October 6, 1984 letter about the July 18, 1984 escape try

I have attempted to transcribe an October 6, 1984 letter Bundy wrote to his pen pal Diane Elliot, in which he mentioned the July 18, 1984 escape try that the prison officials discovered while doing a routine search of Bundy's cell (when they found that a cell bar had been sawed).

The handwritten letter is offered for sale on murderauction.com and has been recently added to the auction site's listings: https://www.murderauction.com/auction/listing/theodore-robert-bundy-very-important-handwritten-4-pages-letter-talking-about-a-third-but-failed-escape-attempt-from-1984/234079

Due to the watermarks, some of the words were illegible to me but I managed to pick up most of what he wrote.

October 6, 1984

Dear Diane,

Greetings. I have your September 8 letter and your September 25 note you enclosed with some stamps that came earlier this week. Thanks. The arrival of the stamps was especially timely since, if the credits [illegible] if they did, I wouldn’t have been able to mail any letters that day.

Please excuse the time it’s taken me to answer your September 8 letter. In the letter you asked if any disciplinary action has been taken against me. It’s a long story, but basically they’ve been taking retaliatory action against me since July 18 when the loose bar was found in my former residence. Officially, however, action was not taken till a couple weeks ago when a prison [illegible] gave me 60 days of disciplinary confinement, at which time I lost what few privileges that hadn’t been taken immediately after July 18, and I had my property taken from me, including your last letter. While I am entitled to a few basic (i.e. writing material, law books, stamps, etc.), they held it all for a while and returned it a couple days ago. Hence the temporary lack of stamps. Among the items returned was a bundle of recently received letters, among which I came across yours. So in part, I can cast the blame for the delay in answering you on my keepers.

I see you’re an RN [“Registered Nurse”]. Where did you go to school? What kind of ward do you work on?

You mentioned a Donahue show broadcast on Labor Day. I heard something about it. I don’t know where the interview shown came from. I wasn’t interviewed for Donahue, although his people have approached me several times and I have declined. He must have gotten a hold of some musty old file footage somewhere.

You asked about a photo of me. Sorry, I have none. I’m sure you’ve seen plenty in the various books you’ve read, and maybe elsewhere too.

But listen, I’m the one who needs a picture, or I should say pictures of you. You’ve seen mine, now I want to see yours. (That sounds like a line from a game of doctor, which is appropriate since I now know you’re a nurse.)

I enjoyed your poem. Do you write poetry often?

In your September 25 note you asked if you can send money orders occasionally. You can and they would be helpful. I know you’re saving your money for Christmas, so anything you do will be appreciated.

Actually, instead of sending money orders, I would rather have your books you acquire, and send to me in small installments (I am not allowed to have books sent to me whether or not I am being disciplined, however, if books are sent in sections, they usually make it in). **

If you are willing to do this, let me know, and I’ll explain to you what I’m looking for.

And please don’t forget the photos, nurse lady.

Take care of yourself peace

Ted

** See P.S.

P.S. – Ooops. I lost track of my sentence when I was asking you to look for acquire and sent in small installments something. I guess it was clear I meant books but the sentence became muddled. That’s what I get for getting parenthetically complicated.

Write soon.