Lullacide

Ted was the most charming young man you ever did meet. He had wavy brown hair, a warm smile, and the nicest manners. He studied law at the university! He volunteered at the crisis hotline! 'What a catch,' everyone said. And they were right, in a way. Ted was very good at catching things.

Bundy was known for his good looks, intelligence, and charm. He worked at a suicide crisis center.

Ted had a tan Volkswagen Beetle and a trick he liked to play. He would put his arm in a sling or wear a fake cast. 'Excuse me, miss, could you help me carry these books to my car?' The kind young women always said yes. Because that's what kind people do. They help.

Bundy used fake injuries to appear non-threatening and lure victims to his car.

Ted drove his little Beetle all across the country. Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Florida. Wherever Ted went, young women with long dark hair parted in the middle started to disappear. 'What a strange coincidence,' said the police in each state. It took them a very long time to connect the dots.

Bundy killed victims across at least six states. Victims shared a similar appearance.

Ted escaped from jail. Twice! The first time he jumped from a courthouse window. The second time he crawled through a hole in the ceiling. 'You can't keep a good man down,' Ted might have said, if he were a good man. Which he was not.

Bundy escaped custody twice, in 1977, before his final capture in Florida.

In the end, Ted sat in a very special chair in Florida. The kind of chair you don't get up from. A crowd gathered outside and cheered. 'Burn, Bundy, burn!' they chanted. And so the handsome helper helped no one ever again. Remember, children: a nice smile doesn't mean a nice person.

Bundy was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989. Crowds celebrated outside the prison.