Ted Bundy Essay Research Paper Ted BundyBrian

Ted Bundy Essay, Research Paper Ted Bundy Brian Plourde Professor Herring Criminology May 1, 2000 The name Theodore Bundy, more commonly known as Ted Bundy, is a household name. Not only is Ted Bundy a household name, it is one that sends chills through the bodies of those who hear it mentioned. This bone gnawing effect is felt more so through those who have daughters away from home, in college. For over two decades now, the mentioning of his name has gotten this exact reaction and will continue to do so for decades to come. Over the course of his killing career, Ted Bundy made himself one of the most notorious serial killers of all time, while going undetected for years. “He hid his murderous ‘hobby’ from all those who knew and loved him,” (Faces of Ted 1). He was a

very deceiving man, through his actions, his speech, everything about him. It was very easy for Ted to deceive his victims. “He was described at various times as the perfect student, a genius, as handsome as a movie idol, a sensitive psychiatric social worker, and ‘a young man for whom the future could surely hold only success’,” (Sears 1). All of these are traits that are incredibly dangerous in a serial killer. Serial killings have been one of the most terrifying, violent crimes in the United States for a great deal of time now. Serial killers “Typically commit their murders over a considerable span of time – sometimes years,” (Serial Killers). Serial murderers tend to have a bit of down time between murders. They also tend to target a certain type of victim and

commit their murders in similar places (Serial Killers). “Serial murder has become one of the central concerns in homicide investigation?” (Keppel 3). There are two distinct reasons for this. One is because it happens so frequently. The other is because it befuddles investigative agencies with its unique problems (Keppel 3). Ted Bundy grew up in what today’s society would call “a dysfunctional home.” For the first 23 years of his life, Ted believed that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister. He was born Theodore Robert Cowell on November 24, 1946 to 22- year-old Eleanor Louise Cowell (Bell 2). Throughout his entire life, Ted never knew his real father, Lloyd Marshall. The confusion that Ted lived his life through came into play shortly after

his birth. He and his mother moved back to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to live with her parents. Soon enough, Ted began referring to his grandparents as mother and father, not knowing the truth. His mother allowed this because it aided her in escaping “?any harsh criticism and prejudice for being an unwed mother,” (Bell 2). Not knowing otherwise, Ted only knew and thought of Eleanor as his big sister, not his mother like she truly was. Ted did not get too much time to settle in his new surroundings in Philadelphia. He was just four years of age when he and his birth mother moved again. This time, the move was across the country, to Tacoma, Washington. Ted was severely distraught by leaving his beloved grandfather, who he thought was his father. This “was a traumatic

experience, from which Ted never quite recovered,” (Sears 2). Again they moved in with relatives, except this time they changed their names. “Ted became Theodore Robert Nelson and his mother Eleanor became Louise Cowell,” (Bell 2). It was here, in Washington, where Eleanor would wed again. She married a man “?by the name of Johnnie Culpepper Bundy, whose last name Ted would assume for the rest of his life, a name that would later become synonymous with murder,” (Bell 2). Ted never really liked the idea of being a Bundy, “?he thought of himself as more of a Cowell?” (Bell 2). Ted attributed not feeling socially adept to what he referred to as, “?the ‘lack of IQ’ of the entire Bundy clan,” (Sears 3). He grew up as a very shy child. During gym classes in junior