Otis Singleton
On January 24, 1989, Ted Bundy, one of America's most notorious serial killers, was executed in Florida's electric chair. Bundy's final moments were a stark contrast to his charismatic public persona. Witnesses reported that he spent his last night weeping and praying. At 7:06 a.m., the executioner threw the switch, sending 2,000 volts through Bundy's body. Ten minutes later, at 7:16 a.m., a doctor pronounced him dead. Bundy's death was a national event, with millions of viewers watching from outside the prison gates and from home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Execution | 24 January 1989 |
| Time of Execution | 7:06 AM |
| Pronounced Dead | 7:16 AM |
| Age at Time of Execution | 42 |
| Number of Murders Confessed To | More than 20 |
| Last Words | "Jim and Fred, I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends." |
| Execution Type | Electrocution |
| Electric Voltage | 2,000 volts |
| Execution Chair Nickname | Old Sparky |
| Location of Execution | Florida State Prison, Raiford |
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What You'll Learn
Bundy's last words
On January 24, 1989, Ted Bundy, one of America's most infamous serial killers, was executed in Florida's electric chair. Bundy's final moments were a stark contrast to his charismatic public persona. Witnesses reported that he spent his last night weeping and praying.
Bundy's executioners strapped him into the electric chair at 7:06 AM. A black hood was placed over his head, and the executioner activated the chair, sending 2,000 volts through his body. At 7:16 AM, ten minutes later, a doctor pronounced him dead.
Outside the prison, hundreds of revelers sang, danced, and set off fireworks in a pasture across from the prison as the execution was carried out. They cheered as the white hearse containing Bundy's corpse departed the prison.
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The crowd's reaction
The execution of Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in history, drew significant public attention, with a crowd of about 500 people gathering outside the prison. Bundy's final moments were a stark contrast to his charismatic public persona. The crowd consisted of people who had set up camp outside the prison gates, drinking beer, howling chants for the killer to burn, and banging pans together.
The public's desire to see Bundy snuffed out reached a fever pitch once it became clear that he had brutally killed dozens of people, including 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. The Chi Phi fraternity at Florida State University even held a celebratory cookout the night before, serving "Bundy burgers" and "electrified hot dogs."
As the sun rose over the north Florida plains, Bundy was led into the death chamber at Florida State Prison. He spent his last night weeping and praying. His head jerked as 2,000 volts hit him, and his body stiffened and pressed against the chair back. After less than two minutes, the executioner turned off the electric current, and Bundy was pronounced dead at 7:16 a.m.
The crowd outside the prison cheered, sang, danced, and set off fireworks as the white hearse containing Bundy's corpse departed. Many in the crowd expressed relief that Bundy was dead, reflecting the intense emotions his crimes had stirred in the public consciousness.
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Bundy's last meal
Although Ted Bundy was served a last meal of steak cooked medium-rare, eggs over easy, hash browns, toast with butter and jelly, milk, and juice, he rejected it. He barely touched the food, and so Bundy died with an empty stomach. Bundy was executed in the electric chair at 7:16 a.m. on January 24, 1989, at the Florida State Prison.
Bundy was convicted of three Florida murders in 1978 and sentenced to death. He acted as his own attorney during the trials and proclaimed his innocence until just days before his execution when he confessed to more than 20 killings. Bundy was one of the most notorious serial killers in history, kidnapping, raping, and murdering dozens of young women and girls during the 1970s. He confessed to 30 murders committed in various states between 1974 and 1978, although the true number is suspected to be much higher.
Bundy's modus operandi typically consisted of convincing his victims that he needed assistance or duping them into believing he was an authority figure. He would then lure them to his vehicle, bludgeon them unconscious, restrain them with handcuffs, and drive them to a remote location to be sexually assaulted and killed. He frequently revisited the bodies of those he abducted, grooming and performing sex acts on the corpses until decomposition.
Hundreds of people sang, danced, and set off fireworks in a pasture across from the prison as the execution was carried out, cheering as the white hearse containing Bundy's corpse departed. He was cremated in Gainesville, and his ashes were scattered at an undisclosed location in the Cascade Range of Washington State, in accordance with his will.
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His final moments of freedom
On the eve of his execution, Ted Bundy spent his final hours weeping and praying. He called his mother twice, but refused his last meal, barely touching the standard steak, eggs, hash browns, and toast that he was served. Outside the prison walls, hundreds of people set up camp, drinking beer, chanting for the killer to burn, and banging pots and pans together.
Bundy's final morning, January 24, 1989, dawned with the sun rising over the north Florida plains. He was led to the execution chamber at Florida State Prison in Raiford, where he was strapped into the electric chair at 7:06 a.m. He peered through a Plexiglas window at the witnesses who faced him and said, "It's all right." A black hood was placed over his head, and the anonymous executioner pushed a button, sending 2,000 volts through his body.
Bundy's head jerked, and his body stiffened and pressed against the chair back. After less than two minutes, the executioner turned off the electric current. At 7:16 a.m., a doctor pronounced Ted Bundy dead. Witnesses reported seeing smoke rise from his leg.
Hundreds of revelers sang, danced, and set off fireworks in a pasture across from the prison as the execution was carried out, then cheered as the white hearse containing Bundy's corpse departed. He was cremated in Gainesville, and his ashes were scattered at an undisclosed location in the Cascade Range of Washington State, in accordance with his will.
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The electric chair's nickname
The electric chair was introduced in 1888, two years before it was first used to execute William Kemmler at Auburn Prison, New York. Nicknamed "Old Sparky", the device was initially conceived as a more humane alternative to hanging. However, its use has declined with the adoption of lethal injection, which is also perceived as more humane.
"Old Sparky" was first used at Sing Sing prison for a mass execution on July 7, 1891. From 1914, all executions in New York state were conducted at this prison using the electric chair. The device was the sole means of execution in Florida from 1924 until 2000.
The electric chair was also used extensively in the Philippines and remains an option in states like Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida, where inmates may choose lethal injection instead. As of 2025, electrocution is still an option in certain cases in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The electric chair was the method of execution for Ted Bundy, who was executed on January 24, 1989, in Florida. Bundy was a notorious serial killer who confessed to murdering more than 30 women between 1974 and 1978. He was sentenced to death three times before he was finally executed.
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Frequently asked questions
Bundy spent the night before his execution praying with Fred Lawrence, a Methodist minister, and called his mother twice to say goodbye. He was offered a special last meal but refused it, and barely touched the standard meal of steak, eggs, hash browns, and toast that he was given.
Bundy "jerked back, appearing startled" when he first saw the electric chair, according to Tim Swarens, who witnessed the execution. Crime writer Ann Rule described him as "uneasy" and said that he "failed to keep eye contact before his death".
After being strapped into the chair, a strap was pulled across Bundy's mouth and a metal skullcap was bolted in place. His final words were: "Jim and Fred, I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends." An anonymous executioner then pushed a button, sending 2,000 volts through Bundy's body. His body stiffened and pressed against the chair, and after less than two minutes, the executioner turned off the electric current.
