My Personal Hunt for Ted Bundy

Serial killerPsychopaths

Dec 24

Written By Mike Hren

Filed by Kevin Sullivan

January 1, 2020

Bundy, playing it up for the cameras after his guilty verdict for the murder of Kimberly Leach.

It was never my intention to write about Ted Bundy; he just wasn’t on my literary radar. Sure, I knew some things about the case, and I had a friend, Jim Massie, who was good friends with Jerry Thompson (the lead detective for the Bundy murders that occurred in Utah) for over 20 years. But in 2005, Jerry and Jean Thompson came to Louisville to see Jim, and because of Jim’s invitation, I was able to have dinner with them the night they arrived.

And it was this first meeting with Jerry that was the catalyst that launched my own investigation of Ted Bundy; an investigation that lasted many years, producing six books, including my first book, The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, published in 2009 (a revised, updated and expanded 2nd edition of The Bundy Murders was released in April 2020).

That said, I must confess that it was more than just meeting Jerry that led me to write The Bundy Murders. It was actually what the retired detective brought with him that turned an otherwise interesting meeting into something that became surreal, and that something was Ted Bundy’s murder kit.

Bundy had, like many serial killers, a satchel containing the following items: a ski mask, two right-handed gloves, rope, an orange electrical cord (used for strangulation), flashlight (you wouldn’t want to stumble dragging bodies in the dark), ice pick, portions of a white bed sheet torn into strips (for binding hands and feet) and a ten-count box of Glad trash bags (three of these bags were missing prior to Bundy’s arrest). Three items that weren’t with the kit are a short crowbar, handcuffs, and a pantyhose mask, all of which are housed in various court archives. And if seeing and handling these implements of murder wasn’t enough, before Jerry and Jean left Louisville, he gave Jim and me each one on the Glad bags from this infamous murder kit. And it would be this “personal” connection to the case that would fuel my desire to write a biography of

Ted Bundy; a book that uncovered a lot of new information about the case, including new information about three of the murders that (in 2009) had never before been in print.

Ted Bundy's murder kit on the author's dining room table, May 2005.

Overview of the murders:

Although what I call Ted Bundy’s full-time launch into murder did not occur until January 1974, we do know he killed prior to this time. That said, the murders prior to 1974 were likely sporadic. Here is what we know, as well as what authorities suspect: During Bundy’s confession to Det. Bob Keppel concerning the Washington State murders, Bundy admitted to killing eleven but would only identify eight by name. Keppel did ask about murders prior to ‘74 and Bundy confessed to killing a hitchhiker near Tumwater, WA, south of Seattle in 1973. He then blurted out about a 1972 homicide but quickly backtracked and refused to answer any additional questions Keppel put to hm about it. So, you might be wondering, just who are these unknown Bundy victims. Well, from my years of research, as well as a third-person “confession” by Bundy about what “another” serial killer might have done, I believe these unnamed victims may very well be teenage or pre-teen girls. We know he killed two young girls, Lynette Culver of Pocatello, Idaho, and his last victim, Kimberly Leach of Lake City, Florida, both of whom were 12 years-old.

Naturally, Bundy was always driving himself out of the places in which he lived and murdered; the ensuing manhunts to stop the killer proved too much for him. So, after it became too dangerous to keep operating in Washington State, he enrolled in law school (wink, wink) in Salt Lake City, thereby giving him a fresh, albeit temporary, killing ground. Here too Bundy would kill until the investigation became so hot (he murdered at least four women that fall of 1974), that he decided by January 1975, he needed to start killing women next door in Colorado; followed by a May excursion into Idaho where he’d abduct and kill Lynette Culver.

As to his admissions at the end about the killing in Utah, Bundy would do to Utah what he’d done to Washington State: He said he murdered eight, but only gave the names of five of his victims. Bundy would eventually escape custody in Colorado (twice!) and travel to Florida where he killed three additional victims.

The full tally of Bundy’s murders, authorities believe, hovers somewhere between 30 and 36. However, if you add a small number -perhaps five or six –based on his third-person statement about killing young girls, it’s conceivable a more accurate count of victims will be in the lower 40s. I do not believe, as some assume, that Bundy killed 100 or more women and young girls. I find such a notion absurd, and in my view, to acquire that many victims, Bundy would have needed many more years of freedom to kill to reach such a number.

The Bundy Murders and beyond:

As I mentioned before, when my book, The Bundy Murders was published, it contained a lot of new information on Bundy and his murders. I was also very fortunate during the writing of the five “companion” volumes to add a great deal of new information in these as well. Much of the new information has come from the testimonies of those who were connected to the case in one way or another. Not only did these stories contain a great deal of revelation about Bundy, but each of my contacts were validated individuals who had either escaped from the killer, had friendly interactions with him, or knew the victims. Not only that, but these never-before published interviews often filed in blank spaces in the case, giving us greater insight as to what Bundy or his victims were doing prior to the murders, and in an overall sense, filling in important pieces to this vast mosaic into Bundy’s life and career of murder.

Are there things yet to be learned about the Bundy murders? Yes indeed, and whenever new and valid pieces of information come forward, it will add to our overall picture of this case. And we must remember, once these voices pass on, their testimonies will be lost forever. As for me, after writing six books totaling over 1,400 pages, my days of writing books about Bundy are over. However, I have a friend who is collaborating with a friend, and their book on Bundy will soon be released. And from what I’ve been told, they’ve uncovered some fascinating stories that will be hitting the printed pages for the very first time. The story of the Bundy murders continues...

Kevin M. Sullivan
A writer of history and true crime, Kevin M. Sullivan is the author of sixteen books, a former investigative journalist for both print and online media, and is a recognized authority on serial sex killer, Ted Bundy. Indeed, his “break out” book, The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, published by McFarland in 2009, was the catalyst that brought him much attention in the true crime world, leading to numerous radio programs and contacts from documentarians both here in the United States and the United Kingdom. Portions of this work also appear in the college textbook, Abnormal Psychology: Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders, published by McGraw-Hill in November 2012.