, changed into civilian clothing, and walked out of the front door. He went to Florida and wreaked more havoc; he was caught about two months later.
5. Ted Bundy Was a Psychopath
Florida Photographic Collection
There is a psychopathy checklist, also known as the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, that is used to evaluate the existence of psychopathic traits. It has 20 traits and behaviors checked against as a semi-structured interview. Ted Bundy’s result on this psychopathy checklist was a shocking 39 out of 40.
6. The Victims’ Physical Appearances Have Striking Similarity
Ted Bundy’s heinous crimes went on for a couple of years, with his victims coming from different counties in the United States of America. The women had nothing in common and no substantial physical evidence.
However, they had a similar appearance; they were young, beautiful, white college students with long hair and a middle part.
7. Ted Bundy Had Numerous Faces
One of the many reasons Ted Bundy evaded custody for so long was his highly dynamic, almost anonymous looks. Looking back at his photos, the police realized that he looked different in each picture, making it hard for victims to identify him.
He modified his looks by changing his facial hair and hairstyle occasionally. One distinctive, easily identifiable mark- a mole on his neck he kept hidden with turtlenecks and sweaters.
8. Ted Bundy Had Polaroid Photos of His Victims
While in police custody, Ted’s house was searched, and they found a couple of things that were not sufficient evidence to keep him locked up, so he was released. Later on, he stated that the searchers missed a collection of Polaroid photos of his victims he had kept hidden.
After he was released, he went home and destroyed those Polaroid photos and the evidence. According to Ted Bundy, he took the pictures because he worked to commit the perfect crimes and did not want to forget about his victims.
9. Ted Bundy’s Volkswagen Beetle Sits at a Museum
Ted Bundy owned a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, which he used to lure women and kill them. He would masquerade as a man with a sling or a leg cast and needed help carrying loads to his car. The serial killer would then knock his victims unconscious and kidnap them to remote locations where he would kill and bury them.
This car was a crime scene for various crimes, and it wasn’t easy to pinpoint its color, as some called it brown, others tan or bronze. The car now sits at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum, where the public can see it.
10. Bundy Was Reported Several Times, but The Police Did Not Believe It
Ted Bundy was reported several times as a suspect in an ongoing hunt for the profile and the sketch of the car after it was released to the public. However, the police found it hard to believe it because Bundy was a law student and had no adult criminal record.