Horror, Sleaze and Trash.

The Unabomber Letter Series, pt i: “Lady Love”

While in prison, Ted Kaczynski fell in love with a woman named Joy Richards, and they even discussed marriage. Their relationship was platonic at first, and he considered her his closest friend and confidant, allowing her contact with his attorneys and his family, both of whom he deeply distrusted, and even granted her a very rare interview. She sent him many otherwise inaccessible books and articles to aid his research, and Kaczynski sold her half of his Montana property where his cabin was located.

Eventually they developed romantic feelings for each other, and he frequently “gushed” about her to other penpals, affectionately naming her “Lady Love”, calling her an angel, and saying she was “beyond his wildest dreams”. He composed original classical music pieces for her, and drew her cards with colored pencils. However, she was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, and they lost touch towards the end of her life as she became sicker. Right before she passed away in 2006, a penpal of Ted’s visited her. Although she was barely conscious, he played for her an original classical piece Kaczynski composed for her on a synthesizer as a final goodbye.