Utah officials announced Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, that serial killer Ted Bundy was responsible for the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, using DNA evidence linked to a previous Bundy victim in Lehi to close a 52-year-old cold case. The announcement, made on the 52nd anniversary of the day Smith's body was discovered, follows a forensic breakthrough involving new genotyping technology.
DNA Breakthrough and Identification
Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates announced Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, that investigators have definitively linked Bundy to the 1974 killing of Smith. Smith, the daughter of then-Midvale police chief Louis Smith, was found by hunters in Summit County on Oct. 27, 1974, nine days after she was reported missing from Midvale.
Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson stated during a news conference that the DNA evidence, when considered alongside evidence of pattern, motive, means, and opportunity, proved Bundy was responsible for the murder. While Bundy is no longer alive to face prosecution, Olson noted that advances in forensic science and the dedication of law enforcement have provided answers to a case that remained unsolved for over five decades.
Lehi Connection and Forensic Technology
The forensic breakthrough traces back to a murder in Lehi. Utah County investigators closed the case of 17-year-old Laura Ann Aime in April after new DNA technology tied her death to Bundy. Aime disappeared on Halloween night 1974 after leaving a party in Lehi, and her body was discovered near American Fork Canyon on Nov. 27, 1974.
Following the closure of the Aime case, Summit County requested to share the DNA profile developed by Utah County. On July 14, the Utah State Crime Lab compared Y-STR DNA from Aime's case with DNA taken from Smith's remains and found a match, as reported by ABC4. This comparison was made possible by new genotyping technology introduced in 2023, which allows investigators to build full DNA profiles from degraded or mixed samples that older methods could not analyze.
Tribute to Law Enforcement
The announcement was made at a press conference in Park City alongside Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera, Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith, crime lab analysts, and investigators from multiple agencies. Rivera emphasized the importance of maintaining evidence over many decades, noting that when a Summit County detective contacted her agency in June 2025, a Salt Lake detective was able to locate original investigative reports and evidence that helped connect the cases.
Utah County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Mike Reynolds dedicated the closure of the case to the memory of the late Lt. Alan Siddoway, a 42-year law enforcement veteran who died of cancer on Oct. 11. Reynolds stated that the hearts and minds of the county mourn Smith's loss and noted the "wake of pain and sorrow" left behind for the victim's family and community.
Bundy's Criminal History
The identification of Bundy's involvement in the Smith murder follows a history of suspected crimes across multiple states. Bundy, who was executed in Florida in 1989, confessed to killing at least 30 women, though authorities suspected he was lying to gain infamy. He was estimated to have killed between 20 and 100 women in at least seven states, including California, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Florida.
Bundy was convicted of three murders, including that of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. On the eve of his execution, he spoke with detectives from Utah, Idaho, and Washington, though officials at the time, such as Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth, described him as a "conniver" who was attempting to manipulate the system through last-minute confessions.
Ongoing Investigations
The investigation into Bundy's activities in Utah during 1974 remains a focus for law enforcement. In the months surrounding the Smith murder, other incidents occurred, including the kidnapping of Carol Daronch on Nov. 8, 1974. Daronch testified that Bundy kidnapped her from a shopping center parking lot and handcuffed her before she escaped by jumping from his Volkswagen.
In November 1974, 17-year-old Debra Kent was also kidnapped and murdered north of Salt Lake City in Bountiful. Additionally, investigators continue to pursue leads in other suspected cases, including the 1974 disappearance of 16-year-old Nancy Wilcox of Holladay, whose body has never been found. Salt Lake County Sheriff's Detective Ben Pender noted during the Tuesday news conference that closing the Smith case does not close the book on Bundy's suspected crimes.
Family and Legacy
The surviving family members of Melissa Ann Smith were notified of the findings but declined to attend the Tuesday announcement, as they no longer live in Utah, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
Smith's father, Louis Smith, served as the Midvale police chief and resigned from the department six years after his daughter's murder; he died three years later. His other daughter, Jolene, died in 2014, and his wife, Joan, died in 2024, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Key Points:
- Utah officials definitively linked serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith.
- The breakthrough was achieved using new genotyping technology that can analyze degraded DNA samples.
- DNA from Smith's remains matched a profile from another Bundy victim, Laura Ann Aime, whose case was closed in Lehi in April.
- The announcement was made on Oct. 27, 2026, the 52nd anniversary of the discovery of Smith's body.
- Investigators continue to pursue leads in other unsolved cases, including the disappearance of Nancy Wilcox.
