DNA evidence has linked convicted serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith in Utah, more than five decades after her body was discovered.
Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson announced the development on Tuesday, saying investigators were satisfied that Bundy was responsible for Smith’s death, which had remained unsolved for years.
According to authorities, a DNA profile obtained from evidence collected during Smith’s autopsy was highly similar to a profile linked to Bundy. Investigators also drew connections between Smith’s case and that of Laura Aime, another Bundy victim whose murder case was resolved in Utah County in April.
Olson said investigators also considered the circumstances of Smith’s death, including what she described as similarities in Bundy’s pattern, motive, means and opportunity.
Authorities said the case highlights the role of advances in DNA testing in resolving long-standing murder investigations.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said the case demonstrated the importance of preserving evidence, while Utah County Sergeant Mike Reynolds said investigators hoped each case closure would help diminish Bundy’s legacy.
Bundy was executed in Florida in 1989 for the 1978 murders of two women at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University. He was linked to at least 30 killings across several US states during the 1970s, although authorities believe the actual number of victims may have been higher.
Investigators are also continuing efforts to resolve the 1974 disappearance and presumed killing of 16-year-old Nancy Wilcox in Utah, who is considered a possible Bundy victim.
