“I just liked to kill. I wanted to kill.” ~Ted Bundy
People love asking me why I think Ted Bundy was a serial killer. There are many ways to interpret this question, but here are my thoughts. Based on Bundy’s troubled relationship with his mother (he thought she was his sister for many years), his childhood living with his violent grandfather, and his inability to relate socially with others, I believe Bundy began living in a fantasy world as a child. He loved listening to the radio and later told investigators he often found himself living outside of reality. There is also an allegation that he was molested by a Boy Scout leader when he was around 12 or 13. What better way for a boy to escape the feelings of being victimized than to fantasize about being all powerful and controlling his own destiny?
Ted was never able to relate with girls growing up and it was during those years that he started peeping in windows. This was probably thought of as something a lot of young men did when they were curious during the 1950’s, but for Ted, it was the beginning of an obsession that continued until his execution in 1989. He was caught peeping once and it is thought that shortly after, he started stalking women. His first kill may have been as early as 1961 (he would have been 14), but police have been able to track his killing to possibly as early as 1969 (making him 22). Officially, Bundy was thought to have murdered women between 1974 until 1978. In that time, he is thought to have killed possibly more than 30 women. That makes him an extremely active serial killer.
Based on his high body count and comments related to murder, I think it’s pretty clear why he killed. Simply put, he liked killing. There was something animalistic and visceral about watching a woman die that sent him into the throes of ecstasy. Killing was synonymous to orgasm for Bundy as his sexuality became entangled with the brutal murder of young college-aged women. By the time he was arrested Florida in 1978, he had ruined countless lives and enjoyed every minute of his devious deeds. Luckily for women everywhere, Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989. The cowardly killer reportedly had to be dragged to the electric chair where he was given a much kinder death than any of his victims.
Confessions of a Bundyphile 
This is definitely some interesting information. I have read a lot on Ted Bundy and have always had that one nagging question as to why? Why, why why???? I don’t understand any serial killer but Bundy is in a category all on his own. For obvious reasons; one, he wasn’t a bad looking guy so why did he want the girl dead to have sex with her. Two, he was smart, had a degree. He could have been somebody important;other than a serial killer. And three, he seemed so ‘normal’ that its just so hard to understand this guy. So by saying he entangled his sexuality with brutal murder, plus he lived in a fantasy world helps me understand a little better. I know these families needed to see Ted die but me personally, I wish they would have kept him alive as long as possible to study him and maybe get some kind of answers as to how such a seemingly (at one time) cute, little, innocent boy turn into a horrific, deranged psychopath. I guess we will never know….
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Shawna Deyo: you still ask yourself how did bundy turn from innocent to deranged???? well your quest is over! stop searching! Cause you alredy said the answer as well as the administrator of this site! BUNDY SIMPLY WANTED TO RULE, OWN AND CONQUER A GIRL! u understand what Im saying here? to make a girl your girlfriend …IS IT REALLY MAKING HER YOURS? she could leave you if you not rich and have billions of dollars. but if you kill her and make her your absolute slave, then shes enterly yours:)) it is evil and wrong but hey…don t we all wish to have a perfect sex slave?:)) i know i do. plus everibody is searching for ansewers WHY? ….i think people are stupid. WHY? what do you mean WHY? CAUSE IS FUN TO PE ALL POWERFULL AND TO CONTROL LIFE! nobody wants to be controled BUT EVERIBODY WANTS TO CONTROL!
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In my opinion, I honestly think people are genetically born with the mentality of a serial killer and there is no cure for it. I was reading a book on Ted Bundy in which someone asked a psychologist (or a doctor along the lines of psychology) and asked “what is the cure for a serial killer?” The doctor responded with “a sledgehammer between the eyes.” So not only do I believe people are born this way, Ted Bundy was also left alone for 3 months after he was born, having no real maternal connection with his mother. It’s both nature (genes) and nurture (physical connections) that contributed to his sickness. IMO.
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He killed for the reason that almost all violent men kill — he was exposed to violence himself at a very early age. Ted as a small child witnessed a man being very violent, and most likely young Ted was the victim of this man’s rage himself. It’s too difficult for a child to process the fear that they feel when being victimized. What can happen during these beatings is the child disembodies and then identifies with the aggressor. Killing a vulnerable other is the way that the disturbed person processes and symbolically defeats his own vulnerability.
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Very good insight into the psyche of an abused child and future abuser.
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