By Calvin Gnech, Criminal Lawyer and Legal Practice Director at Gnech and Associates
10 March 2023
In the 1970’s Theodore (Ted) Robert Bundy engaged in a murderous and public campaign causing panic across many USA states. Ultimately, Bundy confessed to 28 murders of young women before his execution. This is the second of a series of ten posts about, perhaps the most notorious serial killer in history.
In search of a then unknown suspect authorities released a suspect profile in 1974. Bundy’s then girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer, reported her suspicions about Bundy to police multiple times in August, November and December 1974. Despite this it was not until 16 August 1975, Bundy was first arrested by police for an inadvertent traffic offence and only then was he first on the official radar of police for these serious crimes.
Bundy had relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah for law school in August of 1975. In the early hours of the morning, Bundy was driving down a street when Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Bob Hayward attempted to stop Bundy for a driving violation. He aroused suspicion when he tried to get away by turning his car lights off and speeding through stop signs. When he was finally stopped his Volkswagon was searched, and police found handcuffs, an ice pick, crowbar, pantyhose with eye holes cut out along with other questionable items. They also saw that the front seat on the passenger side of his car was missing. He was initially arrested for burglary.
The items located resembled the same restraints Bundy used to kidnap Carol DaRonch. DaRonch then identified Bundy in a line up. He would stand trial and be convicted of DaRonch’s attempted kidnapping – See the first post in this series from 1 March 2023.
Meanwhile, detectives had found evidence linking Bundy to the Colorado murder of Caryn Campbell, a 23-year-old nurse found murdered in Colorado, in February 1975.
Bundy was charged with Campbell’s murder. He was transferred from Utah to a jail in Aspen, Colorado, to stand trial.
