52-Year-Old Murder Case Solved!

Scientists collaborating in a laboratory around a microscope — Photo: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

Utah authorities have officially closed a 52-year-old murder case, saying DNA evidence proves serial killer Ted Bundy killed a 17-year-old girl in 1974.

Story Snapshot

Summit County officials say DNA links Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of Melissa Ann Smith, a 17-year-old from Midvale, Utah.
The Utah State Crime Lab found a DNA profile from Smith’s body matched a profile from victim Laura Aime, which had already been tied to Bundy.
Officials say the match used Y-STR testing, a method that traces DNA passed down through the male line.
Summit County has formally closed the cold case, though Bundy was executed in 1989 and can’t respond to the claim.
The announcement adds Smith’s name to the list of victims tied to Bundy, who already confessed to dozens of murders.

Crime Lab Finds A Genetic Link Across Two Cold Cases

Investigators say the Utah State Crime Lab tested old biological evidence from Smith’s body and found it matched a DNA profile already connected to another victim, Laura Aime. That Aime profile had previously been matched to Bundy’s archived DNA sample from Florida, where he was held before his 1989 execution.

Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said the genetic evidence, combined with other investigative details, left no doubt about what happened. “This DNA evidence, when considered alongside evidence related to pattern, motive, means and opportunity establishes that Ted Bundy was responsible for Melissa Ann Smith’s murder,” Olson said.

Officials Formally Close A Five-Decade-Old Case

Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates announced the case is now closed. “Today, I’m announcing the closure of the 1974 homicide investigation into the death of Melissa Ann Smith,” Bates said. The announcement came alongside Olson’s statement, marking a rare moment where both the sheriff’s office and the county attorney’s office agreed a decades-old killing had finally been solved.

News organizations across the country reported the story within hours of each other on October 27, including CNN, CBS News, Reuters and The Associated Press. That kind of fast, widespread coverage is common when authorities announce a break in a case tied to one of America’s most notorious killers.

How Y-STR Testing Works And Why It Matters

The method used here, known as Y-STR testing, traces DNA passed from father to son without change for many generations. The Park Record reported that investigators found this male-line DNA type connected Smith’s case to Aime’s case, and that the shared profile matched Bundy’s archived sample.

Forensic researchers note that Y-STR testing is a powerful tool for identifying a paternal family line, but it works differently than standard DNA matching. Because the Y chromosome passes down largely unchanged, men who share a direct paternal ancestor can carry the same profile, even if they are not the same person.

That’s why Y-STR evidence is often most useful when paired with other proof, like physical evidence, timelines, or known movements of a suspect. Officials in this case said they relied on more than genetics alone, pointing to pattern, motive, means and opportunity to support their conclusion.

A Case That Can No Longer Be Challenged In Court

Bundy was executed by electric chair in Florida in 1989, after confessing to around 30 murders across several states. Because he is dead, no trial, defense attorney or judge will ever test this new evidence against him in court.

That reality doesn’t erase the weight of the announcement, but it does mean the public is relying on investigators’ and prosecutors’ conclusions rather than a courtroom verdict. Authorities in Utah say they stand fully behind the DNA findings and the decision to close the case.

52 years later, DNA names her killer.

Ted Bundy.

Melissa Ann Smith, 17, daughter of the Midvale, Utah police chief.

Murdered in 1974.

Bundy was suspected since 1976, finally confirmed by new DNA tech.

Announced 52 years to the day after her body was found.

Bundy murdered… pic.twitter.com/kTMJofyO6H

— Kentucky Girl (@Kentuckygirl1) October 28, 2026

Smith’s case now joins a growing list of cold cases solved decades later thanks to preserved evidence and modern DNA testing. For the family of a 17-year-old girl killed more than 50 years ago, Utah officials say they finally have an answer.