Theodore Robert Bundy (1946-1989) was an American serial killer who confessed to 30 murders of young women and girls committed across at least seven states between 1974 and 1978; the true total is believed to be higher. Known for his charm and ability to evade capture, he twice escaped custody before his final arrest. He was executed in Florida's electric chair on January 24, 1989.
Known Victims
At least 30 total — known victims include:
Margaret Bowman (21)
Lisa Levy (20)
Location
661 W Jefferson St, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Summary
Ted Bundy broke into the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University, killing two women and injuring three others in a brutal attack.
Details
In the early hours of January 15, 1978, Bundy entered the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University in Tallahassee and bludgeoned and strangled the sleeping students, killing Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy and gravely injuring Karen Chandler and Kathy Kleckner. Soon after he attacked Cheryl Thomas in a nearby apartment, who survived. Bite-mark evidence on Levy and eyewitness testimony helped convict him. Arrested in Pensacola on February 15, 1978, he was tried in 1979, sentenced to death, and executed on January 24, 1989.
Background
Theodore Robert Bundy (born November 24, 1946, in Burlington, Vermont) was an American serial killer who murdered numerous young women across several U.S. states during the 1970s. By the time of the Chi Omega attack in early 1978, Bundy was already a fugitive. He had been arrested and linked to killings in Utah and Colorado, where he faced charges including the murder of Caryn Campbell. In December 1977, Bundy escaped from a county jail in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, by squeezing through a ceiling opening, and made his way across the country, eventually arriving in Tallahassee, Florida.
In Tallahassee, Bundy adopted an alias and rented a room at a boarding house near the Florida State University campus. He supported himself partly through theft, including stolen credit cards and a stolen vehicle. Living in close proximity to the university placed him near a community of young students, and within weeks of his arrival the attacks at the Chi Omega sorority house occurred.
The Chi Omega Attack
In the early morning hours of January 15, 1978, Bundy entered the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University through a rear door. Over a span of minutes, he attacked four young women as they slept, using a wooden club and committing acts of severe violence. Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman were killed in the attack. Two other residents, Kathy Kleiner and Karen Chandler, survived but suffered serious injuries.
After leaving the sorority house, Bundy attacked another young woman, Cheryl Thomas, in a residence a short distance away. Thomas survived but sustained lasting injuries. The speed and ferocity of the assaults, carried out in a house full of sleeping residents, shocked the Tallahassee community and drew national attention. Roughly three weeks later, Bundy abducted and murdered 12-year-old Kimberly Leach in Lake City, Florida, a crime for which he would also later be convicted.
Investigation and Arrest
The Chi Omega attack initially yielded limited physical evidence, but investigators recovered key items, including bite mark evidence left on one of the victims, which would later prove significant at trial. Survivors and a witness who saw a man leaving the sorority house provided information to police.
Bundy's time as a fugitive in Florida ended on February 15, 1978, when he was stopped by a police officer in Pensacola while driving a stolen vehicle. After his arrest, authorities connected him to the Tallahassee crimes and to his prior identity and outstanding charges in other states. Investigators across multiple jurisdictions began piecing together the broader scope of Bundy's criminal history.
Trial and Sentence
Bundy's trial for the Chi Omega murders began in 1979 in Miami, after a change of venue. The proceedings drew extensive media coverage and were among the first U.S. trials to be televised nationally. Bundy, who had legal training, participated actively in his own defense and at times acted as his own attorney.
A central piece of evidence was the bite mark found on victim Lisa Levy, which prosecution experts matched to Bundy's dentition. In July 1979, the jury convicted Bundy of the murders of Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman, as well as the assaults on the surviving victims. He was sentenced to death. In a separate 1980 trial, Bundy was convicted of the murder of Kimberly Leach and received an additional death sentence.
Execution and Legacy
After years of appeals, Bundy was executed in the electric chair at Florida State Prison on January 24, 1989. In the period before his execution, he confessed to numerous murders across several states. The total number of his victims remains uncertain; Bundy confessed to 30 homicides, though investigators have long believed the true figure may be higher. The exact count is considered unresolved.
The Chi Omega murders, along with Bundy's televised trial and his articulate, manipulative public persona, made him one of the most studied figures in the history of American crime. His case influenced public understanding of serial offenders and contributed to law enforcement profiling efforts. The survivors of the Chi Omega attack have, in later years, spoken publicly about their experiences. Bundy remains a frequent subject of books, documentaries, and academic study.
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Frequently asked questions
What was the Ted Bundy - Chi Omega Sorority Murders case?
Ted Bundy broke into the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University, killing two women and injuring three others in a brutal attack.
Who was responsible for Ted Bundy - Chi Omega Sorority Murders?
Ted Bundy. Theodore Robert Bundy (1946-1989) was an American serial killer who confessed to 30 murders of young women and girls committed across at least seven states between 1974 and 1978; the true total is believed to be higher. Known for his charm and ability to evade capture, he twice escaped custody before his final arrest. He was executed in Florida's electric chair on January 24, 1989.
How many victims were there in the Ted Bundy - Chi Omega Sorority Murders case?
At least 30 victims are associated with this case, including named victims such as Margaret Bowman, Lisa Levy.
Where and when did the Ted Bundy - Chi Omega Sorority Murders case take place?
It took place in Tallahassee, Florida, USA in 1978.
Was the Ted Bundy - Chi Omega Sorority Murders case solved?
