Ted Bundy is one of America’s most notorious serial killers. In fact, the term serial killer did not exist before him. Yet “serial killer” is not the only label assigned to Ted Bundy, he also had the title of father.
Even the devil has his charms, and Ted Bundy was alleged to have a surplus. Throngs of adoring young women often waited outside his packed courthouse trials, and his private life and loves have been thoroughly publicized. There have been many books, documentaries, movies, and series based on Bundy and those who knew him best. One of those people was Carole Ann Boone – Ted Bundy’s wife and the mother of his only known child.
Who is Carole Ann Boone?
Ted Bundy’s appeal to the opposite sex is well publicized. He managed to keep not just one but two long-term relationships going, even while on trial for murder – one of which was captured in Netflix’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which explored Bundy’s long-time relationship with Liz Kendall. Zac Efron and Lily Collins starred in the series, bringing star power to the bizarre love story. Kendall also spoke out in an Amazon documentary series Ted Bundy: Falling For a Killer, which explored her relationship with Bundy and his relationship with her daughter. Yet what some don’t know is that Ted Bundy actually had a daughter of his own, and he even had a wife.
Carole Ann Boone met Ted Bundy in 1974 when they worked together at the Washington State Emergency Services Center in Seattle. Disturbingly enough they actually worked together on several cases of the young women who were missing because of Bundy. Their relationship evolved and six years later they were lovers.
She stuck by him through all the allegations and trials, always touting his innocence and gentle demeanor. Then, in a display of Valentine’s Day romance (and depravity), on February 14th, 1981 Ted Bundy found a way to marry Boone, in open court. During his murder trial, Bundy used an old Florida state law loophole and by phrasing his proposal in such a way before a judge, he was able to marry his long-time girlfriend. Ted Bundy was a bachelor no more.
The pair’s unusual marriage ceremony in the Florida courthouse was documented by true crime writer and former friend of Bundy’s – Ann Rule. In her book The Stranger Beside Me, she documents Bundy’s love affair with Boone and his ongoing relationship with Kendall. In fact, she discusses how he balanced the two simultaneously while he was in prison. Eventually, however, Liz Kendall would break away from Bundy and Boone would only move closer.
Who is Ted Bundy’s daughter?
Ted Bundy was convicted in February 1981 and sentenced to death. By September of 1981, Boone was pregnant with his child. The conception was apparently the result of a money pool the death row inmates had. The winner of the money could allegedly gift it to the guards in exchange for unsupervised visit time.
On October 24, 1982 Boone gave birth to Ted Bundy’s child – a daughter named Rose, sometimes called “Rosa.”
Boone remained loyal to Ted, often bringing Rosa to visit him in prison, all while continuing to proclaim his innocence. Then in 1986 as his date of execution neared, he offered to reveal the location of the missing women’s bodies in exchange for a stay of the execution. Carole Ann Boone’s world came crashing down, the man she knew and loved was not innocent, in fact, he was one of the most prolific serial killers the world would ever know.
Following Bundy’s admission of guilt in 1986, Boone took her daughter and son from a previous marriage and moved back to the Seattle area. Little is known about her life following her divorce from Bundy. She and her daughter kept a low profile and many felt that their names had been changed at least temporarily. Ann Rule reportedly had met Rose, and Oxygen reported she was “kind and intelligent.”
Carole Ann Boone died in Washington state in 2018 at the age of 70. Bundy was executed in 1989 when Rose was six. She is now 41 but is yet to speak out publicly about her experiences. It is also very likely her name has been changed. She was known as Rose or Rosa Johnson.
Bundy’s daughter has understandably wanted to stay far out of the spotlight and very little of her life or whereabouts are known today. While little is currently known about her, one thing is certain, the story of her lineage is not one you hear every day.