Ted Bundy's unexpected final words revealed 37 years after execution

Warning: This article contains discussion of kidnapping, rape and murder which some readers may find distressing.

Ted Bundy will go down in history as one of America's worst serial killers.

While we sometimes see moments of remorse, craziness or downright evil in the killer's final moments, Bundy's last words were perhaps reflective of his overall persona.

He kidnapped, raped and murdered dozens of young women, with his charming and articulate personality, perhaps atypical for a serial killer, and it certainly played its part in why he was able to stay undetected for so many years.

The notorious murderer, who would often feign distress as a way of luring people in, eventually admitted to killing 30 different women, although investigators believe it could have been even more.

He placed the blame on the adult film industry and depictions of violence in the media in his final interview on death row.

Ted Bundy often showed off in court while representing himself (Getty Images)

Bundy was married for six years between 1980 and 1986 and also had a daughter, Rose, in 1982, which is another way in which his crimes were so horrific.

What's most unusual is that Bundy asked his girlfriend, Carole Ann Boone, to marry him during his sentencing in 1980, having already been sentenced to death in Florida the year prior.

Boone eventually divorced him three years before his execution in 1989, but that didn't stop him from paying tribute to her and his other family in his final moments.

Ahead of his death on the electric chair, the killer said: "I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends."

This is perhaps surprising given some of the letters he reportedly sent to his family during his time on death row, where he was often accused of being patronising by continuing to deny his crimes.

Bundy died by the electric chair in 1989 (Getty Images)

In one letter, he wrote: "I will tell you this much, I have not killed anyone. I have no guilt, remorse or regret over anything I’ve done. What is done is done."

His final words were also far simpler than those of other serial killers, such as Aileen Wuornos, dubbed the 'Damsel of Death', who was far more brazen about her crimes before her own execution by lethal injection in 2002.

She said: "I am as guilty as can be. I want the world to know I killed these men, as cold as ice. I've hated humans for a long time.

"I am a serial killer. I killed them in cold blood, real nasty.

"There is no point in sparing me. It's a waste of taxpayers' money. I killed those men, robbed them. And I'd do it again, too."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.