Key facts
- Ted Bundy linked to 1974 murder of Melissa Ann Smith via DNA.
- Smith's body was found by hunters on October 27, 1974.
- The case was resolved 52 years after the discovery of Smith's body.
- Bundy confessed to 28 murders and is believed to have killed many more.
- Bundy died in 1989.
Authorities announced Tuesday that DNA evidence has linked serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith in Utah. Smith's body was discovered by hunters on October 27, 1974, in a wooded area bordering Salt Lake and Summit counties. The case remained a cold case for 52 years until recent DNA advancements, specifically Y-chromosome DNA, provided the connection. Investigators are satisfied Bundy was responsible for Smith's death. The same DNA profile used in this case was also used to solve the murder of Laura Ann Aime. Bundy, who died in 1989, confessed to 28 murders but is believed to be responsible for hundreds of deaths across multiple states in the 1970s.