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Portrait of Ted Kaczynski

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Born in United States · Nationality American — Crime / mafias / terrorism / criminal cases

Ted Kaczynski

Terrorism and violent extremismScience, medicine and health

Documented profile covering 21 controversies, including “Death in custody by suicide, according to Associated Press sources” and “Court-ordered sale of possessions for benefit of victims”.

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Profile No. 2288 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Ted Kaczynski

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
21Documented controversies
5Sources
1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 19 documented stages

Death in custody by suicide, according to Associated Press sources

Conviction
01

10 June 2023

Death in custody by suicide, according to Associated Press sources

Conviction

Kaczynski, aged 81 and suffering from advanced cancer according to the Associated Press, was found unresponsive at the federal medical centre in Butner and died in hospital.

State of the evidence
Confirmed
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    PBS News / Associated PressAP sources: 'Unabomber' Ted Kaczynski died by suicide in prison medical centerNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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03

January 1998

Dispute over defence strategy, fitness to stand trial and guilty plea

Conviction

As trial approached, Kaczynski opposed his lawyers' strategy of using psychiatric evidence to avoid the death penalty and sought to represent himself. Following an assessment finding him fit to stand trial, he ultimately pleaded guilty.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Cornell Legal Information InstituteA summary of the legal proceedingsSecondary sourceHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of JusticeUnited States Attorneys' Annual Statistical Report 1998Official documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

04

1995–3 April 1996

Identification by brother and arrest at Montana cabin

Formally charged

David Kaczynski provided investigators with writings by his brother. Linguistic analysis contributed to the search warrant, after which Ted Kaczynski was arrested at his Montana cabin, where investigators seized extensive physical evidence and journals describing the crimes.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

05

24 April 1995

Murder of Gilbert Murray, president of California Forestry Association

Conviction

A parcel bomb addressed to the California Forestry Association's headquarters in Sacramento killed its president, Gilbert Murray.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of JusticeUnited States Attorneys' Annual Statistical Report 1998Official documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

07

19 December 1994

Murder of advertising executive Thomas Mosser

Conviction

A parcel bomb sent to Thomas Mosser's home in New Jersey killed him.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of JusticeUnited States Attorneys' Annual Statistical Report 1998Official documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

22 June 1993

Bombing targeting geneticist Charles Epstein

Conviction

A University of California geneticist was injured by a parcel that exploded at his home.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

09

24 June 1993

Bombing targeting Yale computer scientist David Gelernter

Conviction

Two days after the attack on Epstein, a parcel bomb seriously injured Yale researcher David Gelernter, who lost several fingers, among other injuries.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

20 February 1987

Salt Lake City bombing and first useful eyewitness

Conviction

A device placed near a computer shop in Salt Lake City seriously injured the owner's son. A witness saw the man who had left the package, enabling investigators to produce a composite sketch.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

11

15 May 1985

Second bombing at Berkeley

Conviction

Another device placed at Berkeley exploded and injured an engineering student.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

12

13 June 1985

Parcel addressed to Boeing made safe

Conviction

A suspicious parcel attributed to the Unabomber campaign and sent to a Boeing division was made safe before causing any casualties.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

13

15 November 1985

Bombing targeting University of Michigan professor and assistant

Conviction

A parcel bomb injured a Michigan psychology professor and his assistant.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

14

11 December 1985

First killing in campaign: Death of shopkeeper Hugh Scrutton

Conviction

A device left near a computer shop in Sacramento killed its owner, Hugh Scrutton, the campaign's first fatality.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of JusticeUnited States Attorneys' Annual Statistical Report 1998Official documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

15

5 May 1982

Parcel bomb at Vanderbilt University

Conviction

A parcel sent to the head of Vanderbilt's computer science department exploded when a secretary opened it, injuring her.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

16

2 July 1982

Bombing at University of California, Berkeley

Conviction

A parcel bomb left in an engineering building at Berkeley exploded and injured a professor.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

17

8 October 1981

Device discovered at University of Utah

Conviction

A device attributed to Kaczynski was discovered in a University of Utah building and made safe without injury.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

18

10 June 1980

Parcel bomb sent to United Airlines president Percy Wood

Conviction

Percy Wood was injured when he opened a parcel containing a device attributed to Kaczynski.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

19

9 May 1979

Second bombing at Northwestern University

Conviction

A device left in an area used by postgraduate students at Northwestern injured a student who opened it.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

20

15 November 1979

Bombing aboard American Airlines Flight 444

Conviction

A device attributed to Kaczynski exploded in the hold of Flight 444, filling the aircraft with smoke. The plane was able to land, and several passengers suffered the effects of smoke inhalation.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

21

25 May 1978

First parcel bomb at Northwestern / UIC

Conviction

A parcel later attributed to Kaczynski exploded while being handled by a university security officer, who was injured.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

02

2010–2011

Court-ordered sale of possessions for benefit of victims

Civil / administrative proceedings

A federal judge ordered the sale of Kaczynski's personal belongings and documents, including versions of his manifesto, with the proceeds going to victims.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Marshals ServiceHistorical Timeline — Unabomber Belongings AuctionOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

1995

Threat to continue attacks and publication of 35 000-word manifesto

No legal proceedings

Kaczynski made ending his campaign conditional on publication of a lengthy text setting out his anti-technology ideology. After deliberation, the FBI and Department of Justice supported publication to assist in identifying him.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    FBIUnabomberOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

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