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Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was arrested at his Montana cabin on April 3, 1996, after his brother recognized similarities between Kaczynski’s writing and a published manifesto. Kaczynski pleaded guilty in January 1998 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He died in federal custody in North Carolina on June 10, 2023, aged 81; his death certificate records suicide as the manner of death.
How was the Unabomber identified?
The FBI’s investigation concerned a bombing campaign that lasted from 1978 to 1995, killed three people and injured many others. The FBI says the devices were mailed or planted in settings associated with universities and airlines. Investigators used the case name UNABOM; the press adopted “Unabomber.” (FBI case history; FBI retrospective)
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In 1995, officials approved publication of Kaczynski’s 35,000-word manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future. David Kaczynski and his wife recognized similarities between its language and Ted’s writing. David shared information with investigators, giving them a crucial lead toward his brother. The publication was an investigative turning point, not an endorsement of the manifesto or a justification for the bombings. (FBI manifesto artifact; FBI case history)
The FBI says agents arrested Kaczynski at his cabin near Lincoln, Montana, on April 3, 1996. A search recovered bomb-making components, about 40,000 handwritten journal pages describing experiments and crimes, and a live bomb ready for mailing. The scale and nature of the evidence connected the investigation to the violence, not merely to the ideas expressed in the manifesto. (FBI case history)
What happened in the legal case?
Kaczynski pleaded guilty in January 1998. In May 1998, he received a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. The FBI case history says he was placed in a Colorado supermax prison after the plea. His case therefore ended in a guilty plea and a life sentence, not an acquittal or release. (FBI case history)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did Ted Kaczynski die?
Kaczynski died on June 10, 2023, aged 81, at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina. His North Carolina death certificate records the manner of death as “Suicide.” The certificate is the official record for the date and recorded manner of death. (Federal Bureau of Prisons death certificate; Associated Press report)
The reports issued around his death reflect different points in time, rather than a change to the official record. The first public report on June 10 said the cause was not immediately known. An Associated Press follow-up the next day, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that he died by suicide; the death certificate later documented suicide as the manner. (Associated Press report; Federal Bureau of Prisons death certificate)
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Unabomber case timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1978–1995 | The bombing campaign later attributed to Kaczynski; the FBI reports three deaths and many injuries. The Associated Press gives the specific figure of 23 injured. (FBI case history; Associated Press report) |
| 1995 | Officials approved publication of the 35,000-word manifesto; David Kaczynski and his wife recognized similarities to Ted’s writing. (FBI manifesto artifact; FBI case history) |
| April 3, 1996 | FBI agents arrested Kaczynski at his Montana cabin and recovered bomb components, journals and a live bomb. (FBI case history) |
| January 1998 | Kaczynski pleaded guilty. (FBI case history) |
| May 1998 | He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. (FBI case history) |
| June 10, 2023 | Kaczynski died at the federal medical center in Butner; his death certificate records suicide as the manner of death. (Federal Bureau of Prisons death certificate) |
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