Theory #2: Was Ted Bundy Involved? | Forensic Files

After 55 years, thousands of pages of reports, and countless interviews, there are seven theories in the murder of
Joyce LePage that still deserves serious consideration. This is theory number two.
Ted Bundy. Whenever there is an unsolved murder of a young woman in the Pacific Northwest during the 1970s, one name
almost always comes up. Ted Bundy. And Joyce LePage's case is no exception. After Bundy was arrested in the
mid-1970s, investigators began asking the question that everyone else was asking, like could Joyce have been one
of his earliest victims? And I can see why people wondered. Joyce was a college student. She disappeared in Washington
state. She fit the general victim profile Bundy would later become infamous for targeting. Investigators
even received tips claiming that Bundy had supposedly been on or near the Washington State University campus
around the weekend that Joyce disappeared, and then we know was murdered. People remembered seeing
Volkswagen Beetles around campus, which is a vehicle closely associated with Bundy. But here's where the theory
starts to fall apart. None of those sightings could ever be verified. There was no physical evidence tying Bundy to
Joyce, no witnesses who could actually place him with her, no forensic evidence, nothing. And then there is the
timeline. Joyce disappeared in 1971, and Ted Bundy's first confirmed murder didn't occur until 1974.
Now, investigators have long suspected that maybe Bundy started killing before that, so 1971 isn't impossible, but it's
also not enough to make him the best suspect. Before Bundy was executed in 1989, he was asked directly about Joyce
LePage's murder, and he denied any involvement. Can you believe the word of a serial
killer? That is another question entirely. But today's investigators largely agree that
while Bundy cannot be completely ruled out, he also doesn't fit this case nearly as well as someone much closer to
Joyce. Because unlike many of Bundy's victims, Joyce had a secret routine. She was secretly staying in Steven's Hall
and very few people knew that, which makes investigators wonder, did whoever killed Joyce already know exactly where
she was going to be the night that she went missing?

Theory #2 of 7

Could Ted Bundy have been responsible for Joyce LePage's murder? For decades, investigators examined whether Joyce could have been one of Bundy's earliest victims. While there are similarities, today's investigators believe the evidence points much more strongly toward someone who already knew Joyce and knew about her secret routine.

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Brief Summary

The episode examines the theory that Ted Bundy may have murdered Joyce LePage, highlighting evidence and timeline issues.

Key points

Theories in Joyce LePage's Murder. After 55 years, seven theories still deserve consideration in Joyce LePage's case.
Ted Bundy as a Suspect. Ted Bundy's name often surfaces in unsolved murders of young women in the 1970s.
Bundy's Denial. Bundy denied involvement in Joyce LePage's murder before his execution in 1989.
Joyce's Secret Routine. Investigators wonder if Joyce's killer knew her secret routine, making them a closer suspect.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Can you believe the word of a serial killer?

1:39WatchJul 28, 2026

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