Carol Ann DaRonch (born June 8, 1956) is an American human rights activist and advocator. She is known for surviving an abduction attempt by serial killer Ted Bundy. Her escape on November 8, 1974 provided law enforcement with their first significant physical evidence and led to Bundy's first criminal conviction in 1976.
DaRonch was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father was of Italian descent, while her mother had English ancestry. In 1974, she was an 18-year-old high school graduate working as a telephone operator. She has described herself during this period as "extremely shy" and helpful, traits she believes Bundy targeted for exploitation.
She attended night school at The University of Utah to earn a degree in business management.
Around 7:00 PM on November 8, 1974, DaRonch was window-shopping at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray, Utah. Bundy approached her posing as "Officer Roseland," claiming someone had attempted to break into her 1974 maroon Camaro. After verifying her car appeared untouched, Bundy convinced her to accompany him to a substation behind a nearby laundromat to sign a complaint. When they found the door locked, he claimed they must go to the main police station and led her to his 1968 Volkswagen Beetle.
Bundy drove to a nearby elementary school, pulled over, and grabbed DaRonch's arm. He successfully locked one handcuff on her left wrist, but she fought back as he threatened her with a handgun and a crowbar. DaRonch managed to tumble out of the vehicle and flag down a passing car driven by Wilbur and Mary Walsh, who rescued her while the handcuff still dangled from her wrist.
In October 1975, following Bundy's arrest for a traffic violation, DaRonch identified him in a police lineup. In February 1976, she was the key witness in Bundy's trial for aggravated kidnapping. Despite intense cross-examination by defense attorney John O'Connell regarding her initial description of the vehicle and badge, she firmly maintained her identification, famously stating she would "never forget his face". Bundy was found guilty and sentenced to 1 to 15 years in prison.
DaRonch traveled to Aspen, Colorado, to testify in the murder trial of Caryn Campbell, where she was directly cross-examined by Bundy while he acted as his own attorney. She also testified at his 1979 pre-sentencing hearing in Miami.
Following the trials, DaRonch intentionally sought a life of privacy, though her case remains a cornerstone of Bundy's criminal history.
She lives in Utah with her husband Michael and she has a son named Levi.
She worked for decades in the telecommunications industry. At the urging of her adult son, Levi, she broke her silence for the 2019 Netflix docuseries '.