On August 15, 1975, Ted Bundy fled police that were attempting to pull him over. When the police finally did catch up to him and search his VW Beetle, they found the following suspicious objects: a crowbar behind the driver’s seat, a box of large green plastic garbage bags, an ice pick, a flashlight, a pair of gloves, torn strips of sheeting, a knit ski mask, a pair of handcuffs, and a strange mask made from panty hose. They noticed that the passenger seat had been removed and placed in the back seat. The police arrested Bundy for evading an officer and took him to jail. Bundy was released later on his own recognizance.
Bundy’s documented killing spree began in January 1974 with the violent assault and rape of Joni Lenz, an 18 year old UW freshman. He continued to kidnap, assault, and kill women in Washington at the rate of one a month until he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to attend the University of Utah’s law school.
On August 22, 1975, Bundy hired Utah’s premier defense attorney, John O’Connell. After thoroughly cleaning his Volkswagen Beetle, he sold it to a teenager in Sandy, Utah.
Police arrested Bundy on August 21, 1975, for the possession of burglary tools. A police search found documents connecting Bundy to missing women in Snowmass, Colorado and Bountiful, Utah. The police took several photos of the interior and exterior of Bundy’s car and Bundy was released on bail.
On October 2, 1975 in Utah, three witnesses picked Bundy from a police lineup. He was charged with attempted murder and kidnapping with bail set at $100,000. Utah authorities seized the 1968 Volkswagen and examined it, inch by inch. They found hairs that matched three potential victims. On February 23, 1976, authorities tried Bundy for kidnapping. On March 1, 1976, the Utah authorities found him guilty of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced him to one to fifteen years in prison.
Later, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation found new hairs behind the backseat area as well as blood under the door panel. On October 22, 1976 the Colorado police filed charges against Bundy. On January 28, 1977 he was extradited to Colorado to stand trial. On June 7th, 1977 Bundy escaped from the Pitkin County courthouse in Aspen by jumping through a window. Six days later authorities recaptured him.
Bundy escaped a second time on the night of December 30, 1977.
On Saturday, January 14, 1978, Bundy broke into Florida State University’s Chi Omega sorority house, where he killed two women and severely maimed two more. A few weeks later he attacked and killed 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. On February 15th, 1978, Officer David Lee pulled him over in West Pensacola for traffic violations. Bundy was driving a stolen orange VW Beetle and Lee quickly arrested him. Authorities convicted Bundy on July 23, 1979, of the sorority murders and on February 7, 1980 for Leach’s murder. Theodore Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989, in Florida’s electric chair.
For more information about Ted Bundy click here.
The Ted Bundy Car will be on display at Alcatraz East, a new Museum scheduled to open Fall 2016.
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