DNA Breakthrough Identifies New Ted Bundy Victim In Utah; Could Solve Wyoming Cases

https://cowboystatedaily.com/ ^ | April 11, 2026 | Jen Kocher

[Beowulf9]

A more than 50-year-old Utah cold case murder has been identified as another victim of the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy using advanced DNA techniques.

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: bundy; coldcase; dna; genealogy; helixmakemineadouble; homicide; serialkiller; tedbundy; utah; wyoming

[Beowulf9]

During the 70s my sister had a date. While in the kitchen talking with my mother there was a knock on the door and I answered it. Her date had arrived to pick her up. Dressed in jeans and a nice jacket. I asked him in but he seemed uncomfortable, looking away from me, kind of hiding his face, acting uncomfortable and said he'd wait in the car. I told my sister her date was here and she went out for her date, dressed in her pretty little dress, stockings and dress shoes. Hair brown, long and parted in the middle.

But only minutes later, while I was sitting in the living room, she came storming back in and slammed the door. I said, 'what happened to your date?!'.

She said he had no front seat. She told him she was not going to sit on the floor, it had a stain on it. He said he'd put some newspapers on it. She said 'forget it' and stormed into the house.

I looked out the front window and saw him driving away in his Volkswagen bug.

When he was arrested in Florida I began to see his picture. Yes. From what I remember he looked like my sisters date.

That was in Phoenix, Az where they have no record of Ted being here. I have always wondered if that was Ted. I asked my sister when the news of him being arrested in Florida came on with is photo. She began, (before she looked up and saw the picture of him on the news) 'I did NOT have a date with Ted...!' speech abruptly stopped when she saw his photo.

Speech halted, mouth open, she did not speak further.

I've wondered for years if it was him. My sister has passed years ago but she did not say.

[BradyLS]

That is an amazing and frightening story! Do you remember its color?

[BradyLS]

…The color of the VW Bug?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

That's a really scary story, and rings true.

I wonder how many of his unfortunate victims were situationally unaware enough to sit on the floor?

[Beowulf9]

Yes. It was a light color, like a tan but I’ve read his was gold and yes, it could’ve been a light ‘gold’ color but it was not a bold yellow but light, really more like a light colored tan.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Pretty disgusting. We need work farms that make a profit. Put those people there. Either that or put them to work in Chicom factories and let them compete with us.

[Beowulf9]

Only recently did I wonder about that ‘stain’ on the floor which immediately back then thought it was oil, but in re-thinking it I realized another horrifying conclusion.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I caught it right away because you included it. I figured that was the reason you included it.

[BradyLS]

According to Google AI, it’s beige and can be seen at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It’s just as you described with the missing front passenger seat.

[Salvavida]

The interview between Bundy and Dr. James Dobson was perhaps one of the greatest and enlightening interviews on serial killers, ever recorded.

[Beowulf9]

You know the funny thing is he seemed uncomfortable, and I mistook it for shyness but he looked so nice and clean cut, so nice looking. I was sorry my sister did not go off with him.

Can you imagine that. I was sorry she did not go off with him.

I’m forever grateful she didn’t.

[Jonty30]

It sounds bad, either way.

[DIRTYSECRET]

When Bundy was in the news my ex went into her 14 year-old daughters bedroom and had a serious talk with her. Even still there’s a limit to what they can do.

[Flaming Conservative]

I’ve never allowed myself to read the details of what he did to his victims. There are some things I don’t need to know.

[beaversmom]

I asked Grok and there has been some speculation he may have been in Arizona, but Grok said it is probably not the case.

Here is the summary from Grok:

No, there is no confirmed evidence that Ted Bundy was ever in Arizona during his serial killing spree (primarily 1974–1978), nor did he commit any known murders there.f6b92d
Bundy’s confirmed and confessed crimes occurred in these states: Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Florida. He killed or was strongly linked to victims in those locations, with at least 20–30 confirmed or confessed murders (and suspicions of more). His activity centered on the Pacific Northwest early on, then shifted to Utah and Colorado in the mid-1970s, before moving to Florida after escapes.

Key Timeline and Movements (Relevant to the West)
1974: Main activity in Washington and Oregon; began operating in Utah (e.g., Salt Lake City area for law school).

1975: Heavy activity in Utah and Colorado (e.g., abductions and murders near Aspen/Snowmass and other spots). He was arrested in Utah in August 1975.
1976–1977: In custody or on trial in Utah/Colorado; escaped twice (1977).

