A Sophisticated Killer

"Murder is not about lust and it's not about violence. It's about possession. When you feel the last breath of life coming out of a woman, you look into her eyes. At that point, it's being God."

Those are the words of Theodore Bundy. In his life, he was considered an attractive, well mannered and educated man. All through his life, he excelled in school and went on to becoming a lawyer. However, Theodore Bundy grew up to become one of America's worst known serial killers.

Bundy was a very sophisticated killer. The women Bundy targeted were all very similar. He targeted women between early teens to mid twenties. They all were caucasian with brown hair that was parted down the middle and all had dark eyes. It's believed that the women Bundy targeted resembled the women who broke his heart in his early adult years. She was a sophisticated, beautiful student with brown hair parted down the middle with brown eyes. She ended their relationship because she thought he was not mature enough for a true commitment. Some believe this was the trigger that started Bundy's killing spree.

He used very cunning ways to lure his victims, which is referred to as a signature. He would pretend to be injured or helpless. For example, he would wear a cast on his arm or use crutches while trying to carry books. He would also ask women if they could help him.

Once they were in his car, he would strike the women over the head with a crowbar until they were knocked out. He then preceded to sexually assault them and strangle them to death. The sexual assault gave Bundy a sense of power over the women which is usually the way a rapist maintain control. Then he would silence them by strangling.

Bundy killed many women across the nation. His first confirmed victim was Lynda Ann Healy. She was twenty-one when taken. He broke into her house, hit her unconscious and dressed her in clothes. Then he wrapped her in a sheet and carried her out of the house. A year later her body was found with her head decapitated.

Other victims were Chi Omega sorority girls, Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman, in Florida. Levy was twenty and Bowman was twenty-one. Bundy broke into the sorority house and killed them both from striking them over the head, but he sexually assaulted Levy. He was later convicted of this crime because of the bite mark he left on Levy. He beat two other women, but they survived the attack.

His finally victim was Kimberly Leach. She was twenty years old when murdered. He kidnapped, raped, and murdered her. He disposed of her body by throwing it under a shed. He was also convicted of her murder. This case is what gave Bundy the death penalty.

Bundy spent many years in prison before finally being put to death. Since he was a law student, he was able to use the justice system to his advantage by appealing his case for more than ten years. Bundy finally confessed to twenty-eight murders, but many suspect that there were many more. Many of his victims, to this day, have never been found. On January 24, 1989, Bundy was executed in the electric chair. Fireworks were used to celebrate his death.