Utah
DNA Breakthrough Identifies New Ted Bundy Victim In Utah; Could Solve Wyoming Cases
A more than 50-year-old Utah cold case murder has been identified as another victim of the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy using advanced DNA techniques.
The bombshell announcement represents a breakthrough that may lead to resolving other unsolved cases across the United States, and potentially Wyoming.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced at a press conference last week that Bundy was responsible for killing 17-year-old Laura Ann Aime in 1974, a crime that went unsolved for 52 years.
Aime had been at a Halloween party in Utah County the night she disappeared after leaving the party on foot by herself to get some items from a convenience store.
Aime’s body was discovered less than a month later on Thanksgiving when two hikers found her several feet from the highway in American Fork Canyon.
Her naked body had been bound, severely beaten and strangled with a nylon stocking, trademarks of Bundy, who wouldn’t be arrested until more than three years later, on Feb. 15, 1978.
Bundy is believed to have murdered at least 30 young women between 1974 and 1978 across seven states — including Utah, Colorado and Idaho — and was eventually caught in Florida after killing a 12-year-old girl.
He was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and other charges, sentenced to death, and executed in January 1989.
At Least 30 Murders
Bundy is believed to have killed at least eight young women in Utah during the mid-1970s, when he was a law student at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, according to reporting by The Salt Lake Tribune.
It’s not clear how early Bundy began killing his victims, though by the time he moved to Utah in 1974, investigators in Washington state had begun looking into the disappearances of several young women from where he previously had lived.
Along with Aime, Bundy is thought to have killed 16-year-old cheerleader Nancy Wilcox, who at the time was chalked up as a runaway, as well as high school senior Melissa Smith, whose body was found bludgeoned nine days after she disappeared.
Upon his deathbed, Bundy confessed to 30 murders, Aime among them, but the Utah County Sheriff’s Department and county attorney weren’t prepared to accept his admission based on the evidence and forensic tools at the time, according to the sheriff’s department.
This changed in 2023 when the Utah state crime lab acquired new genotyping technology that allows investigators to reconstruct a full DNA profile from small, age-degraded, or mixed samples.
A call to the Utah Department of Public Safety, which oversees the state crime lab, was not returned for specifics of the technology, but Sgt. Raymond Ormond of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said it has allowed investigators for the first time to create a full DNA profile for Bundy that has since been uploaded into the national database.
Along with solving Aime’s murder, the full DNA profile now paves the way for other agencies in Utah and elsewhere to potentially solve other cold cases involving Bundy.
Ormond said there are an unconfirmed number of other agencies interested in the Bundy profile but declined to name them or say if they are in Utah or other states.
There are four other known cold cases in Utah potentially involving Bundy, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Could There Be Wyoming Bundy Victims?
So far, it’s not believed that Wyoming is among the states Bundy admitted to killing victims in, but Ryan Cox isn’t ruling it out.
Cox is a commander at the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) who also oversees the state’s cold case division.
News of the latest Bundy victim in Utah made him consider the question again, Cox told Cowboy State Daily, though there’s no evidence at this time to suggest Bundy committed any murders in Wyoming.
“I have evaluated Bundy’s possible involvement in Wyoming. It is obviously a possibility,” Cox said. “Of the known deceased that DCI is investigating, it is possible, but no evidence points to Bundy.
“There are also all the other agencies’ investigations and the missing from that time frame to consider. I would not be able to say yes or no as to his involvement.”
DCI’s cold case database is still incomplete, though will likely continue to expand following legislation passed by the state in March 2024, called the Cold Case Database and Investigations Act.
That law made it mandatory for all law enforcement agencies to report to DCI all unsolved homicides and felony sexual offenses two years or older, dating back to January 1972.
