The breakup gave Bundy an ambition that he never felt before. He says in “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” that Edwards “inspired me to look at myself and become something more” (via Oxygen). Bundy had dropped out of college not long before the two had split up. Perhaps more determined to make something of himself, he re-enrolled and declared a psychology major. Bundy became obsessed with social status, prompting his involvement in politics. He began working for the Governor of Washington, Republican Daniel J. Evans. Work with the political party followed, exposing Bundy to social gatherings and events attended by influential people (per Oxygen). Bundy even entered a serious relationship with a woman he met in 1969, Elizabeth Kloepfer (also via Oxygen). This was a long-term romance, lasting until after his eventual incarceration (per Refinery 29).
But Bundy had not forgotten about Edwards, and he had beefed up his resume and his confidence since their 1968 breakup. Unbeknownst to Kloepfer, he contacted Edwards in 1973 and was able to rekindle an old flame. She was impressed by his newly found sense of upward mobility, particularly with his work in politics. A long-distance relationship developed again, with Edwards believing the two would eventually wed. In late 1973, Bundy gave her the cold shoulder during her stay with him. Afterward, her letters went without replies. In February 1974, she called him out of frustration, only to have him hang up on her.
Read Related Also: Generic Blackwood’s Killer Was Completed By The Murderer’s Very Own Little princess
Bundy had a long game for revenge on Edwards. But experts maintain that this wasn’t enough to quench his thirst.
