Ada County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help to Identify Ted Bundy’s 1974 Idaho Victim

The Ada County Sheriff's Office in Boise, Idaho, is appealing to the public for assistance in identifying a teenager who was abducted and murdered by serial killer Ted Bundy in 1974. On September 2, 1974, Bundy picked up a young female hitchhiker from Interstate 84 on the outskirts of Boise.

During a confession tape recorded with Idaho investigators before his execution in 1989, Bundy described the victim as a possible runaway, likely headed to Montana. He detailed her as being 16-18 years old, white, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with light brown hair. She was carrying a green backpack and wearing a simple beaded necklace with black and light-colored beads resembling spaghetti. Bundy believed he picked her up near the Eisenmann exit, an area with ranch-style houses.

Despite Bundy’s confession, the victim’s remains have never been found, and her identity remains a mystery 50 years later. The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is now seeking the public’s help, hoping that someone may remember a person who went missing around September 1974 or recognize the description provided by Bundy.

Cold Case Investigator Tim Cooper emphasized the importance of public involvement, stating, “I would love to know more about what you remember and what you have to say. I think this is one of those cases where we’re fifty years down the road, where the public is going to be a big part in solving this.”.

The sheriff’s office faces challenges due to the differences in technology and records retention from the 1970s, making it difficult to match the description with any missing persons or runaways from that time. Anyone with information or memories that might help identify the victim is urged to contact the Ada County Sheriff’s Office at 208-577-3102 or [email protected].