Authorities in Utah have used DNA technology to link serial killer Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced the findings on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, marking the resolution of the cold case 52 years after Smith’s body was discovered.
Melissa Ann Smith, the daughter of a local police chief, disappeared in October 1974. Her body was found by hunters on Oct. 27, 1974, showing signs of rape and torture. The identification follows a similar announcement in April 2026, when DNA evidence linked Bundy to the murder of another teenager, Laura Ann Aime, who was killed during the same period.
According to Utah County Sgt. Mike Reynolds, forensic evidence gathered during the investigation into Aime's death was used to help solve Smith's case. Officials stated that detectives had preserved evidence for decades, allowing for modern testing. Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera stated at a press conference that the case demonstrates the need to preserve evidence even when decades pass.
This development provides a resolution for the relatives of Melissa Ann Smith, who have waited more than five decades for confirmation of the perpetrator. The link to a killer executed in 1989 follows a report from the director of the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services in April that there were 444 unsolved death investigations in the state, including 258 homicides. While Bundy confessed to approximately 30 murders before his execution, he has been linked to at least 30 murders across the U.S.
The successful testing led to the official closure of the file. Sgt. Reynolds confirmed on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, that Utah authorities are still examining additional Bundy-related cases in the state. Bundy was executed in Florida on Jan. 24, 1989. The Utah Bureau of Forensic Services continues to process unsolved deaths using DNA methodologies.