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Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer and rapist-who is back in the spotlight thanks to the recent Ted Bundy Tapes documentary and upcoming Netflix biopic, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile -actually escaped prison twice before being executed under the death penalty .
It begs the question: How did such a notorious serial killer escape from prison so much?
Bundy's first escape happened while he was in jail in Aspen, Colorado to stand trial for the murder of Caryn Campbell, a 23-year-old nurse who was found dead in Snowmass, Colorado in 1975.
Since Bundy was assisting in his own defense (he actually attended law school for a short time), he was allowed to use the law library on the second floor of the courthouse where the prison was located, according to ABC News . He also wasn't required to wear shackles or handcuffs while walking into or around the library, and he noticed how easy it would be escape, according to recordings between him and his prison psychologist, Dr. Al Carlisle.
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So, on June 7, 1977, Bundy took his chance while he was locked in the library and the prison guard left for a smoke. Bundy jumped out the window and sprinted for the mountains.
The windows are open, and the fresh air is blowing through. And the sky was blue, and I said, 'I'm ready to go,' and walked to the window and jumped out," Bundy told Carlisle, per ABC News. "Honest to god, I just got sick and tired of being locked up."
It took about ten minutes for anyone to realize Bundy had escaped. Once the guards saw he was gone, city police were notified, roadblocks were placed at both ends of Aspen, and all cars that were leaving the city were checked. But by then, Bundy was long gone in the mountains, where he found and broke into a cabin to stay for a few days.
Eventually, he headed back into Aspen, where he stole a car that was later pulled over for reckless driving. He was free for a total of six days before being placed back in prison.
His second escape, on December 30, 1977, was much more complex. After being moved to a prison in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Bundy started to lose weight-on purpose. He carved around an opening that already existed in the ceiling of his cell (meant for a light fixture that wasnt installed), and was able to climb through to the ventilation ducts. He even left books under his blanket to make it appear he was still in the cell, sleeping.
According to Bundy's attorney at the time, he dropped down from the ducts into one of the guards apartments in the building, changed into the guard's clothes, and walked out of the prison.
After leaving jail, Bundy boarded a flight to Chicago, took a train to Ann Arbor, Michigan, drove south to Atlanta, and finally got on a bus to his final desination: Tallahassee, Florida, per ABC News.
It was then, when Bundy was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and, unfortunately, when he killed his final known victims before being arrested for a final time on February 15, 1978 in Pensacola, Florida. That was the end of Bundy's escapes from prison-he was executed via electric chair on January 24, 1989.