DNA ties Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah teenager Melissa Ann Smith

Cold case closed 52 years after the 17-year-old's body was discovered by a hunter

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published27 October 2026

Updated27 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources3 outlets

Utah authorities announced Tuesday that DNA testing has linked serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, closing a cold case on the 52nd anniversary of the day a hunter found her body in the woods.

Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said at a news conference that investigators are satisfied Bundy killed Smith, a death that had long been listed as a cold case. Beyond the DNA evidence, Olson said, Smith's death bore the hallmarks of Bundy's "pattern, motive, means and opportunity."

Detectives made the connection by matching DNA between Smith's case and that of Laura Aime, another Bundy victim whose case was resolved last April in Utah County. Utah County Sgt. Mike Reynolds said a highly similar DNA profile linked to Bundy was found in evidence obtained from Smith's autopsy, and that the identifying DNA came from the Y-chromosome, which is present only in men. Utah County officials presented the DNA evidence to the Summit County Sheriff's Office on Oct. 7.

Officials have been in touch with Smith's next of kin, none of whom still live in the area.

"This case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.

"With every case closure, may we stomp the memory of Ted Bundy out," Reynolds said.

Bundy, who was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989 for the 1978 murders of two women at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University, killed at least 30 women and girls in multiple states during the 1970s, and many more escaped or survived with injuries. In his final days he gave a series of confessions, including to some crimes previously unknown to police, though not all of those cases have been confirmed. Officials have said Bundy had victims in Colorado, Idaho and Washington state, and they are working to solve the death of 16-year-old Nancy Wilcox, another likely victim in Utah.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The closure of a 52-year-old cold case shows how advances in DNA testing can keep expanding the confirmed toll of a serial killer decades after his death.
Law enforcement officials are citing the case as proof that preserving evidence can pay off long after an investigation goes cold.
Authorities say unresolved cases remain, including the death of 16-year-old Nancy Wilcox, another likely Bundy victim in Utah.

Background

Ted Bundy, one of the most infamous serial killers in American history, killed at least 30 women and girls across several states during the 1970s, and many more escaped or survived with injuries. He was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989 for the 1978 murders of two women at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University. In his final days he gave a series of confessions, including to some crimes previously unknown to police, though not all of those cases have been confirmed.

What to Watch

Whether DNA testing produces a similar match in the case of Nancy Wilcox, whom authorities name as another likely victim in Utah.
Whether the success of the Smith case prompts re-examination of other decades-old cold cases in Utah and neighbouring states.
Whether further advances in forensic testing add more names to Bundy's confirmed victim count.

Sources

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.

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SupportedMargaret Olson said Smith’s death bore the hallmarks of Bundy’s “pattern, motive, means and opportunity.”7NEWS: “Besides DNA evidence, Smith’s death had the hallmarks of Bundy’s “pattern, motive, means and opportunity,” Olson said.”
SupportedSalt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said, “This case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence.”7NEWS: ““This case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.”
SupportedMike Reynolds said, “With every case closure, may we stomp the memory of Ted Bundy out.”7NEWS: ““With every case closure, may we stomp the memory of Ted Bundy out,” Reynolds said.”
SupportedDNA testing linked Ted Bundy to Melissa Ann Smith’s 1974 murder.7NEWS: “Serial killer Ted Bundy is linked to another Utah teenager’s 1974 murder through DNA testing.”
SupportedSmith was 17, and her body was discovered by a hunter 52 years before the announcement.7NEWS: “DNA connects serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a Utah teenager, authorities announced Tuesday, exactly 52 years after her body was discovered in the woods by a hunter.”
SupportedUtah authorities announced the DNA connection on Tuesday, exactly 52 years after Smith’s body was discovered.7NEWS: “DNA connects serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a Utah teenager, authorities announced Tuesday, exactly 52 years after her body was discovered in the woods by a hunter.”
SupportedSummit County Attorney Margaret Olson said investigators were satisfied Bundy was responsible for killing Smith, and the death had long been listed as a cold case.7NEWS: “Investigators are satisfied that Bundy was responsible for killing 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith in 1974, a death that had long been listed as a cold case, Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said at a news conference.”
SupportedInvestigators connected Smith’s case to Laura Aime’s case, which was resolved the previous April in Utah County.7NEWS: “Investigators were able to close the cold case by making crucial DNA connections between Smith and Laura Aime, another Bundy victim whose case was resolved last April in Utah County.”
SupportedA highly similar DNA profile linked to Bundy was found in Smith’s autopsy evidence, and the identifying DNA was from the Y chromosome, present only in men.OPB: “DNA that identified Bundy was from the Y-chromosome, which is only present in men. A highly similar DNA profile was found in evidence obtained from Smith’s autopsy.”
SupportedUtah County officials presented the DNA evidence to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office on October 7.OPB: “Utah County officials presented the DNA evidence to the Summit County Sheriff’s office on Oct. 7.”
SupportedBundy was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989 for the 1978 murders of two women at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University.7NEWS: “Bundy was executed in 1989 by electric chair in Florida for the 1978 murders of two women at the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University.”
SupportedBundy killed at least 30 women and girls in multiple states during the 1970s, and many more escaped or survived with injuries.7NEWS: “He killed at least 30 women and girls in multiple states in the 1970s, and many more escaped or survived with injuries.”