BTK STRANGLER
BY:Malik Chambers

BTK is an acronym for “bind torture killer”. When you hear that title you think of an sick,and twisted individual who has no self control, you do not picture a suburban “everyday” father. You may not think that one person could be both your typical and also a ruthless killer. The murders of Dennis Rader will prove you wrong. He terrorized the Sedgwick county(in and around Wichita
County),without his family having a clue of his murders.The family knew nothing about his dark deeds. His killings spanned from 1974­1991 all victims bound against their will tortured and eventually killed. You will read how an ruthless individual almost committed these crimes with impunity, if it weren’t for his need of fame. Born March,9 1945 in Pittsburg, Kansas Dennis Rader was the eldest of four sons to William and Dorethea Rader. The family then moved to Wichita, Kansas. As a child Rader seemed outwardly normal, described as a normal child. Rader admitted to began fantasizing about bondage, control, and torture at a young age. He dreamed of tying girls up and having his way with them. Rader also admits to killing cats and dogs by hanging them which is very odd for someone to do, especially at a young age. Those who knew him personally describe a quiet and polite young man who preferred to keep to himself. One friend described him as utterly lacking a sense of humor, but tended to be studious and focused. In January 1974 Radar was in between jobs and restless. He enjoyed driving and walking around certain neighborhoods where he would observe women. While dropping his wife off at work he would spy on Julie Otero, age 34 and her daughter Josephine,age 11. He admired
Hispanic women for their beauty and dark hair. Rader came up with a plan he gathered together his “hit kit”( a nicknamed kit consisted of a gun, cords, knives, and various tools for breaking and entering). On January 15 he entered the Otero house, controlling everyone by gunpoint, he tied them up. He then strangled Joe Otero and Josephine, next was Joey Otero, age 9, he then hung Josephine with a noose. After killing Josephine he then masturbated over her bare legs. In

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BY:Malik Chambers

April of 1974 Kathryn Bright and her brother Kevin were assaulted by Rader. Kathryn was stabbed and killed by Rader, while Kevin was able to put up a fight and escape him. Kevin says he ‘’stills bears the damage done to him that day’’. One particular murder he posed as someone official perhaps a detective, he entered the home there were three children ages ranging from
5­8. Rader turned the television off and lowered the blinds, their mother came out of the bathroom demanding to know who this stranger was in her house. At gunpoint Rader ordered all of the children in the bathroom. He made his intentions to the mother Shirley clear, he wanted to tie her up and have his way with her. He tied her up and strangled her with a cord around her neck. Rader later stated that a ringing telephone interrupted him from killing the children. Rader did not stop at just 5 murders over the course of 14 years he killed 5 more people due to his need to bind, torture, and kill his victims. This case is very unorthodox. Rader sought fame and attention for his crimes, he placed a letter in which he admitted to killing the Oteros in a descriptive way. The note ended up gaining publicity, giving the authorities an idea of who they were dealing with. In the letter Rader states he wants to be labeled the ‘’BTK strangler’’. Rader sent many things such as poems,letters, and other things as such to the authorities to brag about his gruesome murders. During 2004 and
2005 he left packages with more clues about the killing of his victims, including a computer disk.
That disk linked the authorities to Rader’s church, which eventually led to Rader’s arrest. On February 25, 2005 Rader was arrested, he first tried playing clueless and denying everything. When he was confronted about the traced computer disk, and DNA he began to confess about every murder. Rader had a 30 hour confession, describing each crime as if he was proud of his crimes. Rader was later charged with 10 counts of 1st degree murder. Local residents who knew Rader were very shocked with the news that Rader was the BTK strangler who terrorized the Sedgwick county. Rader plead guilty to all charges. Rader escaped the death

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BY:Malik Chambers

penalty because Kansas did not resume the death penalty until 1994, Rader crimes were committed between 1974­1991. Rader is currently serving 10 life sentences in Kansas prison.