Bundy DNA closes 1974 case

True crime · Heat 9.8 / 10 · 2 shows · 11m airtime

Utah investigators announced on October 29, 2026 that DNA evidence links Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith, whose body was found by deer hunters. A profile from evidence preserved at Smith's autopsy closely matched Bundy's, compared against DNA from another Bundy case. Authorities say the match plus similarities to his other crimes closes the case, and they have contacted Smith's surviving family.

How 2 podcasts covered it

1. The Breakfast Club, 2026-10-29 (3:50 to 5:21)
   Reports the DNA match closing a 1974 murder
   Reports the DNA match that closes the 1974 Melissa Ann Smith murder, explaining the comparison against evidence from another Bundy case and the autopsy material preserved for over fifty years. A short front-page item with no new documents beyond the announcement.
   New angle: DNA from Smith's 1974 autopsy closely matched Bundy's profile, closing the case.
2. Murder Sheet, 2026-10-30 (8:10 to 17:22)
   Recaps the DNA link and Bundy's image
   Recaps the DNA link to Melissa Ann Smith and then spends most of its time on Bundy's pop-culture image - The Deliberate Stranger, Ann Rule's friendship with him, the fandom - arguing that Kevin Sullivan's books get closer to the truth. Stays inside the announcement.