Ted Bundy Linked to Another 1970s Murder: What We Know About the Newly Solved Case
Authorities just linked Ted Bundy to another 1974 murder in Utah using DNA, more than 50 years later
Oct. 28 2026, Published 7:21 a.m. ET
Ted Bundy has been officially linked to another 1970s murder after Utah investigators used DNA evidence to close the 52-year-old cold case of Melissa Ann Smith, a 17-year-old whose body was found in Summit County in 1974.
Authorities announced the finding on October 27, saying evidence from Smith's case matched DNA connected to another Utah teenager, Bundy, who was officially linked to the case earlier this year.
Investigators also said similarities involving pattern, motive, means, and opportunity supported their conclusion.
The case is the second Utah cold case closed in 2026 after investigators connected the crime to Bundy. The breakthrough also underscores how newer forensic technology can allow authorities to reexamine evidence collected decades ago.
Who Was Melissa Ann Smith, the Teenager Ted Bundy Killed?
DNA testing finally closed the cold case of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, tying her death to Ted Bundy
Smith was a 17-year-old from Midvale, Utah, and the daughter of then-Midvale Police Chief Louis S. Smith. She disappeared on October 18, 1974, after leaving a pizza restaurant in Midvale.
A hunter found her body nine days later in the Summit Park area near Park City. Her death remained unresolved for decades, although investigators had considered a possible connection to Bundy.
"Although there was much speculation regarding a suspect at the time, a suspect was never named, and the case was never officially closed," Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates said at an October 27 news conference
How Did DNA Evidence Link Ted Bundy to the Murder?
Bundy was executed in 1989, but new DNA evidence is still adding to the list of his victims
The breakthrough came after Utah authorities closed the case of Laura Ann Aime, another 17-year-old who was murdered in 1974. Investigators announced in April that DNA evidence definitively linked Bundy to Aime's death.
On July 14, investigators compared DNA from Aime's case with evidence recovered from Smith's body and found a match, according to authorities.
Utah's state crime lab began using newer genotyping technology in 2023.
The technology can help analysts develop DNA profiles from samples that are small, degraded, or contain DNA from multiple people, allowing decades-old evidence to be examined with newer methods.
"This DNA evidence, when considered alongside evidence related to pattern, motive, means, and opportunity, establishes that Ted Bundy was responsible for Melissa Ann Smith's murder," Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said.
What Happened to Ted Bundy Before the Case Was Solved?
Investigators matched DNA from Melissa Smith’s case to another Bundy victim, Laura Aime, solved earlier this year
Bundy was executed by electric chair in Florida on January 24, 1989, after being convicted of the 1978 murders of two women at Florida State University's Chi Omega sorority house. He also confessed to numerous other killings, although not every confession was independently confirmed.
Investigators had suspected Bundy's involvement in Smith's death for years, but the case could not be formally closed until authorities had sufficient evidence to establish his responsibility.
Because Bundy died decades ago, the latest finding will not result in a prosecution. Instead, authorities have formally closed the investigation and provided an answer in a case that had remained unresolved for more than five decades.
Could More Ted Bundy Cold Cases Be Solved?
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After more than five decades, police say they now have enough evidence to close Melissa Ann Smith’s murder case
Smith's case is not the only unresolved Utah investigation that has been associated with Bundy.
Authorities have also examined cases involving Nancy Wilcox and Susan Curtis, as well as the death of Deborah Smith, but they have not established Bundy's responsibility in those cases.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera stressed the importance of preserving evidence as investigators continue examining old cases.
"This case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence," Rivera said.
The Smith investigation demonstrates how preserved forensic evidence can become useful again as testing methods improve.
Utah investigators have indicated that solving another Bundy case does not mean every unsolved case associated with him can be attributed to the serial killer without additional evidence.
