DNA links Ted Bundy to 1974 murder of Utah teen Melissa Ann Smith

Melissa Ann Smith was 17 when she was killed in Utah in 1974. Fifty-two years later, investigators say DNA has tied her murder to Ted Bundy.

Utah authorities announced the development Tuesday after comparing evidence from Smith's case with evidence recovered from the body of Laura Ann Aime, another 17-year-old Utah girl killed in 1974. Authorities identified Aime as a Bundy victim in April, decades after Bundy confessed to killing her before his 1989 execution.

How they made the link: DNA testing this year found bodily fluid from Aime's body matched Bundy's known DNA profile, according to Utah investigators. A Y-STR DNA profile recovered from Aime's body then genetically matched one recovered from Smith's body. That connection allowed investigators to close Smith's homicide case with Bundy identified as her killer.

Smith's body was found in October 1974. The BBC reported that hunters found her body on Oct. 27 and that it showed signs of rape and torture. The Guardian reported that Smith had gone missing before her nude body was found days later.

Why it matters: Bundy was executed in 1989 after being convicted of two murders, but evidence in cases tied to him has continued to yield answers. He has been linked to at least 30 killings of women across the United States. In Utah alone, officials say other possible Bundy cases are still under examination.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said the case shows why old evidence must be preserved, even when decades pass. Forensic tools change, and evidence that sat unresolved for half a century can still speak for someone who cannot.

What comes next: Utah County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Mike Reynolds said investigators are continuing to examine additional cases connected to Bundy. The thing to watch is whether the evidence identifies more victims in Utah's remaining cold-case files.