Politics · October 27, 2026
Utah authorities are connecting serial killer Ted Bundy to another 1970s homicide
Utah authorities announced on October 27, 2026, that DNA evidence has officially linked serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith. The breakthrough followed the April 2026 resolution of the Laura Ann Aime cold case, where DNA testing confirmed Bundy's responsibility. Investigators matched a DNA profile from Smith's autopsy to the one found on Aime's body. Smith's body was discovered by a hunter exactly 52 years before the announcement, in a wooded area near the border of Summit and Salt Lake counties. While Bundy was executed in 1989 for murders in Florida, officials continue to use forensic advances to confirm his involvement in dozens of unresolved 1970s cases.
Read the original coverage
- Associated PressAllSides: Lean LeftMBFC: Left-Center
Utah authorities are connecting serial killer Ted Bundy to another 1970s homicide
Read at Associated Press ↗ - Fox NewsAllSides: Right (Digital)MBFC: Right
Ted Bundy linked to another decades-old homicide nearly 40 years after his execution
Read at Fox News ↗ - CBS NewsMBFC: Right-Center
Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to another Utah teenager
Read at CBS News ↗ - The GuardianMBFC: Left-Center
DNA links serial killer Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah girl
Read at The Guardian ↗ - Washington ExaminerMBFC: Right-Center
Utah officials tie Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Smith
Read at Washington Examiner ↗ - Washington TimesMBFC: Right-Center
Utah authorities are connecting serial killer Ted Bundy to another 1970s homicide
Read at Washington Times ↗ - The Daily BeastMBFC: Left
Chilling New Twist in Ted Bundy Murder Mystery
Read at The Daily Beast ↗ - PBS NewsMBFC: Left-Center
Authorities say serial killer Ted Bundy is responsible for the 1974 murder of another Utah teenage girl
Read at PBS News ↗ - NewsNationMBFC: Right-Center
Ted Bundy linked to 1974 death of Melissa Ann Smith
Read at NewsNation ↗ - NewsweekMBFC: Right-Center
Ted Bundy: List of Known Victims as DNA Links Serial Killer to Utah Murder
Read at Newsweek ↗ - Deseret NewsMBFC: Right-Center
Ted Bundy tied to 1974 Utah cold case homicide
Read at Deseret News ↗ - Daily MailMBFC: Right
Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy linked to death of another teenager in 1974 due to DNA evidence
Read at Daily Mail ↗
Reported across the spectrum
- DNA evidence connects Ted Bundy to the 1974 death of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith
- Bundy was executed in 1989 by electric chair in Florida
- Authorities held a news conference on Tuesday regarding the connection
- The breakthrough follows a previous DNA link between Bundy and victim Laura Ann Aime
- Smith's body was discovered by a hunter in late October 1974
- Margaret Olson is the Summit County Attorney who announced the findings
Reported by only some outlets
- The DNA profiles matched were highly similar Y-STR profiles
- Bundy confessed to killing Laura Ann Aime before his execution
- Melissa Ann Smith's body was found nude and nine days after she went missing
- The DNA profile was cross-referenced through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
- Bundy killed at least 30 women and girls, though estimates range up to 100 or more
Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
emphasize the 'chilling' and 'murderous rampage' aspects of the 1970s crimes and highlight the ongoing discrepancy between Bundy's 30 confirmed victims and the estimated total of over 100.
Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
underline the precise timing of the announcement occurring exactly 52 years after the body was found and highlight the finality of 'closing' a half-century-old investigation.
Centrist outlets tend to focus on…
focus on the procedural success of forensic science and the importance of preserving evidence in resolving decades-old cold cases.
Where coverage diverges
Coverage diverges along left/right lines — see Framing tab for specifics.
About these outlets
- Associated PressAllSides: Lean LeftMBFC: Left-Center
- The Washington TimesMBFC: Right-Center
- Fox NewsAllSides: Right (Digital)MBFC: Right
- CBS NewsMBFC: Right-Center
- The Daily BeastMBFC: Left
- PBS NewsMBFC: Left-Center
- NewsNationMBFC: Right-Center
- Washington ExaminerMBFC: Right-Center
- The GuardianMBFC: Left-Center
- NewsweekMBFC: Right-Center
- Deseret NewsMBFC: Right-Center
- Daily MailMBFC: Right
CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.