Dennis Rader - The BTK Killer
Known as the 'BTK killer,' Dennis Rader slaughtered 10 people from 1974 to 1991 in Wichita, Kansas, often leaving clues to taunt authorities.
Birth And Upbringing
Born in 1945 in Pittsburg, Kansas, Dennis Rader ended up living a double life: devoted family and company man, however, he also terrorised the Wichita, Kansas area as the "BTK killer"—for" binding, torturing, killing"—with 10 murders and terrifying correspondence between 1974 and 1991 with authorities. Rader's alter ego resurfaced in 2004 but his inclination to leave clues resulted in the following year to his arrest and life imprisonment.
Rader was born in Pittsburg, Kansas, on 9 March 1945, and grew up in Wichita. He was the oldest of four sons enjoying an apparently normal childhood, allegedly masking such disturbing behaviour as the hanging of stray animals.
Rader had dropped out of college and joined the United States Air Force through the mid-1960s. Having returned to Wichita, he married his wife, Paula, in 1971, and spent about a year working for an outdoor supply company. He began a lengthy stint as an ADT Security Services employee in 1974.
His First Murders
On January 15, 1974, in their Wichita home, Rader strangled four members of the Otero family—parents Joseph and Julie, and two of their children, Josephine and Joseph Jr.—to death, before leaving with a watch and a radio. Strangulation and souvenir-taking would form part of his modus operandi, or behavioural pattern. He also left semen at the scene, and later said he derived from killing, a sexual pleasure. Charlie, the 15-year-old son of The Oteros, came home later that day to discover the bodies.
A few months later, Rader struck again: he waited in a young woman 's apartment named Kathryn Bright on April 4, 1974, before stabbing and strangling her when she returned home. Rader shot at her brother Kevin twice, even though he survived. Kevin later described Rader as "an average man, bushy moustache, 'psychotic' eyes," according to an article in TIME magazine.
His ominous Letters
Rader placed a letter in a public library book in October 1974 in which he took responsibility for murdering the Oteros. He warned that he would strike again, noting, "The code words for me will bind them, torture them, kill them, B.T.K." The initials stuck, and the murderer became known by variations of the "BTK killer" moniker, or simply "BTK."
Further Crimes
The next known crimes Rader committed occurred in 1977. He tied up and strangled Shirley Vian in March of that year, after locking her kids in the bathroom. He strangled Nancy Fox in her home in December, and then phoned the police to report the murder. Shortly thereafter, in January 1978, Rader sent a poem about the Vian murder to a local newspaper. He sent a letter to a local television station several weeks later stating he was responsible for killing Vian, Fox and another unknown victim. He also referred to several other well-known killers, including Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz, also known as the "Son of Sam."
Rader was waiting in the home of an elderly woman in April 1979 but left before she returned. He sent her a letter informing her that BTK was there. In an effort to catch him, the authorities released the recording of his phone call to police in 1977, hoping somebody could recognise the voice
Rader killed his neighbour Marine Hedge on April 27, 1985, after several years without a known crime. Her body was found on the side of the road, days later. He killed Vicki Wegerle in her home the following year. On 19 January 1991, his last known victim, Dolores Davis, was taken from her home.
Dropping Off The Radar
BTK dropped off the map over the next few years, as Rader focused on work and family life. He left ADT in the late 1980s and in 1991 began working as a compliance supervisor for the Wichita suburb of Park City. Rader had been known to be a stickler for the rules in his new position. He measured the height of the lawns of people and chased stray animals while he hauled a tranquillizer gun. Rader was taking pleasure in exercising his limited authority over his neighbours and other community members according to reports. He was also the leader of the Boy Scout troop and chairman of his church council.
Resurfacing And Eventual Capture
BTK resurfaced in 2004, with many news reports to mark the 30th anniversary of the Otero murders. Rader sent several letters filled with items related to his crimes to local media outlets and authorities, including pictures, a word puzzle and an outline for the "BTK Story." He also left packages with clues, including a computer disc, which ultimately led authorities to the church where Rader worshipped. Investigators also noticed his Jeep on some of the package drop-off areas' security bands and secured their case by obtaining a DNA sample from the daughter of Rader.
On 25 February 2005 Rader was arrested and later charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder. The news stunned his neighbours and fellow church members, unable to believe that the man they knew was the serial killer who had tormented the town for so long.
On 27 June 2005, Rader pleaded guilty to all charges. He gave the horrifying details of his crimes in court as part of his plea. Many observers have noted that without any sign of remorse or emotion he described the gruesome events. Since he committed his crimes before the reinstatement of the death penalty by the state in 1994, Rader was sent to El Dorado Correctional Facility to serve his 10 life sentences.
