Thomas Richard Bunday was born on September 28, 1948, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the younger of two children in his family. His elder brother, Ralph, was 15 years older than him. Thomas grew up in a challenging environment. His father, who was a World War II veteran, suffered from mental health issues and was often aggressive towards his wife and younger son. After his father died in 1963, Thomas did not attend the funeral and ran away from home for several days.

In school, Thomas was not popular among his peers. However, he was a good student and had a social nature. He made many friends, which helped him maintain a positive outlook on life. After graduating from high school in 1966, he married his high school sweetheart. In 1967, he joined the United States Air Force and eventually reached the rank of technical sergeant.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Thomas was stationed in Southeast Asia. While he was away, his wife had a son with another man. Despite this, Thomas chose to stay with her. They later had a daughter together, but the situation put a strain on their marriage. In the mid-1970s, he was transferred to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. While at the base, Thomas began to experience emotional burnout and started seeing a psychotherapist.

The murder series began on August 29, 1979, when 19-year-old Glinda Sodemann went missing in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her decomposed body was found two months later in a gravel pit, located 23 miles south of Fairbanks. The next disappearance occurred on June 13, 1980, when 11-year-old Doris Oehring went missing. Before she disappeared, her brother saw her talking to a stranger in a blue car who was wearing an Air Force uniform. He helped police create a sketch of the man.

On January 31, 1981, 20-year-old Marlene Peters went missing while trying to hitchhike from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Five weeks later, 16-year-old Wendy Wilson disappeared while heading to a friend's house. Wendy had received a ride offer from the friend's mother just before her disappearance. On May 16, 1981, 18-year-old Lori King also disappeared. At this time, Marlene Peters' partially decomposed body was found. Later that year, the decomposed body of Lori King was discovered near the Eielson Air Base, not far from where Wendy Wilson's body had been found.

As authorities investigated, they started to consider that a serial killer among military personnel might be at work. Investigators examined the personnel at Eielson Air Base, including civilian staff. By February 3, 1982, Thomas Bunday was identified as a suspect along with two others known for violent behavior toward women. At that time, he had been transferred to Wichita Falls, Texas.

Thomas Bunday was arrested on March 7, 1983. During the interrogation and a search of his home and vehicle, evidence linking him to the murders was found. On that day, he admitted to killing five women and girls, providing detailed descriptions of the crimes. He also denied involvement in the murder of Cassandra Goodwin.

After confessing, Bunday was not immediately arrested due to legal issues regarding the warrant. An arrest warrant was issued by Alaskan authorities on March 15, 1983. However, before he could be taken into custody, he died in a motorcycle accident about 40 miles outside Wichita Falls. Bunday crashed into a truck while riding on the highway. This incident was later deemed a suicide.