Ted Bundy/Melissa Smith Abduction Location Day and Night Tour

[@patriciaturpin1479]

Slight correction, in 1974 the elementary wasn't there. It was on the other side of Center street. The place where the elementary is in this video was a big lawn area with baseball diamonds. She would have walked past the middle school (called Midvale Junior High School in '74), and took a right on Center St. The Elementary would have then been on her left across the street. Otherwise, pretty accurate on locations.

[@Chris-Alia]

It’s so sad to think of how many serendipitous things had to happen to put her in Bundy’s path...the phone call, leaving Pepperoni’s at 10pm, the stop at the cousin’s house for 20 mins. If any of those things were just a few mins off, just to think.

[@thewipers3359]

Sad yup

[@Elguapo93]

Then it would have just been another girl.

[@hannahstrakna203]

Maybe, but maybe not. Bundy was known to stalk victims so if he was following her, she may have been doomed that night regardless.

[@Bryan-od7nv]

I’ll bet going under that overpass in 1974 was a lot darker.

[@alph1057]

Just subbed a few days ago, and this is the most interesting and informative channel that I’ve come across on TRB. I’ve been following him since I read Ann Rule’s book in 1996

[@CaptainBorax]

Good to hear, I went down a serious rabbit hole for sure ha. Lot more coming to, takes a while to sythesize this madness.. Glad you're here!

[@cottoncandy5351]

That was a far walk.. so sad😥😥😥 & heartbroken..RIP Melissa Smith

[@catmother4214]

Gee I missed this video. Thanks as always for telling us about these victims. May they rest in peace. 🌹🌹🌹

[@Cruella_DG]

Things really were different in the 70’s. I’m Australian but remember how safe everything felt. We left doors unlocked and didn’t have such a wide broadcast of news platforms. I was taught at school about not talking to strangers which were portrayed as dirty old men in trench coats. We know now that we also had plenty of killers in those times. We were all a little more naive and innocent back then.

[@jj-if6it]

Aussie here too, I was born in the 80s so grew up with 'stranger danger' and of course everyone already knew about serial killers. It's hard to imagine someone like Melissa walking home that far in the dark now...

[@juanitarichards1074]

I'll bet her parents wish now they had let her take the car and go to the slumber party. There would be no way I would walk that distance to a pizza parlour even in the day time, never mind in the dark, especially through that creepy underpass. I wouldn't walk through the deserted school grounds either. We've had some terrible murders occur in school grounds in NZ. In one, a young girl was being chased late at might as she walked home and she ran through the school grounds in the dark and fell down a hill into a deep water filled ditch and drowned. We don't know if the person chasing her killed her - he may as well have. Neighbours around the school heard hear screams but couldn't tell where they were coming from. Her body was found the next day.

[@thewipers3359]

And what have you done about that since?

[@nikkiroeder5774]

I could just picture that taking place under that overpass. You definitely captured the creep factor.

[@davidimrie6916]

Bundy was just like a shark moving through the streets in his VW bug looking for a victim.

[@larakeller2478]

It was wonderful hearing from you again! Exquisite work,I genuinely appreciate all you do.

[@cheryll747]

Why a teen girl would be allowed to walk miles in the dark when her father was a police chief is beyond me!! RIP Melissa 💔

[@Tracey..H]

Too long a walk for a young girl. Rip sweetie

[@marleneborst9157]

Gahhh....that girl was fearless...walking down all those roads like that...in the dark....I'm satisfied there wasn't half the lighting back then as there is now....thanks for the daylight shots...and making us "tolerate traffic"....lol...cheers!

[@CaptainBorax]

I hate that I made people sit at a stoplight ha. Oh definitely dark but similar landscape back then. Old mill town, beets and copper hasnt changed much

[@marleneborst9157]

Hey...it's all good! Appreciate the update and the tour....

[@Emanistan]

It's a pity so little has been put out there about Melissa's life and character, but one definite part of the picture that forms when you put together the few threads out there is of a very confident and capable young woman. While getting through high school she managed to build up a reputation as the town's most in-damand baby sitter and was taking classes at the local beauty college; so she already had a degree of self sufficiency and plans for her future. Its so tragic that she-and all the other 30 girls and young women, were fated to be the early sacrifices that inspired the women's self-defense movement a few yers later.

[@ianpilkington2037]

Nice to see you back Chris! Another great vid btw!

[@larakeller2478]

I'll bet Ted was amused to find out he had the police chief's daughter.

[@scuwopguwop_0715]

My Good Sir It’s Always A Pleasure To See Your Hard Work! 👏🏽👌🏾 💯

[@andresdastolfo2695]

Hey Captain how are you?? Its a pleasure to see this videos again. Thanks!!

