New DNA testing has “definitively linked” serial killer Ted Bundy to the unsolved 1974 murder of Laura Ann Aime, a 17-year-old girl from Utah. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced the findings on Wednesday, bringing a long-awaited development in the case.

Decades-Old Case Solved Through DNA Technology

Laura Aime disappeared on Halloween night in 1974 while studying at the University of Utah. Her body was discovered less than a month later, bound and undressed, by hikers. Police reported that Bundy confessed to the murder before his execution in 1989, but conclusive evidence was lacking until now.

A Message to the Family

“We’ve had the desire to deliver to you some type of healing, we can’t really say closure,” Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Reynolds said, addressing Aime’s family. The state crime lab preserved evidence from the original investigation. In 2023, with the advent of advanced DNA testing technology, investigators were able to extract a single male DNA profile from the evidence and match it to Bundy.

Remembering Laura Aime

“Laura Aime is the quintessential daughter of Utah County,” Reynolds stated. Utah County is located south of Salt Lake City and includes the city of Provo. The investigation confirms Bundy’s pattern of targeting young women, with his confirmed kill count exceeding 30 victims during his years-long crime spree.