The Case Study of Ted Bundy - 1365 Words

Ted Bundy Introduction Ted Bundy was one of the most vicious and notorious serial killers in United States history. His success in finding and slaughtering his prey was often due to his meticulous planning and preparation. In other moments he simply seized upon the opportunity to charm a woman he met without any prior planning and lured her to a place where he could kill her. He killed as many as 36 women, although authorities suggest that there may have been more victims than that. Was Bundy a classic case of a criminal whose activities can be linked to the Rational Choice theory? Do the principles of Trait theories explain his behaviors? This paper looks into those theories as they may or may not apply to the murderous life of Ted Bundy. This paper finds that Rational Choice theory fits the facts of Ted Bundys serial killing more appropriately than Trait theories. The Literature on Bundy and Appropriate Theories Looking into Bundys life, many of the facts and images from his early life stand in stark contrast to the vicious killings he engaged in. The young many Bundy was well behaved and grew up an attractive teen that was generally liked and who performed well in school, according to Charles Montaldo writing in About.com. When he enrolled in the University of Puget Sound, he did very well in his schoolwork but he was embarrassed that he had so little money and the students around him were far wealthier, so he transferred to the University of WashingtonShow MoreRelatedCase Study : Ted Bundy1221 Words   |  5 Pages Case Study: Ted Bundy Ted Bundy was born in Burlington, Vermont on November 24, 1946. He became his mother’s shame due to the fact he was conceived while she was unmarried and young. Eleanor Cowell, the mother of Ted Bundy had strict religious parents which put more pressure to the situation. Although there is not any information regarding the whereabouts of Ted’s father, Eleanor Cowell managed to deliver the child at a home for unmarried mothers. Eventually, she brought the child to her parentsRead MoreTed Bundy Case Study2485 Words   |  10 PagesTheodore â€Å"TED† BUNDY CASE Theodore â€Å"Ted† Bundy, the serial killer that was born as Theodore Robert Cowell, on November 24, 1946 killed between 1973 and 1978. He escaped from county jail two times before his last apprehension in February 1978. After so many years of so many denials, he eventually confessed to over thirty murders. Even though the actual number of murder victims is not known. It is estimated that the range of victims is from twenty-six to hundred. The wide-ranging estimate is thirty-fiveRead MoreCase Case Study : Ted Bundy1873 Words   |  8 PagesI decided to conduct my case study on Ted Bundy because his story and crimes always fascinated me and I wanted to attain a comprehensive understanding of what motivated him commit such horrific acts. Ted spent his early childhood growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his mother and maternal grandparents where Bundy was raised to believe his mother was his sibling and his grandparents were his parents. When Ted discovered Louise de ceived him about his parentage, he developed a strained relationshipRead MoreCase Study Analysis of Ted Bundy1041 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿A Case Study Analysis of Ted Bundy Introduction A personality disorder can be described as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that is extremely inflexible, deviates markedly from the expectations of a persons culture, and causes personal distress or behavioral impairment (Bernstein, Nietzel, McCauley Foust, 1997). Such patterns of problems in the personality of an individual can be traced to adolescence or even childhood. People who have been diagnosed with personalityRead MoreCase Study: Ted Bundy Essay2279 Words   |  10 Pages Theodore Robert Bundy was born Theodore Robert Cowell on November 24, 1949.His mother, Louise Cowell was unmarried at the time, and the name of his biological father has never been determined with certainty, however Lloyd Marshall was named on his birth certificate. Louise moved into her parent’s home shortly after Ted’s birth and allowed him to be raised as her ‘brother’ for quite some time. When Ted’s mother married Johnnie Culpepper Bundy in May 1 951 in Tacoma, Washington, when Theodore was fourRead MoreTed Bundy : The Most Notorious Criminals Of The 20th Century1716 Words   |  7 Pages Ted Bundy Ted Bundy is considered as one of the America’s most notorious criminals of the 20th century. He confessed to around 28 murders, but thought to be responsible for hundreds of deaths. He escaped custody killing at least three people, two college students and a twelve year old, before he was caught again and executed. While Ted Bundy is known for his charm, and many people believe he is a striking and intelligent man, he has a very troubled past; Bundy is remembered as a notorious serialRead MoreTed Bundy: Unlikely Serial Killer1415 Words   |  6 PagesTed Bundy: Unlikely Serial Killer Americans were shocked in the 1970s when authorities began reporting a string of disappearances of young women from Washington, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Florida and Oregon. The man behind these crimes was Theodore (Ted) Bundy. Many people still consider him to be one of the most notorious serial killers of all time and was once one of the FBI’s most wanted. He was officially tied to 36 murders, however he is believed to have committed more than one hundred. TheRead MorePsychology of Serial Killers1430 Words   |  6 PagesWe serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow. Theodore Robert Bundy In the past decade, Americans and researchers have given more and more of their attention to serial killers. The United States alone has contributed about 85% of the worlds serial killers. It has been said that they come in many different forms. Society has many words for serial killers. Holmes and DeBurger define serial murders as consistingRead MoreTed Bundy s Influence On The Family1591 Words   |  7 PagesTed Bundy was born on November 24, 1946 in Burlington, Vermont, bringing much disgrace to his mother and family. Bundy was born out of wed lock, his mother Eleanor Louis Cowell was twenty-two and was raised in an overly religious household. Cowell moved back home to Philadelphia with her parents to raise her new son. To hide the fact that he was an illegitimate child, Bundy was raised to believe his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister. They moved soon thereafter to TacomaRead MoreBiography Of Theodore Bundy Born Theodore1561 Words   |  7 PagesT heodore Bundy born Theodore Robert Cowell was born in Burlington, Vermont to Eleanor Cowell. He was born on November 24, 1946. She had him when she was still a teeneager and so Ted was raised believing that she was his sister. His birth father is somewhat confusing on his birth certificate it has Lloyd Marshall but investigators believe that his real father s name was Jack Worthington. Ted’s mother married Johnnie Bundy who eventually adopted Ted as his son. Ted Bundy became interested in knives