[@CaptainBorax]

Hey brudder how are you? Good deal, I have some ones coming up

[@sherrigould4423]

Cool video & information :) beautiful mountains in the background

[@jj-if6it]

He was so brazen because another car could have come along at any moment. I don't know how he was able to abduct so many girls without even being seen?

[@sarasmith9450]

@jj-if6ft, another car coming by was the beginning of the end for Ted Bundy. The Walsh’s just happened to be in the right place at the right time when Carole DaRonche made her escape from Ted and was able to get in their car and to the police station to file a report.

[@bundydata]

Victims near schools, Leach, Thomas, Parmenter, Rancourt, Culver, DeRonch, so forth all near play grounds also more around colleges. Even Burr was near fields. I think the school ground at night, even Kent all schools. School grounds much easier and more secluded.

[@Emanistan]

Any chance you might do a deeper dive into Melissa's life and character at some point like the pieces you did on Lynnette Culver and Laura Aime? Of course you can't do it for all 30-odd victims of this horrible story, let alone all the victims of tragedy throughout history who deserve recognition. It's just that Melissa's story has always hit me extra hard for some reason.

[@CaptainBorax]

Yeah I might down the road, I certainly spent a lot of time trying to dig up info on her as well, But a lot of people that knew her are very closed mouth. I made contact with her friend who was at the restaurant that night with her but she wouldn't have anything to do with me. I also did some interviews with her boyfriend at the time and a couple of her mutual friends. I also have a pretty interesting police file on her. Definitely splays out who she who she was more diligently. Interesting that she was in beauty school at the time. There's a lot of confusing witness reports about her that night that totally go against the narrative of her walking home. Some of it makes sense and some of that doesn't. It's a confusing story her particular one..

[@Emanistan]

@@CaptainBorax Understandable of course that they would be reticent after what they've been through, in fact it's surprising how open Laura and Lynette's circle were to sharing with you and your audience. Of course Laura's sister has arrived at a unique spiritual place to be able to be able to share her pain so casually; probably many of the other families have had to make a similar journey, but for those not able to open up, their wishes need to be respected. Still, it would be nice if something of who she was-other than a police chief's daughter and a murder victim- could be put out there while there are still people alive who knew her.

[@jj-if6it]

@@Emanistan I really appreciate the work he did with telling their stories and interviewing the families who are still alive. For so many of the victims we know their names and not much else. These really bring it all home and humanise them. Bundy is so famous yet I hardly know anyone else who has bothered to investigate and capture the stories of the victims here.

[@dawsonlenard2848]

​@@CaptainBoraxwhere can I see the interviews

[@AlmostParadise_RK]

So many questions... Did anyone see Bundy in the pizza place that night? I don't know how late it stayed open, but I'd be interested to know how many customers there were at 10:00pm - 10:30pm at night. Also, is it just mostly regular customers at that time, or do people driving by still come in . Would Bundy stand out if he was a non-regular? Did he know it was a teen hangout and maybe just waited outside in the parking lot until he saw a potential victim? That stretch from the pizza place to her cousin's house seemed like it would be a good amount of walking. Does he offer her a ride there? Being the daughter of a police chief, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she knows how dangerous hitchhiking is, even in '74, so she would've told him to get lost. Still, maybe he follows her to her cousin's house and waits there? The last theory is that he was lurking in the cousin's neighborhood already, and saw her leave the house. Bob Hayward arrested Bundy a year later for lurking around a neighborhood like that, so maybe he was doing the same thing that night? Good stuff as always, Captain.

[@CaptainBorax]

Yeah he went wherever the teenage girls were I think, FP Mall, the Pepperoni, the play, Lake Sam, college campuses, middle schools...Bob said those girls worked at a Pizza Hut down the st..

[@klaseronen7535]

Seeing the area during the dark tells what a perfect hunting ground is. Chilling to see.

[@j4b4j4b5]

2.1 miles from JB's to Pepperoni. Hard to believe she walked that alone.

[@danamaupin8318]

Is the Melissa Smith case the one that people said they saw Ted sitting at a booth or was that the Laura Aime case? Glad you're back uploading videos.

[@ianpilkington2037]

Laura Aime

[@chandlerb.6416]

Great and respectful video, have you ever made the trip to Lake Samammish?

