{
  "id": 16799560,
  "title": "Ted Bundy: List of Known Victims as DNA Links Serial Killer to Utah Murder",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/ted-bundy-list-of-known-victims-as-dna-links-serial-killer-to-utah",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-27T21:12:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/ted-budy-killed-melissa-smith-12626313"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a breakthrough 52 years after the fact, DNA evidence has linked Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith in Utah. This case, along with another unsolved disappearance in the same year, has pushed Bundy's known victim count to 32, although officials state they are still working to link the death of Nancy Wilcox to Bundy. Bundy, a notorious serial killer from the 1970s, murdered young women and girls across several U.S. states, including Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Florida. Known for his deceptive nature, he often targeted victims in public places, sometimes pretending to be injured to gain their trust. Bundy was convicted of multiple murders, sentenced to death, and executed in Florida in 1989. Authorities in Utah are continuing to work on the Wilcox case, which has been suspected as a potential Bundy victim since 1974.",
  "summary": "Ted Bundy killed 17-year-old Mellissa Smith in Utah more than 50 years ago.",
  "key_points": [
    "DNA evidence links Ted Bundy to 1974 Utah murder of Melissa Ann Smith",
    "Bundy's known victim count rises to 32, with Nancy Wilcox case still under investigation",
    "Bundy murdered young women and girls in Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Florida"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "Serial killer Ted Bundy linked through DNA to 1974 murder of Utah girl",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/serial-killer-ted-bundy-linked-through-dna-to-1974-murder-of-utah-girl",
        "published": "2026-10-27T21:59:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}