Creepy But True: Ted Bundy
The Creepy Story of Ted Bundy & Liz Kendall (Kloepfer)
Liz Kendall also known as Liz Kloepher, Ted Bundy's ex-girlfriend, authored an interesting account of her relationship with Ted in 1980 which was published in 1981. It's titled 'The Phantom Prince: My Life With Ted Bundy.'
Although difficult to find a while back, I was able to locate a copy years ago and read it for myself. To be frank, I couldn't put it down. The book has since been made into a feature film starring Zac Efron and Lilly Collins called 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil & Vile,' available on Netflix. Liz's book is now available on Amazon and Audible.
Liz and Ted's relationship was said to be passionate albeit also on again/off again, and filled with insecurities on both sides. For years. Based on Liz's accounts, I interpreted their relationship to be anything but healthy or romantic, and more of an emotional and mental drain on Liz.
Liz always maintained that she felt incredible guilt about having turned Bundy in to the police, as it was her own tips and information that primarily lead to his arrest and subsequent execution. Liz describes this in detail in her book. This is also evident in the Netflix film as well as other films based on the same subject matter such as 'The Deliberate Stranger' (1986) and 'Ted Bundy' (2002) which are both equally as interesting -and horrifying.
In an interview after Bundy's execution, Molly, Liz's daughter, who was also close to Bundy, was said to have explained that around the time of Bundy's execution, her mother contacted officials in the State of Florida and pleaded to allow her to take Bundy's place in the electric chair. Her desperate request was declined and she was ultimately dismissed.
On the day of his execution, Bundy, who had converted to Hinduism, is said to have had with him a photo of her which he kept tucked inside one of his law textbooks. He always referred to her as "Poor Liz." Just before his execution, he wrote on the back of that photo, "You will always be the love of my life."
According to one article I read titled 'When They Electrocuted Ted Bundy, They Also Pulled The Plug On My Mother,' Liz and Molly continued to suffer even after Bundy was executed. The aforementioned article stated that, on January 24, 1989, the date of Bundy's execution after hours of emotionally frantic screaming and crying, Liz went into a catatonic state at which time her heart ceased beating...
The article further described that the moment the doctors shined a flashlight into Bundy's eyes to confirm he was deceased, paramedics were also shining a flashlight into Liz's eyes to confirm she was still alive. While her pulse eventually returned to normal, Liz is said to have remained in that state for 26 years.
I find the above difficult to believe, since Liz and Molly were able to give a rather revealing interview around the time the movie was being filmed, and both appeared to be doing well, or at least as well as one could hope. They also gave a very informative interview together which I was able to find through ABC News, and both looked well.
Carol DaRonch, the victim he was initially tried and convicted for attempting to kidnap, maintained in court that she was "only 95% certain it was Ted Bundy," who had tried to kidnap her while posing as a police officer at shopping mall.
There was much circumstantial evidence, as well. Had it not been for aggressive police under severe pressure to convict "someone fast," Ted might still be alive today, maybe even walking around in the world. It's speculated that there was still a shadow of doubt at the close of the trial, however Bundy was not acquitted (whew!)
It's also been suggested that Bundy was a kleptomaniac. He shoplifted and stole constantly, including useless items. He stole things such as plaster of Paris, crutches and latex medical gloves from the medical supply company for which he worked. He was, according to Liz, in possession of these items years prior to him actually putting them to use in his crimes. (How horrible it must've been for Liz to remember having seen those items, and realizing what he was using them for?)
Bundy maintained his innocence up until very close to his execution date in 1989 at which time he felt admitting to these crimes might assist in him receiving another stay of execution. After all, when he assisted the police in the Green River / Gary Ridgway case, that sort of tactic had worked back then. So, at the 11th hour prior to his execution, he began spewing forth admissions of guilt.
I am not saying that Ted Bundy is at all innocent. As a matter of fact, I believe the psychiatrists were correct in saying he had an antisocial personality. He caused great pain to so many people, and the ripple effect of that pain is astounding. I am saying however, that I can understand how and why Liz experienced mixed emotions and guilt in her personal situation regarding Bundy.
Due to all of the above, for many years Liz is said to have constantly maintained her feelings of guilt for having "wronged Ted," but also felt sincere guilt and a certain responsibility to his victims and their families. Talk about mixed emotions!
The victims and their families are truly the ones who suffered most. It breaks my heart to even think about.
Another victim came forward many years later named Rhonda Stapley. As a pharmacy student at the University of Utah in October of 1974, she found herself waiting for a bus ride in poor weather when she accepted a ride from a handsome stranger that ended in an attack. She wrote an account of the incident and those which followed titled, 'I Survived Ted Bundy: The Attack, Escape & PTSD That Changed My Life,' which describes her experience.
I also came across another article on another blog website by the real estate agent who was assigned the task of remodeling and selling Ted Bundy's childhood home in Washington. (Yikes!)
The typically not-so-nervous construction workers who never before believed in anything paranormal fled due to the words "Help Me" being written on the basement windows (Ted's childhood bedroom was in the basement.) It's claimed that so-called messages from the dead ended up scratched into the sawdust on the floors. Creepy things would happen. The real estate agent decided to leave the long petrified skeletons of dead birds and animals in the air vent in one of Ted's rooms...
I could be wrong, but it's my take that the writing in the sawdust in the house was more of a mean-spirited prank between the workers than an actual paranormal incident. What a creepy way to break-up the boredom of the day! But, I can totally imagine how construction workers could have some fun messing around that way.
It seems that although Bundy is long gone, the aftermath of everything he left in his wake is still very relevant today. Although he was off the streets, the stories about Bundy including his creepy tactics maintain as cautionary tales. Never accept rides from strangers. Don't walk home alone at night. Never hitchhike. Watch out for anyone who appears to be injured asking for help. Lock your doors, especially at night. Beware of peeping toms, keep your curtains closed. When you think about it, many of these cautionary tales are due to Ted, himself.
So, what's your take? Do you think of these cautionary tales? Do you believe Ted Bundy's childhood home is looming with bad energy, or was it merely prank between remodelers?
Photo credit: Vanity Fair
Article Credit: Daily Mail - Is Ted Bundy's $300k childhood home haunted? Workers reveal how they found 'help me' and 'leave' mysteriously written across the walls and hired a priest to bless the house.
1 comment
Poor Liz :( D: