The Hunt for the BTK Killer

Excuse me, Detective Magida. Just a few words.

I got nothing to say. Nothing's going to bring those innocent people back.

At least he won't hurt anybody else.

He was a father. He was a husband. He was a community leader.

But underneath it all he was a monster.

He called himself BTK.

In a letter he wrote to the Wichita Eagle in 1974

he said the letters stood for, "Bind them, Torture them, Kill them."

He brutally murdered 10 people.

Terrorised our whole community.

And some thought we'd never catch him.

All rise.

Be seated.

Will the Defence please rise?

At this time, comes on before the Court

the case captioned The State of Kansas, Plaintiff, v. Dennis L. Rader, Defendant.

Case number is 2005 CR-498.

This matter comes on for trial. Is the State ready?

-The State is ready to proceed, Your Honour. -Is the Defence ready?

Your Honour, at this time Mr Rader would waive his right to a jury trial

and enter a plea of guilty on all 10 counts.

Highway 54 is moving well until you get to construction,

but you're used to that, Wichita.

-There. You look very handsome. -You ain't so bad yourself.

-I'll call you later. -Bye.

It's been 30 years since the first BTK killings.

Author Robert Beattie has written a book about the serial killer,

and he's here to talk to our own Kelly Zerwick later this morning.

Stay with us, Wichita.

Coming up later on the show, author Robert Beattie.

Over 20 years had passed without a communication, without a murder.

All those years and still no new leads, no suspects.

BTK had become the most infamous cold case of its time.

We tried to move on and put the darkness behind us.

What we didn't know was that the fear we all felt those 30 years ago

was about to start all over again.

You are in violation of Park City Code 7 dash 3.

Here, boy. Come on.

Dennis Rader. What on Earth are you up to now?

You are such a character, Dennis.

You leave Mary's dog alone, Dennis.

Come on in and have a cup of tea.

-He sneaks out every day. -Dennis...

It's just a tranquilliser gun. It's not going to hurt him.

I can't watch this. I'll see you in church.

See you Sunday.

Good boy.

Good boy.

Waking up, aren't you, huh?

Waking up, aren't you, huh?

Hey, Debbie. How's your mom doing?

Much better. She wanted me to thank you for the flowers.

Oh, it was nothing. I'm glad she's okay. There we go. In you go, Max.

I think we have a need...

I got a dog for you.

...to understand what happened...

Okay.

I'll check on your cat in one second, Mrs Cudney.

Thank you, Debbie.

...you've been researching these murders for a long time now.

Absolutely.

I probably know more about BTK than BTK does.

-So you think he's still alive. -Well...

Here, Dennis.

Well, we don't...

Thank you.

We don't really know. A lot of people have...

It's kind of sad, isn't it? Somebody must have really loved those dogs.

I have considered that.

But there's also the possibility that he's very much alive and still living in Wichita.

In fact, there is a possibility

that he could be watching this interview as we speak,

relishing it, which is kind of sickening.

You say in the book that he did seem to enjoy the attention.

Oh, I think he craved it, yes.

We thought maybe he was gone.

Dead or in jail or... Maybe we were just hoping.

But he was still there,

a sleeping beast,

and something had just woke him up.

You can't tell my story.

"This is my story. The story of BTK. It is a damn good story. And a true one.

"And will be remember. As God is my witness."

On January 15, 197 4,

I maliciously, intentionally, in premeditation, killed Joseph Otero.

All right, Mr Rader, I need to find out more information.

Well, I had

did some thinking on what I was going to do to either Mrs Otero, Josephine.

I basically broke into the house or I didn't break into the house,

but I came in the house and confronted the family

and then we went from there.

I think one of the kids, I think the...

Junior...

Not Junior... The...

Joseph opened the door. Probably let the dog out.

'Cause the dog was in the house at that time.

Hi.

-Did you know these people? -No, that's...

No, that was part of my, I guess, my, what you would call, fantasy.

These people were selected.

Oh, God, no, no!

