Once Upon A Crime

In the final chapter of Ted Bundy for the Defense, the mask comes off.After the shocking courtroom moment in which Bundy cross-examined first responders and forced graphic testimony about the Chi Omega crime scene, the trial shifts decisively in the prosecution’s favor. Survivors take the stand. Forensic evidence tightens the noose. And Bundy—convinced he is the smartest man in every room—continues to grandstand, clash with his attorneys, and challenge the judge.Instead of saving himself, he helps convict himself.In this episode, we follow the full arc of Bundy’s reckoning:The devastating prosecution case in the Chi Omega murdersBundy’s tantrums and power plays in courtThe guilty verdict and death sentenceThe overwhelming evidence in the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly LeachThe bizarre courtroom marriage to Carol BooneYears of appeals, delays, and manipulation from Death RowBundy’s final “bones-for-time” confessionsHis last interview, last phone calls, and executionAt the center of it all is Bundy’s pathological need for control—over the media, over his attorneys, over the court, over the narrative, and even over the memory of his victims.This is the episode where Ted Bundy stops being a media myth and is revealed for what he truly was.The reckoning.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.A Light in the Dark: Surviving More than Ted Bundy, Kathy Kleiner Rubin and Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Chicago Review Press, 2024.Theodore Robert Bundy vs. State of Florida, Supreme Court of Florida, No. 59,128. May 9, 1985. | https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/59128/op-59128.pd“Bundy: Is this quiet, polite, intelligent man a mass murderer?,” The Orlando Sentinel, December 24, 1978. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/225594506/?clipping_id=new“Bundy: Attorney, Witness, and Defendant,” The Miami News, July 6, 1979. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/302743129/?match=1&terms=Bundy%3A%20Attorney%2C%20Witness%20and%20Defendant%20 About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Sponsors: Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After escaping from a Colorado jail, Ted Bundy fled to Florida — and unraveled.In this episode, we follow Bundy’s path to Tallahassee, the brutal Chi Omega sorority house murders, the attack on Cheryl Thomas, the abduction of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach, and Bundy’s eventual arrest in Pensacola after 46 days on the run.Gone is the methodical charmer of the Pacific Northwest. In his place: a reckless, frenzied killer who has lost control.About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.Sponsors: Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.