StMU Research Scholars

Featuring Scholarly Research, Writing, and Media at St. Mary’s University

October 17, 2018

“And most importantly, why?”: Ted Bundy’s Last Lie

Patrolman David Lee with the Pensacola Police Department was conducting his routine patrol in the early morning hours of February 15, 1978, when he just happened to cross paths with Theodore Bundy when he stopped him for a traffic violation. After a slight scuffle in which Bundy tried to flee, Lee managed to handcuff and secure him inside his vehicle. Bundy was quiet for most of the ride, and he knew his criminal adventures were finally over.1 After two successful escapes from jail, there was not going to be an opportunity for another.2

“I wish you had killed me.” He told Lee from the back of the car. “Would you kill me if I tried to run?”3

Before Bundy’s killing spree began, he attended the University of Washington, where he obtained a Bachelors degree and two years of law school.4 Based on the knowledge he gained in law school, Bundy insisted on being directly involved in conducting his defense in each of his trials, which is where his legal downward spiral began. During his sentencing trial, he attempted to connect with his jury and humanize himself by using carefully chosen Bible scripture. He wanted his largely southern jury to see him as comparable to Christ.  He assured them that he was no Christ figure, but he urged them to remember how Christ had experienced an unjust trial and was subsequently executed on the basis of that unjust trial.5

Ted Bundy at Trial, 1979 | Courtesy of AP Images

As his final trial started to come to its inevitable end, Bundy did everything he could to postpone his execution date. He had multiple interviews with several different individuals; in each interview he would reveal something about himself that he would use to charm or manipulate his audience. One of these interviews led to an examination of evidence to see if Bundy was incompetent at the time of trial, which postponed his sentencing hearing. When a reporter questioned Bundy in an attempt to get him to admit to the thirty suspected murders, Bundy replied, “Put a zero after that.”6 Though we will never be certain on an exact number of murders that Bundy committed, it is without a doubt higher than the thirty that he officially confessed to.

ed Bundy at Leon County jail, Tallahassee, Florida, 1978. | Courtesy of AP Images

Finally, on January 17, 1989, Bundy’s fourth and final death warrant was signed.7 It was at this point that he started confessing to multiple murders in an attempt to stave off his execution. After having been able to squeeze his way out of nearly every other situation he had managed to entangle himself in, he finally started to realize the inescapable reality, and the mask that he put on to keep the world from seeing him for what he really was, started to slip. He immediately began to look for his way out, trying to tug at the heartstrings of anyone who would listen. His last card to play was his interview with James Dobson.8

Ted Bundy at Trial, 1979 | Courtesy of AP Images

Dr. James Dobson is the founder of Focus on the Family, a Christian organization based in Colorado.9 At the time of Bundy’s interview, Dr. Dobson’s campaign was that pornography and violence were interrelated, and since Bundy was looking for a way to keep people talking about him, they were a match made in heaven. Throughout the interview, Dr. Dobson and Bundy were able to craft an entirely new story that thousands of people would believe. Bundy was able to portray himself as being corrupted by pornography from a young age, that pornography is what caused his violent behavior. Dr. Dobson had his perfect poster child. There was a question in the middle of the interview in which Dr. Dobson questioned Bundy about the murder of Kimberly Leach, and Bundy stated that he couldn’t talk about it.

“One of the final murders that you committed, … little Kimberly Leach, 12 years of age. I think the public outcry was greater there because an innocent child was taken from a playground. What did you feel after that? Was there normal emotions three days later? Where were you, Ted?” asked Dr. Dobson.

Kimberly Diane Leach, 1978 | Courtesy of AP Images

“I can’t really talk about that,” said Ted Bundy.

“That’s too painful,” Dr. Dobson interjected.

“I would like to be able to convey what that experience is like, but I can’t be able to talk about it,” said Ted Bundy.

“OK,” said Dr. Dobson.10

At this point, the camera caught Bundy’s quick glance at Dr. Dobson, clearly reading and carefully considering his next words. It was at this moment that Bundy’s eyes looked up at Dr. Dobson and in those few seconds his mask slipped, revealing the heartless murderer making his cold calculations on what his next move would be. The facade of the repented sinner that was corrupted by pornography that Bundy had been attempting to convey to us crumbled to reveal the truth, a psychopathic killer.

