Killers in Utah

Utah is known for its safe communities; in 2015 it was named the ninth safest state by Huffington Post. But despite its sterling reputation, Utah has had several cold blooded killers in it’s history.

The most notorious killer in Utah is Ted Bundy. His reign of terror began in the fall of 1974 when he came to study law at the University of Utah. Bundy confessed to killing 3 women in Utah, and is suspected of killing another 2 as well. Bundy attempted to kidnap 18 year old Carol Daronch, but she escaped. He was put on trial for attempted kidnapping, convicted, and sent to prison. Not long after that, murders in Colorado were linked to him so he was sent there for trial. However, he escaped out of a law library window. Bundy was eventually executed for his crimes in Florida in 1989.
Gary Gilmore moved to Provo in 1976 after being convicted in Oregon for armed robbery. In the course of 2 days of moving, he robbed and murdered a gas station employee and hotel manager in Orem. His demise was accidentally shooting himself in the hand while trying to dispose of the murder weapon, leaving a trail of blood to the garage his truck was getting fixed at. He was ultimately convicted of one murder and executed by firing squad in 1977.