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Bind, Torture & Kill
The BTK serial killer terrorized Wichita, Kansas for over 30 years. This reign of terror ended in 2005 when Dennis Rader confessed to murdering 10 people between 1974 and 1991. This courtroom confession was broadcast live and provided a terrifying glimpse into the mind of a psychopath who named himself "BTK" to represent "Bind, Torture and Kill," which described his modus operandi.
BTK on Wikipedia
Dennis Lynn Rader (born March 9, 1945) is an American serial killer who murdered 10 people in Sedgwick County (in and around Wichita, Kansas), between 1974 and 1991. He was known as the BTK killer (or the BTK strangler), which stands for "bind, torture and kill" and describes his modus operandi. He sent boastful letters describing the details of the killings to police and to local news outlets during the period of time in which the murders took place. After a long hiatus in the 1990s, he resumed sending letters in 2004, leading to his 2005 arrest and subsequent conviction.
Check out the book that could have prompted BTK's return
Nightmare in Wichita: The Hunt for the BTK Strangler
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
BTK's Victims
BTK took the life of at least 10 people from 1974-1991 in the Wichita, Kansas area. His first victims in 1974 were four members of the Otero family, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Otero and two of their five children, Joseph, Jr. and Josephine. That same year, BTK killed Kathryn Bright and wounded her brother Kevin. BTK would not strike again until 1977 when he killed Shirley Vian as her children were locked in an adjacent bathroom. Later that same year, BTK took the life of Nancy Fox. In 1985, BTK struck close to home when Rader's neighbor, Marine Hedge, was murdered. BTK's next victim, Vicki Wegerle was killed in 1986. Her husband was considered a suspect in the murder until Rader's 2005 confession. The last confirmed victim of BTK was Dolores Davis. She was murdered in 1991. 
BTK's Secret Symbol
BTK used this secret symbol to sign many of his communications with police. This piece of evidence was withheld from the public and only a few working on the investigation ever knew that BTK signed his letters with this sexually suggestive mark. The Otero Family
On January 15, 1974, BTK's reign of terror in Wichita, KS began when the bodies of four members of the Otero family were discovered. Joseph Otero, Jr., 38, his wife Julie, 34, Joey, 9, and Josephine, 11, had all been brutally murdered while the family's three other children were at school. The Oteros had all been bound and strangled by the killer. Three of the family members were found upstairs, but young Josephine was found hanging from rope that had been tied to a pipe in the home's basement. Rader stated during his confession years later that he had some "sexual fantasies" after hanging Josie. Police confirmed that they had found semen near her body. Kathryn Bright
Kathryn Bright was only 21 years old when BTK took her life and wounded her 19 year old brother, Kevin. On April 4, 1974, Dennis Rader broke into Bright's home where he was surprised to find Kevin. He expected Kathryn to be alone and was thrown by Kevin's presence. Rader would later admit that he had lost control of this crime scene and both Kathryn and Kevin had gotten "out of hand." Because of this, Rader confessed that he chose to shoot Kevin in the head twice and ultimately stab Kathryn to death, a departure from his preferred method of stabbing. Kevin would survive this attack, but unfortunately Kathryn was not as lucky. Shirley Vian Relford
On March 17, 1977, BTK struck again when he killed 26 year old, Shirley Vian Relford. Sadly, Relford had not been Rader's intended victim that day. Relford's neighbor had been BTK's "potential hit," but she was not home that afternoon. During his confession, Rader stated that he was "all keyed up" with murderous intentions, so he walked around the neighborhood until he ran into Relford's son and asked him if he could identify some photos. Rader watched the boy walk to his house and later knocked on door. When one of the children answered the door, Rader said he was a private detective, showed them a pistol and forced his way into the home. He told Relford he had a problem with sexual fantasies and was going to tie her up. Rader locked Relford's small children in the bathroom with some toys so he could proceed with his plans for their mother. He then tied Relford to her bed, put a bag over her head and strangled her. Nancy Fox
Marine Hedge
Vicki Wegerle
Dolores Davis
BTK News from Google
- Stanley Tucci on His 'Most Difficult' Role Yet
- "I read a lot about the BTK Killer. He was the 'bind, torture, kill' guy. I spoke at length with John Douglas, an FBI agent and criminal profiler, ...