Ted Bundy in the interview with James Dobson, 1989 | Courtesy of AP Images

Throughout the entire forty-minute interview, he carefully chose his words in order to most effectively charm whatever audience he could manage to get his words to. This interview is where we get one of his most infamous quotes:

“And people need to recognize it’s not some kind of . . . those of us who are or who have been so much influenced by violence in the media, in particular, pornographic violence, are not some kind of inherent monsters. We are your sons and we are your husbands, and we grew up in regular families. And pornography can reach out and snatch a kid out of any house today. It snatched me out of my home 20, 30 years ago, and as dedicated as my parents were, and they were diligent in protecting their children and as good a Christian home as we had, and we had a wonderful Christian home, there is no protection against the kind of influences that are loose in society that tolerates. . . .”11

Ann Rule, a former co-worker and friend of Bundy, immediately recognized the interview for what it was: a final attempt to save himself, to blame someone other than himself for what he did.

“Dr. Dobson wanted someone to testify against booze and pornography, and Ted wanted to leave us all talking about him. He wanted to blame someone else for his crimes, and by saying it was us who left all those bad magazines on the racks, he became innocent in his own mind.”12

Outside of Florida State Prison, 1989 | Courtesy of AP Images

On January 24, 1989, Theodore Bundy died in the electric chair. As the white flag signaling his death was waved from the prison yard, cheers could be heard from the crowd gathered across the street. The chant “Burn, Bundy, burn!” paired with the banging of frying pans rang out in the early morning air.13

Dr. Dobson did not release the interview until after Bundy was executed. In a way, both of these men achieved their goal. Dr. Dobson had a real-life example of the dangers that pornography can have on a perfectly “normal human.” Bundy was able to keep people talking about him, his horrific murders, and what possible factors led him to commit those crimes. Several women viewed Dr. Dobson’s interview with Bundy and saw the compassion and remorse that Bundy was attempting to portray, while others were able to see through his last lie.14 Bundy went down in history for being one of the most cold blooded killers who will continue to be discussed for generations.

Though many people still protest Bundy’s execution, there is one thing we can all agree on: “He had an easier death than any of his victims.” 13

  1. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 16.
  2. Kristen Iversen, “When Death Came to Golden,” American Scholar 87, no. 2. (2018): 82.
  3. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 16.
  4. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 22.
  5. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 212.
  6. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 219.
  7. George R. Dekle, The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy (Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2011), 218.
  8. Kristen Iversen, “When Death Came to Golden,” American Scholar 87, no. 2. (2018): 88.
  9. Dr. James Dobson Steps Down as Focus on the Family Chairman (Colorado Springs, Colorado:  Focus on the Family. February 27, 2009), https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/newsroom/news-releases/20090227-dobson-steps-down-as-focus-chairman.
  10. The Associated Press,”Bundy’s Last Interview; ‘I take full responsibility,’” The Palm Beach Post, January 29, 1989, 7-8.
  11. The Associated Press,”Bundy’s Last Interview; ‘I take full responsibility,’” The Palm Beach Post, January 29, 1989, 7-8.
  12. LAST BUNDY INTERVIEW CALLED `CON GAME,’ Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News. September 12, 1989.
  13. Barry Bearak, “Bundy Electrocuted After Night of Weeping, Praying : 500 Cheer Death of Murderer,” Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 1989.
  14. LAST BUNDY INTERVIEW CALLED `CON GAME,’ Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News. September 12, 1989.
  15. Barry Bearak, “Bundy Electrocuted After Night of Weeping, Praying : 500 Cheer Death of Murderer,” Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 1989.

Tags from the story

serial killer

Theodore (Ted) Bundy

Recent Comments

Kenzi

Fascinating read and very interesting ending point!

reply

17/10/2018

7:18 am

Christopher Hohman

Nice article. I have read I think one other article about Ted Bundy on this site. This one was very good. You did a good job of portraying just how manipulative Bundy and other killers can be. He really did do everything in his power to trick people into believing he was a victim of society at large. Influenced by pornography and alcohol. It really sounds like Ted manipulated the heck out of the founder of “Focus on the Family”. He was given a platform that made him look like a victim and I hope that people saw him for what he really was, A cold blooded killer

reply

17/10/2018

7:18 am

Robert Freise

This article was an really interesting read. The Ted Bundy case gave me a realization that people that look like ordinary citizens can be serial killing psycho paths. The ways Bundy would lure his victims is quite smart, he would use charm to deceive the victims and wait for a good time to make his move. He was a sick man, but was an intelligent man. He was educated and had a degree from Washington University, which is pretty unusual for most serial killers. Great article!!

reply

17/10/2018

7:18 am

Bridget Trefethen

Nicely written! Interesting article.

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17/10/2018

7:18 am

Adrian Cook

Ted Bundy is infamously known for his raping and killings of women. This was a very well written article that gives the reader a deeper insight as why Ted would’ve committed these acts. I’m sure at the time it created such a stirrup in the world and many people had different views on it. But in the end Ted Bundy was electrocuted and the rest is history. I enjoyed reading and need to watch the interview with Dr. Dobson and see if I can understand how the mind of Ted worked.

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17/10/2018

7:18 am

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