Apple Podcasts
Stitcher
Spotify
iHeartRadio
PandoraSubscribe to Forensic Tales Podcast so you don’t miss an episode!
Dennis Rader aka “BTK” is one of America’s most notorious serial killers. BTK is responsible for killing 10 innocent people.
On January 15th, 1974, Dennis Rader “BTK” selected his first victims. In January 1974, 4 members of the Otero family were found murdered inside their home in Wichita, Kansas. BTK entered the home through a back door and cut the phone lines. Once inside, he placed a bag over Joseph Otero’s head, and then strangled his wife, Julie Otero. Next, he strangled their two children: 11-year old Josephine and 9-year old Joseph Jr. Their bodies were later discovered by the family’s eldest son.
A few months later on April 4th, 1974, Dennis Rader selected his next victim. Someone he had watched and stalked for weeks. Her name was Kathryn Bright.
But, when Kathryn arrived to her apartment, she wasn’t alone. Kathryn arrived home with her brother, Kevin Bright. Thinking she would be alone, BTK tied up both Kathryn and Kevin. But, for just a moment, Kevin was able to break free from the ties and charged towards BTK. BTK pulled out his gun and shot Kevin in the head. Still not dead, Kevin tried to get up again, but was shot a second time.
BTK strangled Kathryn Bright to death before leaving the apartment. Miraculously, Kevin Bright survived the attack.
A few months after the attack inside Kathryn Bright’s home, Dennis Rader placed a letter in a public library book in October 1974 where he claimed responsibly for the Otero murders and the murder of Kathryn Bright.
In the letter he called himself BTK – Bind them, Torture them, and Kill them.
On March 17th, 1977, BTK put into place the “Green Project”. This project was his next victim, Shirley Vian. Just like his earlier victims, BTK bound and strangled Shirley to death.
BTK identified Nancy Fox as his next victim, his next project. On December 8th 1977, entered Nancy’s home and waited for her to return home. Once Nancy returned home, BTK placed a belt around her neck and strangled her to death. This time, after the murder, BTK called 9-1-1 and reported the murder himself but running off.
After Nancy Fox’s murder, BTK sent a poem to a local newspaper company in January 1978. In the poem, he wrote about his responsibility in killing Shirley Vian, his victim known as “Project Green”.
Police had no clues or leads in the case so they decided to release the 9-1-1 recording in hopes someone would recognize BTK’s voice. But this didn’t generate any solid leads. And the killings stopped from 1977 until 1985.
But, in May 1985 BTK strikes again.
On May 5, 1985, 53-year old Marine Hedge was found dead alongside the side of the road in Wichita. It was later discovered that Marine Hedge was actually a neighbor of Dennis Rader.
By the year 2004, 30 years after BTK’s first victims, the investigation of the BTK killer was considered a cold case.
The year 2004 became the year marked as the 30th anniversary of the Otero family murders. And to celebrate this anniversary, BTK began sending a series of letters to local media outlets and the police. In total, he initiated a series of 11 communications to the local media. One of these communications included a computer disc.
A Forensic search was conducted on the computer disc that revealed it came from Christ Lutheran Church, a church where Dennis Rader, BTK, was a member. The metadata of the forensic search showed that a “Dennis” was the last known user of the Word document. When police google members of the church, they discover a Dennis Rader.
In March 2004, the Wichita Eagle received a letter from someone using the return address Bill Thomas Killman. And in the letter, the author claimed that he was the person responsible for killing a woman by the name of Vicki Wegerle on September 16th, 1986. In Vicki’s case, the killer left behind his DNA underneath her fingernails.
In order to find out if Dennis Rader’s DNA matched the DNA found underneath Vicki Wegerle’s fingernails, police obtained a search warrant for his daughter’s pap smear test. Police wanted to conduct a familial DNA on the sample.
The test came back positive. This established a familial relationship between Dennis’s daughter and their suspect, BTK.
BTK’s last known victim was Dolores Davis when she was murdered inside her home on January 19th, 1991.
Dennis Rader was arrested on February 25th, 2005 while driving near his home in Park City. When the police officer who pulled him over asked him quote “Mr. Rader, do you know why you’re going downtown?” Dennis simply replied quote “Oh, I have suspicions why”.
Recent Comments