DNA links serial killer Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah girl

Utah authorities announced today that DNA evidence revealed the late serial killer Ted Bundy murdered Melissa Smith, 17, in 1974.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/27/ted-bundy-utah-murder

In April, Utah County detectives announced that new DNA testing confirmed Bundy murdered Laura Ann Aime, 17, in 1974.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/01/dna-links-ted-bundy-to-1974-utah-teen-murder

The Y-STR DNA profile recovered from Laura’s body was a genetic match to Bundy and was later matched to the profile found from Melissa’s body.

“This case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence, even when decades have passed,” said the Salt Lake county sheriff, Rosie Rivera, on Tuesday. “We have the ability to take a look at these cases again and again.”

I remind you that the State of Michigan refuses to allow the retesting of the children’s clothing in the OCCK case.  I have written many times about why that is probably the case, namely the blatant disregard for preserving evidence in these 1976 and 1977 cases.  Either way, an explanation is owed.

I remind you that a partial Y-str sample was developed in Kristine’s case in 2018 after a vaginal swab was retested.  A third-party lab was consulted and advised more sophisticated testing in order to try to yield more specific genetic genealogy results.  This suggestion was refused.

I remind you that there was much bluster about the hairs found on the boys’ bodies after it was finally established that hair evidence even existed in this case.  One of these hairs was found in the groin area of Tim King.  On his body, not on his clothing.  This and other hairs were previously misfiled with animal hairs.  The hairs found on the boys’ bodies, which yielded partial mtDNA profiles, were not properly stored, not timely tested, and are degraded to a point that renders this evidence worthless.  I remind you that no one will update the public on the status of this or other hair evidence.

I remind you that not once has any authority updated the public on the status of the evidence, the status of DNA testing, and that anything you have seen on camera during 50th anniversary coverage is basically irrelevant bullshit.

The importance of preserving evidence.  The importance of not being careless, sloppy, or beholden to a prosecutor who puts his thumb on the scale.

Melissa and Laura Ann’s cases were from 1974.  The OCCK kids were murdered in 1976 and 1977.  Somehow Mark, Jill, Kristine and Tim always fall between the cracks.

“I carry a quiet funeral in me for the person I might have become had this not happened to me.”

Testimony from one of the rape victims of Tal Alexander at sentencing today after the conviction in federal court of predator brothers Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander for sex trafficking and related crimes.  Each of the bros received a 30-year prison sentence.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/27/oren-alon-tal-alexander-sentenced-sex-trafficking

Evidence at trial established that these wealthy, wealthy asshole brothers lured women to luxury locations before using drugs or force to rape and sexually assault them – many of whom were unconscious or completely incapacitated.   The evidence further shows that these predators began their savagery in high school.   Go figure.

Their attorneys painted the brothers as simple womanizers who had engaged in consensual sex with the drugged and incapacitated women.  They further asked the judge for leniency because the former womanizers are now dedicated fathers who are needed by their families.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/27/us/alexander-brothers-sentencing-sex-trafficking

They will appeal, of course, and are awaiting placement in federal prisons.  Hopefully in the general population, where there are other dedicated fathers with wives and daughters.

Meanwhile, another set of wealthy predator brothers, Andrew and Tristan Tate are currently jailed in a federal prison in Miami awaiting extradition to the UK on charges of rape, sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, human trafficking, facilitating travel for sexual exploitation, and the creation and distribution of CSAM.  There is also a long-running criminal case against these monsters in Romania on charges including trafficking of minors, sex with a minor, money laundering, and witness tampering.

The men are dual citizens of the US and the UK.

These bros are big Trump supporters and there are questions surrounding the provision for these monsters to leave Romania in spite of a two-year travel ban and come to sunny Florida, thus evading prosecution.

https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rm-raskin-rep-ansari-demand-answers-on-trump-administration-s-efforts-to-help-tate-brothers-evade-rape-and-sex-trafficking-charges-as-they-face-extradition-to-uk

The president’s youngest son is said to be friends with the Tate brothers and may face a Congressional subpoena to explain the extent of this friendship and whether it played any part in the lifting of the Romanian travel ban on the men, allowing them to flee to the United States.

https://www.lawcommentary.com/articles/barron-trump-could-face-congressional-subpoena-over-andrew-tate-ties-after-new-indictment

Andrew Tate’s extradition hearing is set for November 19, 2026.  Tristan Tate’s is set for November 20, 2026.  The men are both unmarried and both are fathers to children living in Romania.  It is unknown at this time if they are dedicated fathers.

 

 

It is a known fact that grooming can lead to child sex abuse which impacts a survivor’s lifelong health and education attainment.

Kyle Lesperance, a former Grosse Ile Township varsity girls’ soccer coach, has been suspended from coaching organized sports for having an intimate relationship with a 12-year-old girl, according to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.  SafeSport is a federally mandated creation of 2017 legislation amending the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 in the wake of people like Larry Nassar (MSU), Robert Anderson (U of M), George Tyndall (USC), Richard Strauss (Ohio State), Jerry Sandusky (Penn State) and Robert Murphy (NC State U).

Lesperance was 31 at the time an investigation was begun into the thousands of texts he was sending a then 12 and later 13-year-old soccer player, sometimes late into the night.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/grosse-ile-soccer-coach-suspended-020847180.html

According to reporting, when SafeSport began its investigation in 2025, Lesperance abruptly quit as the Grosse Ile High School’s Girl Varsity Coach.  However, he still runs Chaos Soccer Club on Grosse Ile, and is somehow permitted to continue organizing, managing and directing tournaments as an administrator.

Check out this letter to the “Chaos Families,” describing a “communication-policy violation,”  involving “a text message sent to a player.”

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/10/25/wayne-county-kids-soccer-coach-suspended-over-alleged-relationship-with-minor-player/

Actually, it was much more than A text message and it is known as GROOMING.  As discussed in this news clip, Michigan does not criminalize the grooming of children.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/grosse-ile-soccer-coach-suspended-after-watchdog-finds-alleged-misconduct-involving-minor.amp

In fact, most states do not criminalize the grooming of children.

Anti-Grooming Laws

Which is why, especially in a state like Michigan, which has the highest documented number of institutional victims of widespread, systemic abuse by university athletic staff or campus doctors, SafeSport has proven to be so necessary.  Over 1,050 (primarily male students and athletes) accused the late sports doctor Dr. Robert Anderson of abuse spanning from the 1960s to 2003 at the University of Michigan.  More than 330 women and girls, including prominent NCAA student-athletes and Olympic gymnasts, came forward against former campus and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who worked for Michigan State University.  This beats out California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, states having their own documented widespread, systemic sexual abuse by university athletic staff or campus doctors.

Think these crimes just start at the college level?  Kids are sitting ducks at a very early age when it comes to this shit and that’s what the 2017 legislation recognizes.

Disgusting and pathetic.  And a danger to the emotional, psychological and physical safety of minors we entrust to coaches and their staff.