6 – There Was a Party When He Died
It seems that no matter how crazy, evil or depraved someone is, there is always another person willing to overlook their flaws. In Bundy’s case, Carol Ann Boone chooses to overlook the fact that he was on trial for a series of brutal murders. Ever the opportunist, Bundy took advantage of an unusual Florida law whereby a marriage declaration in court in the presence of a judge is a legal marriage. During the trial, he called Carol Ann Boone as a witness and married her on the witness stand.
Boone maintained that Bundy was innocent for a very long time and even gave birth to his daughter in 1982. When he was sentenced to death for the third time in 1980, Boone stood up in court and shouted: “Tell the jury they were wrong.” She stood by her man until he confessed to a number of murders. One theory says it was only at that point when she realized her mistake, so she decided to divorce him. Another possibility is that she was hurt by his relationship with a woman called Diana Weber. Boone even refused to accept his final pre-execution call.
In some cases, when a Death Row inmate is about to be executed, there is a group of people protesting outside the prison as they believe the death penalty is barbaric and wrong. In Bundy’s case, even the most vehement anti-death penalty protester would surely think twice about complaining? Certainly, there was something of a party atmosphere on the morning of January 24, 1989; the day that Bundy faced Florida’s electric chair, nicknamed ‘Old Sparky.’
By 6 am that morning, the roads that led to Florida State Prison were extremely busy as around 500 people gathered outside and held a celebration right around the time that Bundy was getting his head shaved. The brash and confident Bundy was now a complete wreck and refused his last meal of steak and eggs. Some people sold ‘smoked’ Bundy burgers outside while vendors sold t-shirts commemorating the event. Meanwhile, the psychopath wept and was apparently hysterical when led to the chair.
The electric current surged through him for about a minute, and smoke came up from his right thigh. Apparently, he died with a smile on his face. Once the people outside heard about his death, they started chanting and banging frying pans. Then there were fireworks. Finally, the monster had been removed from the Earth.
Sources For Further Reading:
History Collection – 40 Disturbing Facts About Ted Bundy
The Sun – How Many People Did Ted Bundy Kill?
Heavy – Diane Edwards, Ted Bundy’s Girlfriend: How She Changed Him
Vanity Fair – Inside Ted Bundy’s Real-Life Relationship with Elizabeth Kloepfer