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The BTK killer was arrested on February 25, 2005, after a 31 year investigation and hunt for the serial killer. Dennis Rader has been sentenced to 175 years to life for 10 murders from 1974 to 1991, committed while he lived a respectable life in Park City, Kansas. He was married with two grown children, was a Cub Scout leader and president of his Lutheran church. BTK sent a series of letters and packages that started in the 1970s and resumed in 2004 after a 25 year silence. A computer disk mailed to KSAS-TV in the last package BTK sent was analyzed and found to contain a file from the church still on it. DNA samples were taken from Dennis Rader which matched those of the BTK killer. |
Reference |
| BTK case video List of BTK Message Boards |
 Documentary feature film: The Feast of the Assumption: the Otero Family Murders, aka I Survived BTK, from UNSUB Films. See preview on YouTube. |
| Dennis Rader pleaded guilty in a dramatic courtroom confession on June 27,
2005 that detailed the 10 murders he was accused of. The families of victims Vicki Wegerle, Marine Hedge, Shirley Vian,
Nancy Fox, Kathryn Bright, Dolores Davis and Joseph & Julie Otero sought to
sue BTK for wrongful death and the other damages suffered. Kevin Bright,
brother of victim Kathryn Bright, was shot in the face but survived and also
sought to sue BTK for damages. Paula Rader was granted an emergency divorce
on July 26, 2005 citing extreme mental and physical distress. She had no idea that she had been married to a notorious serial
killer for 34 years until the arrest of BTK. She was given all property and two
retirement accounts owned by the couple. The Rader home was finally sold in January 2007
to the city of Park City, after an auction in 2005 which was challenged by victims'
families in court resulted in the cancellation of the sale to a bidder willing to pay a
price well above market value. Park City has torn the house down to improve access
to a small adjacent park. Rader was named as a co-defendant in a gender
discrimination lawsuit filed in federal court by a former female co-worker, alleging
abuse, discrimination and harassment. However, the suit has been thrown out by a
judge due to not being filed on time. A resolution of
the civil lawsuits filed by the victims' families was reached in March 2007 in which Rader
agrees to pay them $10 million and forfeit all media rights to his story. No money
is ever likely to be paid, however, because Rader is indigent. The sentencing hearing on August 17, 2005 was the prosecution's only opportunity to describe the volume of evidence compiled against Dennis Rader as the BTK killer. Rader's new home is the maximum security El Dorado Correctional Facility. The DA's office submitted a court-approved recommendation to this prison that Rader be restricted from seeing news accounts about himself, have no access to drawing and other materials that can allow him to express his bondage fantasies, be barred from giving media interviews. He must register as a sexual offender and pay restitution to victims. The prison indicates Rader will be treated as a specially managed inmate but is not barred from earning privileges considered normal for such inmates, and will be allowed access to newspaper, radio and TV as he earns these privileges. Notable quote, from the blog of Erin Moriarty,
CBS News reporter who covered the 48 Hours story BTK--Out of the
Shadows: The movie BTK Killer is pure trash! The movie is factually incorrect and grossly distorts the events of the BTK case with scenarios that never happened at all. Is all fiction and bears no resemblance to the real persons and victims involved, and is an incredibly poorly made film. |
| Interesting News Stories: | Books on BTK |
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| After 31 years and 10 deaths
pieces fall in place Kansas.com July 10, 2005 It was the moment Lt. Ken Landwehr, commander of the BTK task force, had devoted much of his life to making happen: "Hello, Mr. Landwehr," a handcuffed Dennis Rader said, as officers put him into the back seat of a unmarked police car. Rader gave
details in letters Kansas.com July 11, 2005 Terrorized by Dennis Rader? KAKE.com Apr. 28, 2005When Dennis Rader was first arrested as the suspect in the BTK murders, the media heard complaints about Rader's role as the compliance officer in Park City. But none perhaps has been so shocking as the story told by a former Park City resident. The woman says she lived in fear. BTK Suspect a 'Hateful' Man, Former Co-Worker Says FoxNews.com April 22, 2005To Mary Capps, Dennis Rader was a power-hungry jerk and a nightmare of a boss. Having already filed three complaints against him, she was in the middle of a fourth when police announced Rader was the long-sought BTK serial killer. |
Nightmare
in Wichita Unholy Messenger- the Life and Crimes
of the BTK Serial Killer The BTK Murders: Inside the Bind,
Torture, Kill Case That Terrified America's Heartland |
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| BTK Cold Case Profiles Sherry Baker College student found strangled in 1974 Denise Rathbun Killed just before victim Nancy Fox in 1977 Linda Shawn Casey College student strangled in 1985 Hattie Smith and Deanna Law Both found dead in bathtubs ten years apart Carol Mould Housewife murdered and burned at front door in 2004: Case closed in 2010, Bill Moore pleads guilty to the murder of Carol Mould |
| Handwriting Samples Riverview Roundup 1984 Rader class reunion Financial Affidavit Rader's financial statement March 1, 2005 |
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| True Crime Websites: Crime Library Superb collection of true crime stories from many authors CNN.com/crime News and videos from CNN Crime News - a First News Source Current crime news AP Crime News from SFgate.com Up-to-date crime newswire from San Francisco and the world Serial Killer Central News, articles, photos and more of serial killers Crimes Online News about cyber crime |
