The site where Laura Ann Aime was found

This is the site where serial killer Ted Bundy dumped the remains of Laura Ann Aime.

It is situated off Utah State Route 92 in American Fork Canyon, Utah.

Aime was a 17-year-old who disappeared after leaving a cafe in Lehi on the night of October 31, 1974.

Approximately one month later, two university students discovered her remains at the bottom of this creek bank.

Discovery

On the morning of November 27, two students were searching for fossils in the area when one of them noticed Aime's body on the bank.

She was lying face down, about 10 meters from the interstate. A nylon stocking had been tightly wrapped around her neck.

Fearing that the perpetrator might still be in the area, the pair left the scene and drove to the nearest ranger station.

Investigators determined that Aime's killer had struck her over the head, raped her, and then strangled her to death.

Following the murder, the offender dumped her body down the side of this embankment.

Bundy

Although Bundy did not confess to Aime's murder, the transcript from his death row confession shows he made no effort to deny it.

Instead, he suggested that they could talk about it at a later stage.

The crime bore all of the hallmarks of one of his murders, including the victim profile.

To add to this, tire track patterns in the immediate area proved to be a match with his Volkswagen Bug.

At the time of Aime's murder, Bundy was living in Salt Lake City and actively targeting women in the area.

Consequently, the authorities were certain of his involvement.

Disappearance

There are conflicting accounts of Aime's movements on the night of October 31, 1974.

Some sources say she began the evening at a house party in Orem, while others make no mention of any party.

What most sources do agree on, however, is that she spent time at the Knotty Pine Café at 130 West Main Street in Lehi.

Aime did not stay at the café for long, as she was reportedly eager to hitchhike to Robinson Park in American Fork.

One witness claimed they saw Aime at the park at around midnight. If they weren't mistaken, then this was the last time she was seen alive.

That night, it appears as though she was traveling from one place to the next. The most likely explanation for this is that she was a restless teenager who was trying to find the best place to hang out.

This was long before you could text people and find out where they were. Because it was Halloween, it is likely that groups of teenagers were socializing and partying in different areas.

Robinson Park is 3.2 miles away from the Knotty Pine Café. If Aime did walk to the park on foot, then it would have taken her roughly an hour to do so.

Given the distance, it's plausible she tried to hitchhike back to Lehi after her visit to the park. By that time, it was getting late, and the temperature had dipped to 45°F (7.2°C).

It is the author's opinion that she chose the blue route in the map above. Not only is it slightly shorter, but it would have also had more traffic. If her intention was to hitchhike, then it stands to reason that she would have opted to walk along the busier route.

During the 1970s, the land between Lehi and American Fork was not as built-up as it is today. Because of this, it is also possible that Bundy spotted Aime and decided to creep up on her, much like he did in the case of Nancy Wilcox.