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Florida State University’s Chi Phi fraternity celebrates the execution of Ted Bundy with a large banner that says, “Watch Ted Fry, See Ted Die!” as they prepare for an evening cookout where they will serve “Bundy burgers” and “electrified hot dogs.” Bundy attacked five women and killed two Chi Omega coeds on the campus in 1978. (Getty Images) -
A Utah booking photo of Ted Bundy. (Getty Images) -
Serial killer Ted Bundy after he was arrested for the murder of two Florida State University co-eds. (Getty Images)
At Least Four Unsolved Cold Cases
There are now four unsolved cases on the DCI Cold Case database between 1974 and 1978, the years Bundy is known to have killed victims, with three of those involving females.
This includes the murder of a 10-year-old girl who disappeared in Rawlins on Aug. 24, 1974, and whose body was found about eight months later.
Though not named, presumably this entry refers to Jayleen Dawn Banker, whose body was found eight months later deceased from a blow to her head.
Royal Russell Long, a long-haul truck driver, is suspected of her murder, though he was never convicted. He’s also suspected in the disappearances or deaths of three other young women in Carbon County during this time known colloquially as the Rawlins Rodeo Murders.
The other homicide listed in the database is Doris Kay Holmes, who was discovered dead of a ligature strangulation in her apartment in Sheridan on July 1, 1975.
In addition to Holmes, an unknown female was also sexually assaulted in a desert region of Green River on Sept. 30, 1977, with no additional details provided in the database.
Cox said that though evidence in many cold cases has already undergone DNA analysis, the agency is “constantly evaluating evidence in cases for potential DNA.”
Palpable Buzz
There was cause for celebration at the Utah County Sheriff’s Office when word came back that they had finally solved Aime’s murder, Sgt. Ormond said.
Ormond said new leadership in the detective division prompted the agency to put fresh eyes on old cases, and a decision was made to test swabs of bodily fluids that were pristinely preserved from the crime scene in 1974.
In light of the new DNA technology, the decision was made to “push this through,” Ormond said. Everyone was on board and excited, including the crime lab.
It took about a year to get the results back, but “the buzz was almost palpable” once they received the results.
“Not only does it close out this case, but we can finally reach out to Laura’s family with the good news,” he said.
People Still Care
The family was touched that the investigators and the public still cared about Aime’s case.
At the press conference, Aime’s younger sister, Michelle Impala, who was 12 at the time her sister was murdered, spoke on the family’s behalf.
“It’s really quite amazing that people are even still interested in Laura’s case,” Impala said. “Know I speak for my family when I thank you, and thank you media, too, for even caring.”
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Reynolds, who oversaw the investigation, called Aime a “quintessential daughter of Utah County.”
Watching Aime’s family last week brought home the tragedy for Ormond and the reality of a life being cut so short.
He said he watched the small group of Aime’s family run the gamut of emotions, and was particularly struck by Impala’s memories of her sister from the perspective of a young girl who was profoundly impacted by her sister’s death as was the rest of her family.
Ormond said having that closure was clearly meaningful for the family, but the joy was also overladen with a profound sadness.
“Here’s this person that was taken in the prime of their adulthood that should have been able to have decades worth of more memories,” he said.
But with Bundy’s complete profile officially in the database — and new and better DNA identifying technology being developed all the time — he hopes other families will get that same closure.
Jen Kocher can be reached at jen@cowboystatedaily.com.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah football’s first official visit weekend of the 2027 recruiting cycle has already produced a payoff, as Morgan Scalley has landed the commitment of three-star offensive lineman Sire Stewart.
Stewart, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound offensive tackle out of Chandler High School in Arizona, became one of the key names to watch coming into the weekend.
Utah hosted several offensive line targets as part of its first official visit group, and Stewart leaving Salt Lake City committed gives the Utes a tangible recruiting win at a priority position.
A Fast Win For Utah’s New Recruiting Operation
Utah’s first official visit weekend under Scalley was always going to be about more than hosting prospects. It was the first major chance for the new regime to show recruits and families what the program looks like with Scalley as head coach and D’Orazio helping guide the roster-building operation.
Stewart’s commitment gives Utah an early return from that effort.
The Utes need momentum in the 2027 class, and official visit weekends are where that momentum often starts. Landing an offensive lineman from Arizona also reinforces one of Utah’s most important recruiting priorities: continuing to build regionally while identifying prospects who fit the program’s developmental model.
Stewart had official visits scheduled to Washington State and Boise State but elected to give his pledge to the Utes instead.
Utah Got In Early
Utah’s pursuit of Stewart did not begin this weekend. Offensive line coach Jordan Gross offered Stewart in early February, with the Utes becoming his 10th offer and third Power Four opportunity behind Duke and Arizona. Since then, Stewart has added offers from Oklahoma State, Baylor and Cal, while also making an unofficial visit to Arizona State.
Utah was not late to the evaluation. The Utes identified Stewart early, prioritized him and then got him on campus for the first official visit weekend of the cycle. In modern recruiting, that kind of early relationship-building is important.
Gross may be new to college coaching, but this is a good first recruiting win. He gives Utah a unique offensive line pitch. He played at Utah, became one of the program’s best examples of development translating to the NFL, and now gets to sell that same path to recruits. For a prospect like Stewart, Utah can offer both a developmental plan and a real example of what that plan can become.
Building The Class Up Front
Stewart’s commitment also continues a clear early theme for Utah. The Utes are prioritizing the trenches, particularly from the high school ranks.
Utah has long built its program around line-of-scrimmage play, and that identity is not expected to change under Scalley. If anything, it appears to be one of the first pieces of the roster construction plan being emphasized in the 2027 class.
Stewart gives Utah a developmental offensive line prospect with the frame to grow into a Big 12 lineman. Listed by 247Sports at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, he still has room to add strength and mass, but the foundation is there.
This commitment gives Utah momentum, but particularly with the offensive linemen they’re in pursuit of. Utah will continue to push for fellow offensive linemen Lincoln Mageo, Ian Aloisio, Tye Kennedy, Damian Anyasodo, Gecova Doyal, and Amaziah Siale.
Mageo and Doyal were also part of the visit with Stewart, giving Utah an added presence to recruit those two. Kennedy and Anyasodo will officially visit the Salt Lake City this weeend, while Siale has been a big priority for Utah and will visit at the end of the month.
The Bottom Line
Sire Stewart’s commitment is not just another name on Utah’s 2027 board. It is the first real proof point from the Utes’ opening official visit weekend under Scalley.
Utah identified him early, got him to campus and closed. That is what good recruiting operations are supposed to do.
For Stewart, the commitment gives him a clear developmental home in a program that has long valued offensive line play. For Utah, it adds another piece to a 2027 class that needs to reflect the new regime’s roster-building vision.
The Utes have always believed in winning up front. Stewart’s commitment shows that message is still central to how Utah plans to build.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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SALT LAKE CITY — Lucas Horns points over a fence on Main Street toward an empty lot with a blue shipping container on it, tucked between downtown Salt Lake City’s tallest buildings.
That container, he explains, will serve as a makeshift bar on Thursdays and Fridays through the remainder of summer, set up next to a live music stage and a space that will be dedicated to various lawn games for people of all ages. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art will provide some art as part of an outdoor sculpture and food and drink venue combination aimed to liven up an otherwise dead space.
“Our hope is just to add to the ecosystem,” said Horns, program director for the Blocks, a joint venture between Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to develop arts and culture programs within the downtown area.
The Blocks is launching what it calls the “Art Garten” in the lot of the old Utah Pantages Theater, 144 S. Main, beginning this week. It’s a free event that blends a beer garden with live music, art and games for all ages.
A DJ will be spinning hits from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, while live music from the steps of the Eccles Theater across the street will fill the air during the same hours on Friday. A rotating list of DJs and live bands will fill in the space during the same hours twice a week for the next few months.
The event will include a rotating food truck lineup, along with cornhole, giant chess and other lawn games for people of all ages. The Blocks didn’t want to compete with bars and restaurants, so the hours hit around happy hour, while also being friendly for people with families, Horns said.
