Dennis L. Rader: Effective Killer

Rader’s MO changed over time, as he perfected his tradecraft, and became a more effective killer. In addition to his grandiose sense of self-worth, Rader’s psychopathic and narcissistic personality was pervaded by aggressive behavior, lack of remorse, and any respect for the value of human life (Giannetakis, 2014).

Dennis L. Rader was born on March 9, 1945, in Pittsburg, Kansas. He was the first of four sons born to William and Dorothea Rader. His father was a member of the US Marine Corps. The family moved to Wichita, Kansas, when Dennis was a young boy. The Rader’s settled into a modest but pleasant home at 4815 N. Seneca, Wichita, Kansas (Blanco, 2014).

Those who knew him, regarded Raider’s childhood as unremarkable. He attended Riverview

Elementary School and according to Roger Farthing, who grew up with him, Rader's young life seemed uncomplicated and happily ordinary (Davey, 2005). Rader, who was described as polite and well mannered, maintained a C average in school, was an active member in the church youth group, and a member of The Boy Scouts of America (Crawford, 2011). However, during Rader’s post-arrest interview with authorities, he admitted that he developed fantasies about bondage and torture, while still in grade school. Rader further advised that as he entered puberty, he dreamed of tying girls up and having his way with them. He also admitted to killing cats and dogs by hanging them (BTK, 2011). In 1963, at the age of 18, Rader, graduated from Wichita Heights High School. In 1965 he entered Wesleyan College in Salina, Kansas. However, after only completing two semesters, he dropped out and joined the US Air Force. Rader spent four years on active duty, during which time he attained the rank of sergeant. During his stent in the military, he was awarded the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and the National Defense Service Medal. In 1970 he was discharged from active duty, and returned to Wichita, Kansas where he would complete two more years of service in the reserves (Blanco, 2014).
In May of 1971, at the age 26, Rader married Paula Dietz, 23, who was also from Wichita and had attended the same high school as he did. They settled in Park City, in north side Wichita. In the beginning of their marriage, Dennis worked at the IGA supermarket and Paula was employed as a bookkeeper for IGA. However, in 1972, Rader left IGA and went to work for the Coleman Company, Wichita’s largest employer at the time. During that same time, he was also attending Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. In 1973 he earned an Associate’s Degree in Electronics and began his studies at Wichita State University. It would take him six additional years to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice. By all accounts, even his own he was a poor student. He may have suffered from a learning disability which was reflected in his unusually poor written grammar. In 1974, Rader worked briefly for Cessna, the aircraft manufacturer, but was fired after a short period of time. According to Juan Ignacio Blanco, of Murderpedia.com, it was at this time that Rader found himself unemployed, unhappy, with time on his hands and began to slip into the fantasy world of torture and death he had known since childhood (Blanco, 2014).
Unemployed and restless, Rader began trolling around certain neighborhoods, school campuses, and simply observing women and fantasizing about bondage and death. It was not long before his fantasies life became real world incidents of bondage, torture, and death. Rader began watching the Otero’s, a Hispanic family that had moved into his neighborhood. He studied their activities, paying particular attention to their patterns of when they left the residence, when they returned, and their work schedules (Crawford, 2011). According to the transcript of Rader’s post arrest interview, Rader advised that On January 15, 1974, around eight am he went around to the back of the Otero residence and cut the phone line. He then entered the residence through the back door and encountered Mr. Otero, Mrs. Otero, Josephine and Joseph. Mr. Otero thought it was a joke that his brother in-law was playing on him, but Rader told him that it was not a joke. Rader further told Mr. Otero and the others that he had a weapon and would use it. The family members then lie down on the floor in the living room. Rader advised that his original idea was to get Mrs. Otero and Josephine in bed and have sex with them and strangle them. However, executing that plan proved to be problematic, because he did not have firm control of the family, so he bound them as best as he could with cord that he had brought with him. He tied Mr. Otero first, then Mrs. Otero, and then the children. In the process of tying the family up he moved them into the master bedroom. He used a ruse to get the family to cooperate with him by telling the family that he was going to California, and that he needed a car and money to do so. After they were all bound and under his control, he retrieved several plastic bags from his hit kit in the living room and returned to the master bedroom where he then put a bag over Mr. Otero’s head and began strangling him. Rader stated that all hell broke loose when the family realized that he was going to kill each of them. Mr. Otero went down. Then he placed a bag over Mrs. Otero’s head and strangled her until he thought she was dead. He next strangled Josephine. Meanwhile, Mrs. Otero woke up. Rader strangled her again, making sure she was dead. Rader then took Joseph to his bedroom, tied a tee shirt over his head along with a plastic bag, put him on the bed, pulled up a chair and watched him until he expired. Additionally, during the interview, Rader made reference to learning that day, that when strangling a person, one has to hold him long enough for him to die, or he will revive. Rader further advised that he returned to the master bedroom and noticed that Josephine had awakened. Rader said that he took Josephine into the basement, pulled her pants down, and tied her up a little more. He then asked Josephine if she had a camera, because he wanted to take some pictures. When she said that she did not have one, she then asked what was going to happen to her. Rader stated that his response to her question was “Well, you’re going to get into heaven like the rest of your family” (BTK, 2011). He then hung her by the neck from a sewer pipe, and masturbated. Rader on his way out of the house took Mr. Otero’s watch. He stole the Otero’s car and drove it to the location where it was later found and then walked to his vehicle. When he realized that his knife was missing, he drove his vehicle back to the Otero’s residence, parked in the garage, recovered the knife and then drove home. In the afternoon, he took all of the drawings, sketches and anything that he thought was evidence, and burned them. He was not worried about fingerprints because he was wearing gloves. During the interview with police, when asked if he ever wore a mask to conceal his identity, Rader coldly responded “No, because they were not going to be alive when I left” (BTK, 2011). Rader further advised that his main targets were Mrs. Otero and Josephine and that little Joseph was just a bystander for which he really had no drive for. He stated, “I was not after the guys, but they just happen to be there” (BTK, 2011).
After about a 2 ½ months, on the morning of April 4th, Rader broke into the home of Kathryn Bright, and lied in wait, in her bedroom for her to get home.

