How Bite Marks Convicted Ted Bundy _ The New Detectives

A forensic odontologist walked into a Miami courtroom and changed American legal history forever. The evidence was a bruise on the buttock of a murdered college student. The weapon was Ted Bundy's crooked teeth.In this episode of The New Detectives, the groundbreaking Discovery Channel series that aired from 1996 to 2004 and inspired CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, forensic experts examine how bite mark analysis helped convict one of the most notorious serial killers in history. Dr. Richard Souviron, a forensic odontologist, testified that the bite mark on Chi Omega sorority victim Lisa Levy matched the unique pattern of Bundy's misaligned teeth [citation:5]. Leon County sheriff Ken Katsaris, who investigated the case, recalled: "The bite marks became the centerpiece of that investigation. He used his teeth on two of the young ladies. It's as if he was definitely signing his signature" [citation:4].The episode also explores how dental evidence helped identify bodies and catch ruthless killers in other cases [citation:2]. Season 7, Episode 7, titled A Deadly Smile, originally aired on December 18, 2001 [citation:2][citation:10]. The defense attacked the science as part art, part optical illusion [citation:8]. But the jury needed only six hours and forty minutes to convict [citation:5].Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because Bundy's crooked teeth left a mark that sent him to the electric chair.