30 Lives Stolen: The Definitive, Updated List Of Ted Bundy's Confirmed And Suspected Victims

Decades after his execution, the shadow of Theodore Robert Bundy continues to loom large over American criminology, primarily through the tragic legacy of his victims. As of late December 2025, new forensic advancements and renewed cold case efforts continue to bring closure to long-suffering families, confirming that the full scope of Bundy's heinous crimes may still be unfolding. He confessed to the murders of 30 young women and girls across seven states between 1974 and 1978, though investigators and criminologists widely believe the true count is higher, potentially making him one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history.

The victims of Ted Bundy were not just numbers in a case file; they were bright, promising students, friends, and daughters whose lives were violently cut short. This article serves as a respectful, updated accounting of the known victims, the survivors who escaped his grasp, and the enduring impact their cases have had on modern law enforcement and forensic science.

The Confessed and Confirmed Victims: A Tragic Roll Call

Theodore Robert Bundy (born Theodore Robert Cowell on November 24, 1946) was a charismatic law student who used his charm and manipulative tactics to lure his victims, often feigning an injury or impersonating an authority figure. While he confessed to 30 murders before his execution on January 24, 1989, only a fraction of those were confirmed through conviction or definitive evidence at the time. The following list represents the primary confirmed and strongly suspected victims whose cases define his reign of terror:

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• Karen Sparks (Jannett): Assaulted in her apartment in Seattle, Washington, on January 4, 1974. She was Bundy's first known attack and survived, though with permanent brain damage.
• Lynda Ann Healy: A University of Washington student who disappeared from her basement apartment on February 1, 1974. Her skull was later found at Bundy's primary dumping ground on Taylor Mountain.
• Donna Gail Manson: Disappeared from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, on March 12, 1974. Her remains were never found.
• Susan Elaine Rancourt: Disappeared from Central Washington State College on April 17, 1974. Her remains were found in the woods near Taylor Mountain.
• Roberta Kathleen Parks: Disappeared from Oregon State University on May 6, 1974. Her remains were also found on Taylor Mountain.
• Brenda Carol Ball: Disappeared from a tavern in Burien, Washington, on June 1, 1974. Her remains were found near Taylor Mountain.
• Georgann Hawkins: Disappeared from the University of Washington campus on June 11, 1974. She was lured by Bundy, who was on crutches, asking for help with his sailboat.
• Janice Ann Ott and Denise Marie Naslund: Both women were kidnapped in broad daylight from Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, Washington, on July 14, 1974. This double disappearance was a pivotal moment in the investigation.
• Nancy Wilcox: A 16-year-old high school student who disappeared in October 1974 from Murray, Utah. Bundy confessed to her murder, and recent DNA testing helped police confirm he was responsible for the death of a Bountiful teen, reinforcing links to this area.
• Melissa Smith: A 17-year-old whose body was found in Summit Park, Utah, in October 1974. Bundy was linked to her murder.
• Laura Aime: A 17-year-old from Lehi, Utah, who disappeared on October 31, 1974. Her body was found in a remote part of Utah in 1975.
• Caryn Campbell: A nurse who disappeared from a Colorado hotel in January 1975. Bundy was arrested for her murder in 1977.
• Julie Cunningham: Disappeared from Vail, Colorado, in March 1975.
• Denise Oliverson: Disappeared from Grand Junction, Colorado, in April 1975.
• Lynette Culver: A 12-year-old girl kidnapped from a junior high school in Pocatello, Idaho, in May 1975.
• Chi Omega Victims (Florida): On January 15, 1978, Bundy broke into the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee. He murdered two students: Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy.
• Kimberly Leach: A 12-year-old junior high student kidnapped from Lake City, Florida, in February 1978. She was Bundy’s final known victim.

The Breakthroughs: How Cold Cases and Forensic Science are Still Linking Bundy

Although Ted Bundy was executed decades ago, his case is a continuous source of study for cold case detectives and criminologists. The pursuit of closure for his many potential victims remains an active process, driven by advancements in forensic science that were, ironically, pioneered in part due to his own trial.

One of the most significant recent developments involves the use of modern DNA testing. In a case that had long remained open, authorities recently announced that DNA evidence confirmed Bundy was responsible for the killing of a Bountiful teen in Utah. This ongoing effort to re-examine evidence from the 1970s and 1980s using sophisticated genetic genealogy and DNA sequencing is providing a new pathway to resolve cases that were previously stalled due to a lack of physical evidence.

The impact of the Bundy trials on forensic science is undeniable. His 1979 trial for the Chi Omega murders was one of the first high-profile criminal cases in the United States to rely heavily on bite mark analysis as key forensic evidence. A bite mark on Lisa Levy’s body was conclusively matched to Bundy’s irregular teeth, a crucial piece of dental forensics that secured his conviction and set a precedent for the use of this technique in the justice system.

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The Unbreakable: The Survivors of Ted Bundy's Attacks

While the focus often remains on the tragic loss of life, the stories of the women who survived Ted Bundy’s brutal attacks are a testament to human resilience and played a critical role in securing his conviction. These survivors—some of whom testified at his trials—put a human face on the monster and provided crucial details about his modus operandi (M.O.).

• Carol DaRonch: In November 1974, DaRonch was kidnapped from a shopping mall in Murray, Utah, after Bundy, posing as a police officer, convinced her to accompany him to his car. She managed to escape by fighting back, leaping from his 1968 tan Volkswagen Beetle, which was a key piece of evidence in connecting him to the Utah disappearances.
• Kathy Kleiner Rubin: One of the Chi Omega survivors, she was severely beaten during the 1978 attack but miraculously lived. She later testified at his trial, providing a powerful account of the violence.
• Karen Chandler: Also attacked during the Chi Omega rampage, she survived with severe injuries, including a broken jaw and dislocated shoulder. She, too, provided testimony against Bundy.
• Cheryl Thomas: A Florida State University dance student and member of the FSU dance team, she was attacked in her apartment near the Chi Omega house shortly after the sorority murders. She suffered severe injuries, including permanent deafness in one ear, but survived.

The accounts of these brave women, along with the criminology analysis of Bundy’s psychological profile—which experts define as a textbook case of a psychopathic sexual sadist with manipulative charm—have provided invaluable insights into the mind of a serial killer. The enduring legacy of the victims of Ted Bundy is not just one of tragedy, but also one of profound change, driving law enforcement to embrace new forensic techniques and ensuring that the pursuit of justice for every life he stole continues to this day. Ongoing cold case work across Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Florida means that the final chapter on the full count of his victims has yet to be written.