Ted Bundy terrorized the nation during the 1970s with a series of horrific crimes. However, one aspect of his life mostly remains overlooked: his marriage to Carole Ann Boone and the daughter they had together. Here, we take an objective look at the life of Boone and her relationship with Bundy.
Who Was Carole Ann Boone?
Born in 1947, Boone was originally from Washington. Details about her early life remain limited, but she had one child from a previous marriage before meeting Bundy. Boone worked as a systems operator at the Department of Emergency Services in Olympia, Washington, where she first crossed paths with Ted Bundy in 1974.
She and Bundy met at work, and their friendship evolved into a romantic relationship, even as Bundy was undergoing legal proceedings for his crimes. Boone became a supporter of Bundy, maintaining his innocence and advocating for him throughout his multiple trials. She even moved to Florida to be closer to Bundy while he was on trial there.
According to Rolling Stone, Boone may have helped Bundy escape from his Colorado prison and flee to Florida in 1977. She reportedly passed away in a Washington State retirement home in 2018 due to sepsis.
Her Marriage with Bundy
Boone’s loyalty was welcomed with an unconventional marriage proposal from Bundy during his 1980 trial in Florida. Taking advantage of a little-known Florida law, Bundy declared his intent to marry Boone in the courtroom, making their union legally binding without the need for a separate ceremony.
Bundy was on trial for the murder of a 12-year-old girl, Kimberly Leach, at the time.
Their Secret Child: Rose
While Bundy was on death row, Boone gave birth to a daughter named Rose in 1981. He technically wasn’t allowed conjugal visits, which led to speculation on how Boone became pregnant. A 1981 newspaper article noted that Carole Ann Boone said ‘it’s nobody’s business’ how she conceived a child with Bundy.
Various theories have been proposed about how the couple could have conceived Rose, including bribery of prison guards, as stated by Ann Rule. So, the details are not entirely clear, but it is generally believed that Boone and Bundy conceived their daughter during a prison visit.
Soon after Rose’s birth, the relationship between Boone and Bundy started to deteriorate. She was so devastated by Bundy’s death row confessions that she even refused a final phone call from him. In 1986, Boone divorced Bundy and changed her and Rose’s names before disappearing from public life.
After Bundy’s execution in 1989, Boone has remained out of the limelight. Rose also has largely stayed out of the public eye and is now 40 years old as of 2023. It’s likely that she was never allowed to contact her father before his execution.
Myths About Boone and Her Public Representation
Over the years, Boone has been the subject of numerous rumors, especially about her whereabouts and death. Some wonder why she would stand by a man accused of such acts, suggesting various psychological theories.
Bundy, on the other hand, has been the subject of several true-crime series and movies, such as the Netflix series ‘Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes‘ and ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,‘ where Boone was played by Kaya Scodelario.
Some family photos of Rose, Bundy, and Boone are shown in the Amazon series ‘Falling for a Killer,’ but Rose’s face is blurred out. ‘Falling for a Killer’ includes interviews with women who shared a romantic relationship with Bundy, such as ex-girlfriend Liz Kendall, and survivors of his attacks, like Karen Sparks.