[@CaptainBorax]

I haven't out there in recent years, I know there spots that should be covered, at some point soon, maybe this summer

[@trentonlambert9375]

Great content! Love your videos

[@CaptainBorax]

Thank you sir! Im slow kicking them out, but its fun. glad you like em

[@TheTonk44]

I'm watching from the UK. Just come across your channel and wanted to say - what a brilliant job you make of bringing Melissa 'back to life' as a real person and not just a victim. We so often hear about the people he killed as just facts and statistics , but what you do here is honouring her in a way no other story can. I'd rather learn about the victims as real people and you helped immensely here! Thank you for the insight into her life. Also for the comment :" If people don't like the way I drive, they should stay off the sidewalk " lmao. I'm stealing that!

[@CaptainBorax]

Alright, welcome glad youre here! I need to do another piece to the whole Melissa thing because I have learned so much more about that case since I created these ones. Thanks so much I appreciate that, because I noticed after reading all the books a few years ago that there is very little on these people. There are some others on here for the different girls if interested. Ive been really lucky to talk to some of these family members, talk about mind blowing heavy stuff. The damage left in his wake is exponential even all these years later. Cheers and welcome!

[@TheTonk44]

@@CaptainBorax . I'm working my way through your other videos now and looking forward to the new ones. Good work fella!

[@CaptainBorax]

@@TheTonk44 Grazi mon frere

[@jj-if6it]

@@CaptainBorax Please keep up the good work! Some of us care and still want to hear more

[@CaptainBorax]

@@jj-if6it Will do, it's been a few minutes

[@fernfreeman1729]

When looking at where she walked in daylight, it's not that far at all, plus she was quite familiar with the area. Ted likely spotted her at the Pizza restaurant and followed her. I doubt she stopped at a friend on Oak Street, she went straight home and cut across the two schools where she was most vulnerable and Ted lured his way close and knocked her out, then ....., that's it.

[@davemoore1927]

Hey Chris. Thank's for the update. I bought the TB a visual timeline book off Amazon. Very interesting. I thought crossed my mind watching this...Why didn't her cousin offer to drop her back home? Maybe he did, Who knows? ...Looking forward to more updates. Stay safe. Best Wishes from the UK.

[@sulomezani7872]

Please can you help me with the title of the book?

[@jj-if6it]

@@sulomezani7872 Ted Bundy : A Visual Timeline

[@robertwinston2519]

My guess would be , the evil demon saw her around the overpass area, mabe just before it and sweet talked her I'll take u home, another fantastic documentary

[@justinharris5434]

You absolutely, 100% CAN die of a broken heart, and this particular case here really hits hard in that sense. It seems like from when you went to the cemetery that Melissa's mom was still alive at that time (Looks like Melissa shares my dad's birthday; just a decade later). I cannot fathom the hell that Louis' widow, in particular, must have gone through. To outlive not only her husband, but also her two girls? That's why, as I mentioned previously, we are incredibly fortunate to have so many of Lynette Culver's family (including her two parents) still living, and to be able to participate in that incredibly beautiful memorial bench dedication that you put together, too. All of your stories about these victims and survivors of Ted Bundy hit in different ways. This particular one does for the ripple effect and the devastating collateral impact. Louis, like Bob Hayward, really sounds like he was a super guy; humble and devoted to helping others, and in that interview he did (which I am guessing was shortly after the weasel got tried and sentenced in Miami), he is really bearing his heart and soul. Louis did all of the right things in trying to keep his daughter safe, and it sounds like she took all of his advice well and truly onboard. Tragically, with an individual like Bundy, that is sometimes not enough, and I think (echoing what another poster said) got taken by force. To be frank, if a sheriff's daughter is not safe, then nobody is. All it took was one quick walk from a pizza restaurant to her cousin's home, and that is just so terrifying. In the interview, he looks and sounds completely heartbroken. And he died just 5-6 years later. Frankly, I consider Louis and Laura Aime's dad (who also died far too prematurely) additional casualties on Bundy's victim list. Neither man reached 60, and I believe both would have had a lot more good years if not for Ted. The same goes for a number of parents (like Denise Naslund's mom) and investigators in Washington who suffered a similar fate. When it comes to the sheer ripple effect of what a monster like this can cause, the Melissa Smith case really hits home. As always, you did such an incredible job with this, especially considering that it seems like her inner circle was being very private. I hope that changes someday, and that they can open up like Evelyn, Nancy, Karen Sparks, Kathy Kleiner, etc. At the same time, I totally understand their hesitancy to.

