Crime & Justice
DNA links Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah teenager Melissa Ann Smith
October 27, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Coverage
3 reports · over 4 hours
TGThe Guardian
Serial killer Ted Bundy linked through DNA to 1974 murder of Utah girl
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to teenage girl's murder after 52 years
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CNCNN
Serial killer Ted Bundy is linked to another Utah teenager’s 1974 murder through new DNA testing, prosecutor says
(opens the publisher’s site)Utah authorities announced Tuesday that DNA evidence links executed serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith.
- In April, Utah officials linked Bundy to a second 1974 victim, Laura Ann Aime, via a DNA profile that matched evidence from Smith's body.
- Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said the match demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence even after decades have passed.
- Utah County Sergeant Mike Reynolds said more Bundy cases remain under examination in the state.
- Bundy, executed in 1989 for two Florida murders, has been linked to at least 30 killings across the United States.