At that time I tied them up.

At that time the whole family just went, they went and panicked on me,

so I worked pretty quick.

They started complaining about being tied up,

so I re-loosened the bonds.

Then I went over to Junior and put the bag on his head.

After that Mrs Otero woke back up,

and, you know, she was pretty upset, what's going on,

and so I go back over and at that point in time

strangled her for a... For the death strangle at the time.

What did you do then?

After that I took the other one to the basement and killed her.

Did you do anything else at the time?

Yes, I...

I had some sexual fantasy, but that was after she was dead.

I first encountered BTK when I was 27 years old.

I'd been on the force for about three years.

Done some routine traffic stops, some domestic disturbance stuff,

but nothing like this.

The kids found their parents when they got home from school.

They were outside sobbing when Magida and I got here.

The oldest boy sent his brother and sister to stop the little ones from coming home

and finding their folks like that.

He didn't know they were inside with the parents.

So, who found them?

Well, we did.

The boy was in the bedroom and the

little girl was...

-Excuse me a minute, would you, Sarge? -Yeah, sure.

They say there are some things you can't unsee.

This would be one of them.

We all changed that night. All of us. The whole town.

He did that to us.

'Becky! Come on. If you want a ride, it's time.

Busy day?

Sorry, Dad.

-Is that a change of clothes? -Shut up.

-Bye, Mom. -Bye.

-See you, beautiful. -Bye, handsome.

-Keep the world safe. -Always.

Come in.

You're gonna be late for work.

Oops! Thanks. Thank you.

I just want to finish this church business. I'll be right up.

-I'll make your eggs to go. -Thank you, honey.

Factor X whispers in my ear. Factor X whispers in my ear.

It tells me to kill. And I have no choice, so I do. I troll.

I stalk then I kill. I have no choice, so I do.

I troll, I stalk then I kill. And, oh, sweet sexual relief. Then I kill.

And, oh, sweet sexual relief. So I do. I troll, I stalk then I kill.

And, oh, sweet sexual relief.

...sweet sexual relief.

Hey, Jack, here you go. Say hi to Seymour.

-Hi, there. What can I get you? -Hi.

May I take your order?

Oh, I was...

You're new here, huh, Sally?

-Yep, started yesterday. -Well, welcome, Sally.

I'll have a Number 1 lunch special, and an iced tea with three ice cubes.

And maybe some of that peanut butter pie.

Three ice cubes?

Yeah, started as a joke, then it became a regular thing.

-Three ice cubes it is. -You have very beautiful hair.

What?

-Your hair. It's very beautiful. -Thanks.

How long is it?

Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt.

I think I know you. Mr Rader, right?

You were my brother's Scout leader. You remember Tim Ashton?

-Oh, yes, Tim. Couldn't tie a knot. -Oh, he still can't.

Anyway, you know, he just loved you.

Oh? Thanks. Tell him hi for me, will you?

I'll do that.

Tell him he better be working on that clove hitch.

Oh, okay.

Come on honey, let's go. You take care, now.

-You, too. -Bye-bye.

Thanks.

I had many, what I call them, projects.

Different people in the town that I followed, watched.

Kathryn Bright was one of the next targets, I guess, as I would indicate.

How did you select her?

I was just driving by one day

and I saw her go in the house with somebody else,

I thought, "That's a possibility."

I broke into the house and waited for her to come home.

She and Kevin Bright came in. I wasn't expecting him to be there

and come to find out, I guess, they were related.

Were you armed with a handgun at that time also?

Yes. Uh-huh. I had the Magnum in my shoulder holster.

The other one was a .22.

I used the .22. Shot him. I thought he was down for good that time.

I'll tell you what I thought. I thought the police were coming at that time.

I heard the door open, I thought, you know, that's it.

And I stepped out there and he... I could see him running down the street

so I quickly cleaned up everything I could and left.

If I had the proper equipment with me, my special kill kit,

Kevin Bright would probably be dead today.

All right.