“We were interested in adding something new to downtown,” he told KSL. “There aren’t a lot of spaces where families can go, and the parents can grab a beer and hang out while their kids play lawn games. That’s kind of a rarity in Utah, and especially downtown, so I think we’re filling an important niche.”
At the same time, it livens up a piece of Main Street that’s been lifeless for years.
The Utah Pantages Theater was demolished in 2022, amid a last-second effort to preserve the century-old building. Salt Lake leaders approved a $0 sale of the building to international real estate firm Hines and local developer Joel LaSalle in 2019, setting the stage for a proposed 31-story residential high-rise on Main Street.
However, the project stalled with the market. “Unprecedented market changes,” such as record inflation, emerged at approximately the same time as the theater was demolished, making it difficult to secure financing for the project off the ground, a spokesperson for Hines told KSL in 2024.
The situation hasn’t changed much since then, leaving Main Street with a vacant lot blocked off by a large wooden board for years. Some of the lessons from “Open Streets” and other downtown activation events helped piece together an event to use the space while it remains vacant.
“We’re excited just to be able to do a pop-up park like that in that location on Main Street, with programming unlike anything else we’ve done on Main Street,” said Dee Brewer, director of the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance. “I’m really excited to see how the public responds.”
Hines cleared the space for the event, which will continue on Thursdays and Fridays through the end of September. Horns and Brewer say they expect the venue to return next year and potentially longer, depending on how long the tower project remains on pause.
It may not be the perfect solution to a development holdup, but they believe it’s an upgrade from the current situation.
“A blank, empty wall is never good for walkability or for the urban environment,” Horns said.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
SALT LAKE CITY — A law designed to prevent so-called “dumpster babies” is now 25 years old — and one of the individuals it was designed to save is now close to the same age.
Utah‘s Newborn Safe Haven law was designed to give pregnant moms a safe alternative where they could leave a baby they could not or would not be able to care for. The original sponsors of the bill say they don’t know how many children have been saved over the years, but one of them, Sam Peterson, was on hand to mark Monday’s special anniversary.
He said the law means everything to him.
“It is something that has given me my life! It’s my privilege to be a part of this law,” Sam said.
He stood next to his mother, Heather Peterson, who said she gets emotional talking about the law allowing her and her husband to adopt Sam.
“We feel like a miracle happened. We feel like you came to us in the most amazing way and you have an amazing story and we think it’s important that other people hear it,” she said.
Heather and Sam agreed that the Newborn Safe Haven allowed them to become a family.
It was a bill originally sponsored by former Utah Senator Patrice Arent a quarter century ago. Arent said she felt compelled to act after hearing too many stories about so-called “dumpster babies.”
“Babies that had been left to die in unsafe places like dumpsters or public toilets,” Arent explained, “Or even someone who left their baby in a drawer in their bedroom in Cottonwood Heights. I heard these stories and I just knew I had to try to find a way to provide a safe alternative.”
So Arent, a Democrat, worked with former Republican lawmaker John Valentine to sponsor and help pass Utah’s Newborn Safe Haven law.
Arent said it was a true bipartisan collaboration.
“It allows our birth parents to legally give up custody of an infant. It’s anonymous and it’s in a hospital. There will be no questions asked, and the baby then ends up in a safe, loving home,” she said.
Less than a year after the law went into effect, Sam’s birth mother left him at a Utah hospital. Heather said she and her husband adopted him three days later. Sam is now 24.
“We are living proof that Safe Haven works, because we didn’t know anything about his birth mom… It was like he just dropped out of heaven,” Heather said.
Sam said he is eternally grateful.
“It’s given me a family, it’s given me friends, it’s given me an opportunity to go to college. Day three, I was with my mom, and so she will always be my mother, and I will always cherish that,” he said.
Sam said he will be graduating next year from BYU with an engineering degree.
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