[@harkless48]

Wow amazing video, never thought I'd actually see the exact route Melissa took to and from the Pepperoni on that fateful night . I guess we will never know exactly where Ted picked her up but the street where she visited her cousin for 20 minutes after she left the Pepperoni is really dark, perfect area for Ted to take her , probably by force since we know his previous victim Nancy Wilcox was attacked on the street and taken by knifepoint according to Ted,.. he forcefully abducted Debra Kent as well.He changed his whole M.O in Utah, he went after younger girls , no feigning injury , impersonating a cop and maybe even befriending one of them(Laura Aime) so its quite possible he just snatched her up on that street, either way great vid, great work and R.I.P Melissa

[@CaptainBorax]

Thanks man, yeah these Utah cases are messy too, but this is the gist. Other reports say she was seen in Murray up by the mall that night too. Lots of different reports, but this came from her friend and little sister Jolene

[@harkless48]

Yeah I've heard conflicting reports as well but since this information is coming directly from the people that were close to Melissa, I lean more towards that scenario

[@CaptainBorax]

@@harkless48 Totally. It makes more sense in general, but a long walk to and from the pizza place. Hell, I used to walk further though!

[@harkless48]

Yeah me too definitely..at her age I used to walk everywhere lol...like you said, we will never know exactly what happened that night and that's too bad..all we can do is cherish her memory

[@brandyl2183]

Happy to see your bundy videos being uploaded again

[@evac.7762]

Can you tell us where this deep interest in Bundy's victims comes from? Are you a policeman? You are so thorough and knowledgeable.

[@CaptainBorax]

I was caught up for sometime digging up research for a book called "" Ted Bundy A Visual Timeline". I ended up doing a lot of research for the author finding new interviews, old ones, photos, etc, etc. I am really a history buff, love finding new info

[@Flaviaros]

nothing is to chance, Ted Bundy wanted to make the police believe that in Utah he had chosen the victims at random but it is not so, he had studied these girls, he had followed them, they somehow knew him (as the relatives testified by Nancy and Laura's friends) in her book Ann Rule wrote that Ted Bundy had sold his car in Utah to a boy who happened to be a friend of Melissa Smith.

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

Hi Captain, thanks for this new one. Around 12:37, I was struck by the total, black darkness of Oak St. Perfect spot for Ted to cruise for a victim.

[@CaptainBorax]

Pretty crusty dark spot for some bad news

[@mrgh1650]

Very interesting!! Thank you!!

[@revanth3508]

Do not walk in the dark alone . That’s the only message that can come from this poor girls life

[@paulaward2075]

How come Melissa didn't have a car? That was a long ways to walk.

[@j4b4j4b5]

Just discovered a Deseret News article from October. 24th 1974 (page 29) saying ... "The girl was last seen visiting friends at JB's Big Boy restaurant 6099 S. State St., about 10:30 pm Friday...she has apparently gone there from the Pepperoni Restaurant, where she was seen about 10 pm., police said."

[@kilbertart]

Damn dad you have a fucking fanbase. Didn't even realize. Respect captain

[@CaptainBorax]

Hey dude! I need to get busy on that Tom video, Wish you could come down and help me out.. Love you kid let's hang out as soon as you can

[@kilbertart]

@@CaptainBorax soon father soon

[@MAMODMAN95]

Finished reading the ted bundy a visual timeline and it’s the best book I’ve ever read ,will there be new editions coming out at all ?

[@CaptainBorax]

Thats great to hear. The last I spoke with Rob Dielenberg, he was adding some material for a next edition. I think that he is working steadily on a new book about something completely different at the moment. I will ask him, but probably not for a bit.

[@MAMODMAN95]

@@CaptainBorax thanks and love your videos too!

[@CaptainBorax]

@@MAMODMAN95 Appreciate it brudder!

[@21centurydragonslayer19]

He must have dropped off of I5, and looked for ambush spots, and grabbed her in the dark with light traffic.

[@TheTonk44]

My opinion on the location.... he was waiting just before the underpass - parked at the kerb, maybe pretending he had a flat tyre. Drove ahead after he spotted her.... Sounds plausible.

[@juanitarichards1074]

Were those fences up in the underpass in 1974? Or could Ted have just snatched Melissa right off the footpath? There aren't any other pedestrians.....I imagine there were none back then at night time either. No witnesses. Nobody to hear screams or a struggle.

[@CaptainBorax]

Was wide open, no fences for sure back in those days

[@bundydata]

More likely he followed into the fields near the school. Knocked out carried her to car. The Baseball grounds were a point to him. Easy to follow into school grounds it meant something to him. Most victims lots of victims near schools and athletic fields.

[@darren5956]

Looks like the Thornton house on Oak has been demolished, along with the pizza joint. Gotta make room for the developers.

[@j4b4j4b5]

Salt Lake Tribune from 10/29/74 also says she was seen at JB's Big Boy, at 10:30 pm "in the company of an older woman." Wow.

