Carol Bundy

Carol M. Bundy (1942 - December 9 2003) was a female serial killer.

Carol M. Bundy and Doug Clark became known as "The Sunset Strip Killers" after being convicted of a series of murders in Los Angeles during the late spring and early summer of 1980. The victims were young prostitutes or runaways. The case seemed to be solved after Bundy, a widow with two children living in the San Fernando Valley, went to police claiming that her lover, Doug Clark, had told her he had killed several young women. All had been shot, with a gun Bundy had purchased . The story was big news at the time . Bundy claimed initially that she knew nothing of the murders, "only what (Doug) told me." But the case was not what it seemed. Shortly before going to police Bundy, who worked as a nurse, had shot to death, stabbed and beheaded another long time lover named Jack Murray. Bundy eventually confessed to that murder but claimed it was self-defense . Later, Bundy also admitted that she had been present during one of the murders for which Clark was charged. That murder took place in a car parked behind a gas station in East Hollywood . Bundy claimed Clark shot a prostitute in the head while the prostitute was in the act of fellatio. Bundy had hired the girl for Clark's birthday. Clark insisted Bundy was the shooter. Both agreed they disposed of the body .

Clark has always claimed Bundy and Murray did the killings and he was merely Bundy's fall guy .

Clark's trial was a pitch-black portrait of the San Fernando Valley underworld of the late 1970s, a world in which Clark, Bundy and Murray went on endless sexual adventures. Clark, himself, had engaged in a long sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl, who was Bundy's babysitter. But the highlight of the trial was Bundy's account of how Clark had taken the head of one of his victims and played with it in a shower and stored it in his ice box. Bundy's testemony was critical, all other evidence introduced against Clark was circumstantial. Moreover, no forensic examination was ever done comparing the body of the girl who had been beheaded with Jack Murray's body.

One piece of evidence that seemed to implicate Murray in the murders was a piece of bloody scalp found in the ceiling of his van. That evidence was mentioned but not introduced at Clark's trial. Bundy plea bargained and in return for her testimony received a moderated sentence.

Bundy died in prison in 2003. Douglas Clark is on Calfiornia's death row. No date has yet been set for his execution (12/06).

External links

• Crime Library