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| Case file: Ted Bundy In a killing career that lasted almost a decade, Ted Bundy is thought to have murdered between 40 to 50 young women. His crimes began in 1969 in California, then he headed to Oregon, Washington, and Utah. He would carry out a number of murders in each area, dump the bodies often hundreds miles away, and move on befroe he was detected. In Salt Lake City in late 1974, he lured Carol DaRonch into his car and attempted to attack her with a crowbar, but she escaped. When Bundy was caught some months later, she was able to identify him and he was sentenced to 15 years in jail. Over the next couple of years, however, he managed to escape twice. Although he was recaptured quickly the first time, he remained free on the second occasion. On the run, Bundy headed for Florida, but instead of lying low, he began murdering again. In early 1978, he attacked several young women students at Florida State University, leaving two dead and two seriously injured. He was eventually captured in Pensacola, where he had murdered a 12-year-old schoolgirl. Even so, he had covered his tracks well, and was only caught because he had been stopped for drunk driving. Bundy was sent to trial for the murders of the Florida students, but pleaded not guilty. During the autopsy of one of his victims, however, a bite mark had been noted on her left buttock. As in normal practice, this was measured and photographed carefully. Bundy's teeth were also photographed and he was compelled to allow a cast to be made of them. When characteristics of his teeth and jaw were compared to the bite wound, there was no doubt that he had inflicted it. This proved to be the vital piece of evidence for convincing the jury to return a guilty verdict. Bundy was sentenced to detah, but due to numerous appeals he was not actually executed until 1989. |