[@mikestevens7018]

What on earth was my Teddy bear doing in that desolate area?

[@ChamaeleonMustermann]

Very dark Area these days. I don't think it was necessarily brighter there in the 70s.

[@jameswentzel4525]

You know I might sound totally crazy, And yes I know it was years ago and people obviously didn't worry about safety like we do now. But why on earth didn't her cousin or more importantly her Boyfriend insist on driving her home? I mean geez a young women walking so far all alone on such dark roads, What did they expect.

[@j4b4j4b5]

And, 6099 State St. was directly across from the Fashion Place Mall, Ted's apparent Oct and Nov stalking grounds.

[@patrickmccarron5059]

She was a really pretty girl.

[@patrickmccarron5059]

The night Ted Bundy was caught, wasn't he seen at a Pizza Hutt earlier that night? And he was parked in front of a house where one of the girl's worked at that Pizza Hutt when Officer Bob Hayward pulled up on him.

[@jj-if6it]

During the day it looks like a pretty quaint, harmless town

[@beachbum6460]

That's a brave girl to walk that route alone at night.

[@Adept179]

"There were others involved, man" Direct quote from Bundy himself. This case is the best example of that being very likely. And I doubt if it was a coincidence this was the police chiefs daughter. Much more to this case than the official narrative.

[@Michele1ELL]

Huh? You think he had accomplices?

[@Adept179]

@@Michele1ELL He said so in one of the interviews after he escaped.

[@Elguapo93]

He definitely didn’t have any accomplices.

[@gyver8448]

@@Adept179 Keep in mind that there's zero evidence of any accomplices and Bundy was a known liar. Especially since he was trying to say whatever he could to keep himself alive. I'd take anything he says with a large pinch of salt unless there's some proof backing it up.

[@petraleopold2713]

​@@gyver8448exactly

[@nesadcruz7840]

According to Al Cimino’s book she was killed only 36 hours before she was found, though missing 9 days.

[@CaptainBorax]

She was killed that night likely, the cold temps up there kept her preserved for the short time. Way up high on the hill at the tree line in Parleys Canyon. Same with Laura Aime, encapsulated in snow in Timp Canyon by a cold mountain stream. That narrative about those 2 being captive is bullshit

[@nesadcruz7840]

@@CaptainBorax what about signs that she was bathed, hair shampooed, fresh make up applied that didnt belong to her? Am just saying what the book says.

[@CaptainBorax]

@@nesadcruz7840 Only thing in the actual reports that I have say eyelashes applied probably post mortem.. But not 100%. Lemme take another look

[@Emanistan]

@@CaptainBorax I hope Louis Smith and the rest of her family and friends were confident of that...and of course that it's true.

[@Ramsy477]

@@CaptainBorax. He had an alibi for her murder, it’s a cover up kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmjQiIhjba2VkLc

[@rocioramireztrejo9919]

❤😢

[@ridingwithted9759]

29:30 Cut through to overpass back in the day? As a person who walks a lot seems like something could've happened right about here. Just my take on it.

[@nicoles7800]

So good!

[@johnholgerson5694]

I believe she lived 527 fern dr, next door.

[@boogiestreet594]

3:30 you were driving with no headlights on lol

[@CaptainBorax]

Probably, sometimes I drive on the sidewalk too

[@ladyretro]

Hey Cap!

[@CaptainBorax]

Howdy there! Long time, good to see you

[@ga9d]

If Melissa was abducted on October 18th why is her DOD listed as October 27? Hate to even think about it.

[@CaptainBorax]

Because thats when they found her, and dont know exactly when She died on the 18th, same night, guaranteed.

[@johnholgerson5694]

Awesome

[@CaptainBorax]

Thanks bruuder

[@sarahkrick8667]

I watched this whole thing to learn about melissa. Nothing. Humanize the victim please.

[@CaptainBorax]

Apparently you haven't watched anything else of mine. I have spent years humanizing victims, including putting together memorial benches for Bundy victims. Much more as well. If you have nothing positive to say, thats cool, just keep your buzzkill nature to yourself

[@sarahkrick8667]

@@CaptainBorax you might not be cut out for you tube if "humanize the victim please" draws such a rude and defensive response.

[@CaptainBorax]

@@sarahkrick8667 Lol, You got me there

[@sarahkrick8667]

@@CaptainBorax otherwise it was a fascinating video in regards to location and route.

[@murabba1451]

@@sarahkrick8667 Hey Sarah! I found a video about Melissa. I will leave the link,you can watch it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p56WmWyveL56bKM

[@jj-if6it]

She was a beautiful young lady, so sad