- Behind The Badge And Under The Gun
- ... the BTK Killer and even the Randy Comeaux serial rape case in Lafayette ? cases that took years to solve ? in trying to put these serial murders in ...
Find out more about BTK
Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer
Amazon Price: $19.67 (as of 12/15/2009)
Unholy Messenger: The Life and Crimes of the BTK Serial Killer
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of BTK, the Serial Killer Next Door
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
The BTK Murders: Inside the "Bind Torture Kill" Case that Terrified America's Heartland
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
B.T.K.
Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Sites For More BTK Info
- BTK Kansas Serial Killer - Full BTK Story - Crime Library on truTV.com
- Wichita was a good place to live until its reputation became sullied by the brutal serial killer who calls himself the BTK killer. Now Dennis Rader of Park City has been arrested as the suspected BTK killer. dennis rader had been matched with the DNA from victims.
- The BTK Site
- BTK Strangler Serial Killer - Dennis Rader
- Kansas.com
- BTK Strangler
- Court Transcript of BTK's Confession
- Dennis Rader, the BTK murderer, confessed to his grisly crimes in a voice void of remorse but with a hint of demented pride.
- BTK Victims, Survivors and Evidence Gallery
- BTK Site
- allserialkillers.com
- BTK Serial Killer
- Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community
- BTK Forum Archived Archived Cases - Appeals, Books and Updates
- Kansas Department of Corrections
- Dennis Rader's listing on the DOC's website
- BTK - Bind, Torture, Kill Serial Killer - Bizarre Details
- BTK, or Bind, Torture, and Kill, has eluded police for over 2 decades. He continues to taunt police to this day. What makes BTK tick? Why can't police catch him? Will he strike again?
- BTK Killer Dennis Rader
- KariSable.com
Blog Posts about BTK
- In Cold Blood, 50 Years on | Drudge Retort
- The Clutters the Carr Brothers Massacre BTK The Murder Ordained killings. I didn't realize this was the Clutter story. I thought it was another thread about insurance companies. LOL. #10 | Posted by eberly at 2009-11-16 11:17 AM | Reply ...
- BTK Murder - Dennis Rader
- These are the crime scene pics i have got of BTK- Dennis Rader The pictures below are from different victims he made. A famous case back then: Kathryn.
- 'I'm okay with being attacked' « hazel8500
- Lommel: Prior to the Pickton film, I made BTK KILLER, about the guy who bragged that he would bind, torture and kill. He was a respected man, a member of the church, etc., and nobody wanted to believe that he was the killer. How could such an upright citizen commit such heinous ... VANCOUVER ? The horror film Killer Pickton sent chills down the spine of many who were involved in the multimillion-dollar serial-murder trial of British Columbia resident Robert Pickton. ...
- B.T.K. – Horror Film Review | Cinefantastique Online
- Recently released on region one DVD, Michael Feifer's B.T.K. describes itself as 'a fictional film based on a real character'. That character is the serial killer Dennis L. Rader, who was arrested in March 2005 for the murder of ten ...
Check out these great books on other infamous serial killers and profiling
Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters
Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 12/15/2009)
Serial Killers and Mass Murderers: Profiles of the World's Most Barbaric Criminals
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World's Most Terrifying Murderers
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/15/2009)
Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us
Amazon Price: $12.50 (as of 12/15/2009)
Practical Homicide Investigation, Fourth Edition
Amazon Price: $88.16 (as of 12/15/2009)
Share your thoughts on BTK......
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- eccles1 eccles1 Oct 28, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
- This man had a perfect disguised he was married had a family and worked in a church that's why it took so long to catch him !but the way he played with the cops you can tell he wanted to be famous what a big ego this man has! he killed because he wanted to be famous that's madness !!
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- clickityclack clickityclack Nov 13, 2009 @ 9:47 am
- I totally agree!!!
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- bengriston bengriston Sep 1, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
- This case just goes to show that you do not necessarily know someone. He even had his wife fooled.
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