{
  "id": 16787346,
  "title": "Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to death of US teen after over 50 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/serial-killer-ted-bundy-linked-to-death-of-us-teen-after-over-50-years",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-27T19:24:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372352/serial-killer-ted-bundy-linked-death-us-teen-after-over-50-years"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "DNA evidence has connected notorious serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a Utah teenager, 52 years after her body was found in the woods. Melissa Ann Smith, who was 17 years old when she died in 1974, is now believed to have been one of Bundy's victims. The discovery was made possible through the use of modern DNA testing. Authorities announced the connection on Tuesday, providing closure to her family and investigators who had long considered her death a cold case.\n\nBundy, who died in 1989, is known to have killed at least 30 women and girls across multiple states during the 1970s. However, the total number of his victims continues to increase due to advancements in DNA technology. Besides the Utah case, authorities have confirmed that Bundy had victims in Colorado, Idaho, and Washington state as well.\n\nInvestigators determined that Smith's death matched the characteristics of Bundy's modus operandi, suggesting a strong link between the two cases. The breakthrough came when investigators found a DNA profile highly similar to Bundy's in evidence obtained from Smith's autopsy. This finding, along with other key pieces of evidence, allowed them to link Smith to the infamous killer.\n\nSalt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera emphasized the importance of preserving evidence in solving cold cases, stating that this case demonstrates the value of such efforts. Bundy's next of kin have been informed about the closure of the case, though none of them currently reside in the area. Sergeant Mike Reynolds noted that with each case closure, they strive to eliminate the memory of Ted Bundy.\n\nBundy was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989 for the murders of two women at Florida State University's Chi Omega sorority house. During his final days, he confessed to several crimes that had previously gone unsolved. While not all of these cases have been confirmed, authorities have connected Bundy to victims in several other states, including Colorado, Idaho, and Washington. They are actively working to solve the death of 16-year-old Nancy Wilcox, another potential victim in Utah.",
  "summary": "DNA connects serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a Utah teenager, authorities announced on Tuesday, exactly 52 years after her body was discovered in the woods by a hunter. Bundy has been dead since 1989, but the tally of his confirmed victims continues to grow due to advances in DNA testing. He killed at least 30 women and girls in multiple states in the 1970s, and many more escaped or…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Utah authorities are connecting serial killer Ted Bundy to another 1970s homicide",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/utah-authorities-are-connecting-serial-killer-ted-bundy-to-another-16783158",
        "published": "2026-10-27T18:46:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to another Utah girl's cold case murder",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/serial-killer-ted-bundy-linked-to-another-utah-girls-cold-case-murder",
        "published": "2026-10-27T18:54:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Utah police have connected Ted Bundy to another unsolved 1970s homicide",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/utah-police-have-connected-ted-bundy-to-another-unsolved-1970s",
        "published": "2026-10-27T19:17:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Authorities say serial killer Ted Bundy is responsible for the 1974 murder of another Utah teenage girl",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/authorities-say-serial-killer-ted-bundy-is-responsible-for-the-1974",
        "published": "2026-10-27T20:01:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "What to know about serial killer Ted Bundy and his rampage of violence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/what-to-know-about-serial-killer-ted-bundy-and-his-rampage-of-violence",
        "published": "2026-10-27T22:03:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}