1978: Fled to Florida for final crimes.
Arizona borders Utah and is relatively close to Colorado, so travel was theoretically possible during his mobile phases (he drove extensively, often in a Volkswagen Beetle). However, no victim remains, witness identifications, credit card/gas receipts, phone records, or confessions place him there. Bundy confessed to murders in the states listed above but never mentioned Arizona.

Speculation About Arizona
Some true crime blogs and online discussions speculate he could have visited or killed there, citing:
Proximity to Utah/Colorado.

Unsolved disappearances in Arizona during the mid-1970s (e.g., Aleca Manning in Phoenix or sisters in Mesa).
Anecdotal stories, like one about a woman claiming a man resembling Bundy in a yellow/cream VW followed her in Oak Creek Canyon.

These remain unproven and are often dismissed as stretches due to long drive times (e.g., 20+ hours one-way from Salt Lake City) and lack of supporting evidence. No official investigations or Bundy timelines link him to the state.

In short, while Bundy was highly mobile and Arizona wasn’t far from his known hunting grounds, reliable sources (Wikipedia summaries, timelines, FBI records, and biographies) show no presence or activity there. Any claims otherwise are speculative.

[beaversmom]

I asked Grok and there has been some speculation he may have been in Arizona, but Grok said it is probably not the case.

Here is the summary from Grok:

No, there is no confirmed evidence that Ted Bundy was ever in Arizona during his serial killing spree (primarily 1974–1978), nor did he commit any known murders there.f6b92d
Bundy’s confirmed and confessed crimes occurred in these states: Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Florida. He killed or was strongly linked to victims in those locations, with at least 20–30 confirmed or confessed murders (and suspicions of more). His activity centered on the Pacific Northwest early on, then shifted to Utah and Colorado in the mid-1970s, before moving to Florida after escapes.

Key Timeline and Movements (Relevant to the West)
1974: Main activity in Washington and Oregon; began operating in Utah (e.g., Salt Lake City area for law school).

1975: Heavy activity in Utah and Colorado (e.g., abductions and murders near Aspen/Snowmass and other spots). He was arrested in Utah in August 1975.
1976–1977: In custody or on trial in Utah/Colorado; escaped twice (1977).

1978: Fled to Florida for final crimes.
Arizona borders Utah and is relatively close to Colorado, so travel was theoretically possible during his mobile phases (he drove extensively, often in a Volkswagen Beetle). However, no victim remains, witness identifications, credit card/gas receipts, phone records, or confessions place him there. Bundy confessed to murders in the states listed above but never mentioned Arizona.

Speculation About Arizona
Some true crime blogs and online discussions speculate he could have visited or killed there, citing:
Proximity to Utah/Colorado.

Unsolved disappearances in Arizona during the mid-1970s (e.g., Aleca Manning in Phoenix or sisters in Mesa).
Anecdotal stories, like one about a woman claiming a man resembling Bundy in a yellow/cream VW followed her in Oak Creek Canyon.

These remain unproven and are often dismissed as stretches due to long drive times (e.g., 20+ hours one-way from Salt Lake City) and lack of supporting evidence. No official investigations or Bundy timelines link him to the state.

In short, while Bundy was highly mobile and Arizona wasn’t far from his known hunting grounds, reliable sources (Wikipedia summaries, timelines, FBI records, and biographies) show no presence or activity there. Any claims otherwise are speculative.

[Salamander]

Omg.

I have chill bumps.

😳

[llevrok]

There were many serial killers in Ted’s era. Some call it America’s “golden age” of serial killers.

Of them all, Bundy is the most fascinating to me. Most serial killers are or were socially awkward introverts.

Yet here is Ted, gregarious and charming as all get out. He was a law student and active in state GOP politics. The long serving Secretary of State, Ralph Munro, thought highly of him; as a “son” in fact. A charmer.

I am glad his full DNA profile is now available in CODIS. Genetic criminal forensics is just scratching the surface. I am confident more than 30 “Ted kills” will be found.

[Salamander]

https://x.com/billyjensen/status/1153017962468728832?s=46

[xp38]

We need to grieve for his victims before the killer in this case. He apparently became Christian and repented of his crimes and sins before being executed. If he’s in heaven he’ll be one of the surprises.