To Raider’s surprise, she was accompanied by her brother Kevin. Rader surprised both of them when he came out of the bedroom with a gun. Using the same ruse he had used on the Otero’s, Rader was able to get them to cooperate with him and easily control them. He bound Kathryn in her bedroom, and then took her brother Kevin to another bedroom and bound him with items found in the room. Rader, using a stocking, began to strangle Kevin. Keven got loose and began to struggle with Rader. During the fight, Kevin was shot twice in the head. Feeling panicked after the struggle with Kevin, Rader, changed his method of operation, and stabbed Kathryn several times in the abdomen before fleeing the residence. During this time, Keven was able to escape and go for help. Panicked, Rader fled from the residence on foot. Kevin found two men on the street to help him; however, by the time they returned to residence, Rader was gone. Kathryn Bright was transported to hospital but died several hours later; however, Kevin survived this ordeal, but sustained permanent damage (Crawford, 2011). During the post arrest interview, Wichita Police Department Detective Clint Snyder advised Rader that he was working Kathryn Bright case. Rader responded by saying, “Sweet kid. So what do you want to know?” Rader advised that Kathryn Bright was “Project Lights Out.” Rader advised that he spotted her one day going in the house with a friend, and he thought she fit the profile, and that’s how she was picked for the project. Rader further advised that he had no idea she had a brother. Rader told Detective Snyder and Detective Dana Gouge “after the Otero thing, I wanted to try to stay away from the males as much as possible because, you know, that would make it easier for me.” Rader tried to convince the detectives that when he was not killing

people, he really was a nice guy (BTK, 2011). Six months later, seeking attention and notoriety for his crimes, Rader places a letter addressed to the Secret Witness Program, in a mechanical engineering book at the Wichita public library. He then calls the Wichita Eagle newspaper unanimously, and gives instructions where they can find the letter. In the letter he declares that he is the person responsible for the Otero murders. In this poorly written letter, Rader stated “It's hard to control myself. You probably call me psychotic with sexual perversion hang-up.” He further describes the urge to kill as a monster inside him, but it is clear that his intent was to control the image that would be portrayed of him. The letter was not signed but contained the following postscript “P.S. Since sex criminals do not change their M.O. or by nature cannot do so, I will not change mine. The code word for me will be....Bind them, torture them, kill them, B.T.K., you see he at it again. They will be on the next victim” (Bardsley, 2013). After the Bright murder, Rader remains inactive for about three years. However, during this time period, on July 27, 1975 his son Brian is born. While his wife’s pregnancy and the birth of first child may have extended this furlough, they did not stop his sadistic reign of terror. On July 27, 1977 Rader, posing as detective, approached a young boy, showed him a picture of a woman and asked if he had seen her. The child replied no, and walked home. Rader followed the boy back to his residence and in continuing his ruse, knocked on the front door of the residence. Three children in the residence allowed him to enter the residence, and he was met by their mother Shirley Vian. Rader advised during his post arrest interview, that when Shirley came into the front room he could tell that she was sick, and that she had vomited. He advised that he got her some water, and then he told her that he was wanted for tying people up and taking pictures of them. He attempted to control the family and advised them that they would be okay. Rader told Shirley that he would have to tie the kids up, and she replied “don’t do that.” Rader told her that he had to. As he tried to tie up the eldest boy, the children began fussing, so he moved the children into the bathroom and tied the door shut. At this point during the interview Rader commented “I would probably have did the kids in like I did the Oteros, and I probably would have hung the little girl. Like l said, I'm pretty mean or could be.” Rader further advised that tied Shirley up, put a plastic bag over her head, bound her neck very tight with a pink nightgown and strangled her to death. Rader advised that as he was strangling Shirley, the phone began to ring, and the children warned him that someone was on their way over to check on them. Rader further advised that he feared that someone would arrive to the house at any moment, so he quickly grabbed a pair of her underpants and departed the residence (BTK, 2011). Rader’s next victim was Nancy Fox.
On December 8, 1977, after studying her patterns and habits, Rader breaks into the apartment of Nancy Fox and lies in wait for her return. He gained access into the apartment by way of the bedroom window. Once inside he immediately severed the phone line.