Ted Bundy; Laura Ann Aime

Ted Bundy; Laura Ann Aime.Credit : Bettmann; Utah County Sheriff’s Office

NEED TO KNOW

Ted Bundy has been linked to the murder of a Utah teen more than 40 years after her body was found
The victim was identified as Laura Ann Aime, 17
Aime’s body was discovered bound, severely beaten, and without clothing on Thanksgiving Day 1974

Ted Bundy has been tied to the previously unsolved murder of a Utah teenager decades after her death thanks to DNA testing.

On Wednesday, April 1, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced that Bundy was linked to the 1974 killing of Laura Ann Aime, a 17-year-old who was last seen leaving a Halloween party on Oct. 31, 1974.

Breakthroughs in technology and teams “meticulously” combing through the details helped crack the case, the UCSO said in a press release.

“Existing evidence was submitted to the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services so we could utilize the various forms of advanced forensic sciences and professionals,” the agency said. “The results were magnificent as they confirmed irrefutably that DNA evidence recovered from Laura’s body verified the existence of DNA belonging to Bundy.”

The 51st anniversary of Aime’s disappearance approaching in 2025 brought renewed interest for Investigations Sergeant M. Reynolds and Cold Case Detective J. Hall, the UCSO said.

Laura Ann Aime

Laura Ann Aime.Utah County Sheriff’s Office

Aime’s body was discovered less than one month after her disappearance by two college students who were out for a Thanksgiving Day hike. Authorities described her remains as having been “tossed several feet from the highway, near State Road 92 in the American Fork Canyon.”

Aime’s body was bound, severely beaten and found without clothing. Deputies also discovered a nylon stocking that was used to strangle her.

Although Bundy was considered a suspect in Aime’s killing at the time, the case went cold without definitive evidence until now, per UCSO.

Theodore Bundy during the third day of jury selection at his trial in Orlando for the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach.

Theodore Bundy during the third day of jury selection at his trial in Orlando for the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach.Bettmann/Getty

Bundy was first arrested in 1975, but managed to escape from prison twice and continued killing.

During investigations, he told police he killed as many as 30 women, but authorities believed the number could be as high as 100. Bundy was later convicted of three murders, and sentenced to death.

Bundy was executed at the Florida State Prison at the age of 42 on Jan. 24, 1989.

Aime’s family and friends described her as “a tall, beautiful, outgoing free spirit who enjoyed outdoor activities and shared a passion for riding horses, hunting, and caring for her several siblings,” the sheriff’s office said in its April 1 statement.