For nearly eleven years, America's notorious serial killer Ted Bundy sat in prison. He faced execution in 1989. Now, letters he wrote from death row to family members have come to light. These documents reveal a strikingly patronizing tone. They show Bundy expressed no remorse for his brutal crimes.
The Chilling Content of Bundy's Correspondence
Bundy's cousin, Edna Martin, recently shared details about these letters. She described how Bundy asked his family to ignore the overwhelming evidence against him. In one chilling passage, he wrote, "I will tell you this much, I have not killed anyone. I have no guilt, remorse or regret over anything I’ve done. What is done is done."
A Mask of Normality and Deception
Edna Martin, an insurance broker from Washington, began writing to her cousin in 1980. She hoped he might confess. She even asked him directly why he killed people. Bundy's replies were evasive and condescending. "I won't disregard your accusations completely... I will say this much, I have not killed anyone," he responded at one point.
He often quoted Bible verses. Martin found his overall demeanor in the letters to be "pretty patronizing." In one instance, he told her, "you don't know me anymore and you need to get to know yourself first before you can know me." He signed every letter with "Love, Ted," a stark contrast to the horror of his actions.
The Dual Life of a Killer
Martin reflected on Bundy's complex persona. "Ted was two people," she explained. "He was one person to his family and friends, and obviously he was something altogether terrifyingly different to his victims. I don't think he felt like he ever wanted to take that mask off with me."
Bundy's Crimes and Execution
Ted Bundy was convicted for kidnapping, raping, and murdering dozens of young women. His method was deceitful. He would often pretend to be injured, luring compassionate victims to offer help before attacking them. He would beat them unconscious, transport them, and murder them. Gruesomely, he kept severed heads as trophies.
Bundy confessed to killing more than 20 girls and women between 1973 and 1978. Before his life of crime, he presented a facade of normalcy. He grew up in Tacoma, graduated from the University of Washington, and attended law school. He even volunteered at a crisis clinic and worked on Republican Party campaigns.
His reign of terror ended on January 24, 1989. The State of Florida executed Theodore Bundy in the electric chair at Florida State Prison in Starke. The newly revealed letters provide a disturbing window into the mind of a man who showed no regret for his atrocities, even as he faced his final punishment.
