BTK Killer

By slb055

  • Born

    Born in Pittsburg, Kansas

  • Dropped out of College and joined the U.S. Airforce

  • Marriage

    Rader returns to Wichita (where he grew up) and marries his wife, Paula.
  • Period: to

    Employment

    Rader began work for an outdoor supply company.

  • Second Employment

    Began work as an ADT Security Services employee.

  • Rader Goes Public

    Rader goes public by placing a letter inside a library book and placing it in the public library. Rader takes responsibility for the Otero murders/confesses in the letter, signing the note with the initials B.T.K. These initials stuck, standing for "Bind them, Torture them, and Kill them".

  • First Murder

    Rader strangled four members of the Otero family in their Wichita home (parents, Joseph and Julie, and their children Josephine and Joseph Jr.-other child, Charlie, found the bodies upon return to the home later that day).

  • Second Murder

    Strangles/stabs Kathryn Bright and shoots her brother, Kevin Bright (twice). Kevin survives.
  • Period: to

    Children

    Rader and his wife, Paula, have their first son in 1975, and daughter in 1978.

  • Murder of S. Vian

    Rader ties up and murders Shirley Vian (after locking her children in the bathroom) through strangulation

  • Murder of Nancy Fox

    Rader strangles Fox and reports the homicide after, anonymously calling the police station.

  • Graduates college

    Rader graduates from Wichita University with a degree in administration of justice.
  • Period: to

    Poem and Letter

    Rader sends a poem to a local newspaper, describing the Vian killing; several weeks later, Rader sends a letter to a local TV station taking responsibility for the Vian, Fox, and another unknown killing.

  • Break-in/Release of Recording

    BTK goes into an elderly woman's home but leaves before she arrives. Later, he sends a note to her indicating "BTK was there". Authorities release the 1977 recording of the BTK's call, hoping that someone can recognize the voice.

  • Murder of Neighbor

    Rader kills his neighbor, Marine Hedge, and dumps her body on the side of the road.

  • Murder of V. Wegerle

    Rader kills Vicki Wegerle in her home.

  • New Employment

    Rader begins to work as a compliance supervisor in Wichita, while simultaneously being a Boy Scout Troop leader and president of his Church Council.

  • Dog Catcher

    Rader takes a job as a dog catcher in Park City (capturing stray animals and euthanizing them).

  • Final Known Murder

    Rader murders his last known victim, after she was taken from her home (1/19/1991).

  • More letters...

    With the 30 year anniversary of the Otero murders, media coverage resurfaced regarding the BTK killer; Rader responds by sending letters to local media outlets and police stations (with items, information about the crimes, pictures, evidence, an outline for the "BTK Story", and a word puzzle). The disk he sent lead authorities to find Rader's church and security footage that caught his white van on camera. (Showed package drop-off areas and was linked with DNA evidence from his daughter)

  • Arrest

    BTK is arrested and charged with 10 counts of 1st degree murder.

  • Pleads guilty.

    Rader pleads guilty to all 10 counts of murder and is tried in court.

  • Sentencing

    Judge Waller finds BTK guilty and sentences him to a minimum of 175 years. BTK is still serving the 10 life-sentences (as he committed the crimes before the death penalty was reintroduced in Kansas in 1994).