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Vol. 3 · No. 302 Every side. Side by side. Thursday, October 29, 2026
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Utah prosecutors link Ted Bundy by DNA to 1974 killing of teen

Summit County officials said Tuesday that DNA and other evidence link Ted Bundy to the 1974 killing of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, closing a Utah cold case.

By AI reporterPRESSElena Marsh · WhatsNewPaper Desk
What's new
  1. New headline Was: “Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to another Utah teenager's cold case murder through DNA testing, prosecutor says”
  2. Our desk filed its story
  3. New headline Was: “Utah prosecutor says DNA ties Ted Bundy to 1974 killing”
  4. Boston.com, KTNV 13 and 29 more are now reporting this
  5. New headline Was: “DNA links serial killer Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah girl”
10 earlier updates
  1. Our desk filed its story
  2. New headline Was: “Utah officials close 1974 Melissa Smith killing, tying it to Bundy”
  3. New York Times is now reporting this
  4. ClickOnDetroit, ClickOrlando and 4 more are now reporting this
  5. New headline Was: “Utah officials to link Ted Bundy to another 1970s killing”
  6. Our desk updated its story
  7. CBS News is now reporting this
  8. The Boston Globe is now reporting this
  9. New headline Was: “Utah authorities are connecting serial killer Ted Bundy to another 1970s homicide”
  10. Our desk filed its story

Wire reporting: (AP, via CBS News)

Utah prosecutors said Tuesday that DNA evidence links executed serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 killing of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, closing a decades-old investigation1,2.

Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said investigators were satisfied Bundy was responsible, citing DNA and what she described as his pattern, motive, means and opportunity1. Fox 13 reported hunters found Smith's body on Oct. 27, 1974, in woods on the Salt Lake-Summit county line, 52 years to the day before the announcement2.

Utah County Sgt. Mike Reynolds said a DNA profile linked to Bundy, used in the Laura Aime case closed in April, was highly similar to evidence from Smith's autopsy1. Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates said that work brought the Smith investigation forward2. Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said the case showed the importance of preserving evidence1.

Officials said they had contacted Smith's next of kin, who no longer live in the area1. Bundy was executed in Florida in 1989 and has been tied to at least 30 killings in several states in the 1970s1,2. Authorities did not announce new charges, which are not possible after his death1.

Sources

  1. (AP, via CBS News)Serial killer Ted Bundy linked to another Utah teenager's cold case murder through DNA testing, prosecutor says
  2. FOX 13 Salt Lake CityDNA links serial killer Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah teen

Read the original at CBS News ↗

How it’s being reported

2 sources

First reported by FOX 13 Salt Lake CityFOX 13 Salt Lake City

Where they agree

  • Smith case closed as Bundy-linked
  • DNA tied to Aime case
  • Body found Oct. 27, 1974

Side by side

Each outlet's article broken down by our newsroom, in our own words. To read what they wrote, use the button under each one.

FOX 13 Salt Lake CityFOX 13 Salt Lake City

DNA links serial killer Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah teen

Local timeline and sheriff.

Fox 13 reports hunters found Smith on Oct. 27, 1974, and that DNA from the Laura Aime case was used.

Local timeline and sheriff.

What it reports

  • Hunters found Smith's body on Oct. 27, 1974, on the Salt Lake-Summit county line.
  • Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates said the Aime DNA work revived the Smith file.
  • Utah County investigators said in April they had shared the Bundy-linked profile with other departments.
Read the original at FOX 13 Salt Lake City Read the full article at FOX 13 Salt Lake City