How does one stop empathising with a serial killer?

What issues am I facing with Ted Bundy's story? Surprisingly a lot of personal and emotional ones! Although there are issues with the research and writing process, it's becoming extremely difficult to isolate myself from the story the further I delve into the life of Ted Bundy.

Excusing Bundy's behaviour/empathising with him

My research has uncovered truths about the childhood of Ted Bundy and his upbringing that unintentionally provoked empathy throughout this process. Such research uncovered the abandonment of a new born Ted by his mother, the violent bully that was his grandfather and the macabre thoughts of a little boy.

Without intending to, I appear to have gained a slight empathetic view on this childhood tale.  Reading about the lies that surrounded Bundy's family home, I can't help but sympathise with the poor boy, regardless of the monster he grew up to become.

I am afraid that the deeper I dig and the more attached I grow to the little boy Bundy used to be, I will soon find myself excusing how he turned out. Not only through his troubled childhood, but by digging until I find more information that would let someone off for their actions. Of course this isn't at all what I wish for my creative piece of non-fiction and so I must try to follow the advice of Isabel Wilkerson and try to strike a balance between my narrative and the subject.

Unable to contact those involved

A practical issue that I know many other writers suffer from is the inability to contact the parties involved with the story. Whilst there are still people out there I could reach out to – for example, Bundy's ex-wife – it would take a great amount of time to locate them and even more to obtain their permission to drag up the past. Not only is time a factor but I would feel immoral bringing up the past when everyone involved has tried to rebuild their lives now.


It is without these contacts that I forced to rely on the interviews and research undertaken in the late 20th century; from newspapers to case files, my research will be through the discoveries others have already made.