Dennis Rader
Dennis Rader | |
|---|---|
KDOC mugshot of Rader in 2005 | |
| Born | Dennis Lynn Rader March 9, 1945 Pittsburg, Kansas, U.S. |
| Other names | BTK BTK Killer BTK Strangler |
| Education | Butler County Community College (AE) Wichita State University (BS) |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Children | 2 |
| Motive | Sexual sadism |
| Conviction | First degree murder (10 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | 10 consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole after 175 years |
| Details | |
| Victims | 10 confirmed (more suspected) |
Span of crimes | January 15, 1974 – January 19, 1991 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
Date apprehended | February 25, 2005 |
| Imprisoned at | El Dorado Correctional Facility |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Air Force |
| Years of service | 1966–1970 |
| Rank | Staff sergeant |
Dennis Lynn Rader (born March 9, 1945), better known as the BTK Strangler or simply BTK, is an American serial killer and rapist who murdered at least ten people in Wichita and Park City, Kansas, between 1974 and 1991. Although he occasionally killed or attempted to kill men and children, Rader typically targeted women. His victims were often attacked in their own homes, then bound, sometimes with objects from their homes, and either suffocated with a plastic bag or manually strangled with a ligature. In addition, he stole keepsakes from his female victims, including underwear, driver's licenses, and personal items.
Rader often sent taunting letters to police and media outlets, describing his crimes in detail. In 2004, after a thirteen-year hiatus, Rader resumed sending letters, leading to his 2005 arrest and subsequent guilty plea. He is currently serving ten consecutive life sentences at the El Dorado Correctional Facility.