Analysis of Ted Bundy
Adam Boncic
Ramapo College
The Dangerous Mind of a Serial Killer
Analysis of Ted Bundy What complex motives could have possibly driven an individual to passionate murder, contributing to over a hundred deaths? These brash, relentless actions can be influenced by a range of psychological, genetic and environmental factors. Unraveling the mind of a serial killer is far from simple, but there is almost always a catalyst towards their demeanor. There are, in fact, many diverse explanations for their sadism; some suffer from a brutal childhood, dysfunctional family, psychological disorders and mental illnesses. Anyone of these aspects could contribute to the psychopathic qualities of a serial killer. Specifically, there is America 's most notorious serial killer, Ted Bundy, who validated for more than half of these accounts. On the surface though, Bundy appeared essentially normal to others. People thought he was a very verbally articulate, intelligent and even a charming man. They fell under his spell; they would not believe any accusations against Bundy. He built a façade, he oozed sincerity, and developed his false character very well. Meanwhile, behind closes doors, Ted Bundy committed a gross number of heinous murders. What led up to his attacks? This charismatic killer suffered from a combination of biological and environmental issues that triggered his motives for murder. The type of environment a child is raised around is fundamental to their development. At a young age, personality begins to shape and is carried with them their entire lives. Moreover, looking through the lens of Ted Bundy, you will find a very troubling childhood which systematically only led to a more troubled adulthood. "Defense psychiatrist Dorothy Lewis said Tuesday that Bundy is mentally ill, that he suffered from a strange childhood that was bound to 'produce someone incredibly violent '" (Crawford, 1987, A1).
References: Anderson, W. (1999). Can personality disorders be used as predictors of serial killers?. Futurics, 23(3/4), 34-43. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/ docview/219813630?accountid=13420;. Anonymous. (2010, Oct 09). A portrait of four serial killers. Toronto Star. http://search.proquest.com/docview/757062575?accountid=13420;. Anonymous. (2007, Mar 04). Ted Bundy. http://criminalminds.wikia.com/wiki/Ted_Bundy Crawford, J. (1987, Dec 16). Bundy called product of a strange childhood: [3 star edition]. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/p qcentral/docview/277153887/13A0A1A2D30765877F4/1?accountid=13420. Umbsaar, R. (2008, Aug 21). Porn was Bundy 's undoing. Calgary Herald. http://search.proquest.com/pqcentral/docview/243772654/13A3 E6DC0B257FE9045/6?. Markowitz, A. (1989, Jan 29). Ted bundy: A horror story; mass murderer started with petty crimes - and ended up in the electric chair. The Gazette. http://search.proquest.com/docview/431736519?accountid=13420;. Rayman-Duitman, J. (2001, Apr 17). Bundy 's story a lesson in porn. South Bend Tribune. http://search.proquest.com/pqcentral/docview/417066535/13A3DDEB3DC546B6C86/5? accountid=13420. Ted bundy. (n.d.). http://vanessawest.tripod.com/bundy.html