At the end of 1970 until 1997, Dennis Rader, otherwise known as the BTK killer terrorized the Wichita Kansas area. Rader was convicted of killing 10 people over a 27 year period. The Otero family were the first victim of Rader’s reign of terror. (Chu, Sieger, and Thigpen, 2005). In 1974, Rader strangled Joseph, Josephine, Julie, and Joseph Jr, Otero. Left at the crime scene was semen as a result of Rader masturbating over the body of 11 year old Josephine (Chu et al., 2005). At the time, DNA technology was not yet available therefore the sample remained untested. (Chu et al., 2005). By 1979, Rader murder toll rose to three more victims (Chu et al., 2005). Approximately, 3 months after the Otero family murders, Rader
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Eventually, his egotistical mentality lead to his arrest. Rader stated, “how many do I have to kill before I get my name in the paper or get some national attention?" Soon after, he sent a message to his local TV station detailing the location of a package he left on the side of the road (Hansen, 2006). The package contained “trophies” of the Otero murder (Hansen, 2006). Included in the box was jewelry, a doll with a rope around its neck; the doll was made to represent Josephine Otero (Hansen, 2006). After the initial letter to the TV station, Rader sent a disk to the local media station. Rader wanted to use the disk as a means of communication (Hansen, 2006). While under the impression that the disk would not be traced, Rader continued to taunt police. However, the disk was traced back to a computer at the Christ Lutheran Church (Hansen, 2006). Investigators were able to link the disk to a computer that Dennis Rader frequently used. The disk, DNA evidence, and evidence from the initial murder, led police to arrest Dennis Rader (Chu et al., 2005). “BTK is arrested” (Chu et al., 2005). At 61, Dennis Rader was finally going to stand trial for the murder of the Otero family, Kathryn Bright, Shirley Vian, Nancy Fox, Marine Hedge, Vicki Wegerle and Dolores Davis (Chu et al., 2005). After a game of cat and mouse, Rader gave police a full confession. August 2005, Dennis Rader was sentenced to 10 consecutive life sentences (Garrett,
Eventually, his egotistical mentality lead to his arrest. Rader stated, “how many do I have to kill before I get my name in the paper or get some national attention?" Soon after, he sent a message to his local TV station detailing the location of a package he left on the side of the road (Hansen, 2006). The package contained “trophies” of the Otero murder (Hansen, 2006). Included in the box was jewelry, a doll with a rope around its neck; the doll was made to represent Josephine Otero (Hansen, 2006). After the initial letter to the TV station, Rader sent a disk to the local media station. Rader wanted to use the disk as a means of communication (Hansen, 2006). While under the impression that the disk would not be traced, Rader continued to taunt police. However, the disk was traced back to a computer at the Christ Lutheran Church (Hansen, 2006). Investigators were able to link the disk to a computer that Dennis Rader frequently used. The disk, DNA evidence, and evidence from the initial murder, led police to arrest Dennis Rader (Chu et al., 2005). “BTK is arrested” (Chu et al., 2005). At 61, Dennis Rader was finally going to stand trial for the murder of the Otero family, Kathryn Bright, Shirley Vian, Nancy Fox, Marine Hedge, Vicki Wegerle and Dolores Davis (Chu et al., 2005). After a game of cat and mouse, Rader gave police a full confession. August 2005, Dennis Rader was sentenced to 10 consecutive life sentences (Garrett,