Karen Sparks Epley (born 1955) is an American accountant and survivor who is widely recognized as the first known victim of serial killer Ted Bundy. For decades, she remained anonymous in true crime literature, often referred to by the pseudonym "Joni Lenz", "Mary Adams" and "Terri Caldwell". She broke her silence in 2020 to share her story in the Amazon Prime docuseries '.
In 1974, Sparks was an 18-year-old student at the University of Washington in Seattle. She was a dancer and lived in a basement apartment in the city's University District.
On the night of January 4, 1974, Ted Bundy entered Sparks' apartment while she was asleep. Bundy used a metal rodâÂÂreportedly a piece of her own bedframeâÂÂto bludgeon her, causing a massive skull fracture. He then used the same rod to sexually assault her, causing severe internal injuries and a ruptured bladder.
Sparks lay in a pool of blood for approximately 18 to 20 hours before being found by her roommate. She remained in a coma for 10 days. She believes she was spared from death because her roommate Chunk was heard talking in his sleep, which may have spooked Bundy into fleeing.
The attack left Sparks with permanent physical and neurological disabilities. She had permanent brain damage and a period of epileptic fits. She has sensory problems, a 50% loss of hearing, a 40% loss of vision, and constant tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Karen's father played a critical role in her recovery, refusing medical advice to place her in a nursing home and instead helping her relearn to walk and speak.
She deliberately chose to live a private life to avoid being defined by the attack. She became a successful accountant.
After 46 years of anonymity, Sparks appeared in the 2020 Amazon Prime documentary '. Her appearance debunked long-standing media rumors that she had been permanently institutionalized due to brain damage. In 2021, she participated in a roundtable discussion with other survivors for the Fox Nation special Surviving Bundy with Nancy Grace.
She married and had children. She kept her history as a survivor secret from her children for most of their lives, stating, "I never directly talked to my own children about it because, you know, I am mom".
She is active in her mission to ensure victims are remembered for their lives rather than just their trauma. She frequently participates in documentaries and continues to advocate for survivor narratives.