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142-500: Dennis Lynn Rader (born March 9, 1945), also known as BTK (an abbreviation he gave himself for " bind, torture, kill "), is an American serial killer 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 bound, sometimes with objects from their homes, and either suffocated with
284-595: A Serienmörder ('serial-murderer') in his article " Die Düsseldorfer Sexualverbrechen " (1930). In his book, Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters (2004), criminal justice historian Peter Vronsky notes that while Ressler might have coined the English term "serial homicide" within the law in 1974, the terms serial murder and serial murderer appear in John Brophy 's book The Meaning of Murder (1966). The Washington, D.C., newspaper Evening Star , in
426-458: A Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in administration of justice. Rader initially worked as an assembler for the Coleman Company , an outdoor supply company. He then worked at the local Wichita office of ADT Security Services from 1974 to 1988, where he installed security alarms. Ironically, many of his clients were concerned homeowners seeking security from his own killings as BTK. Rader
568-475: A floppy disk , could be traced or not. The police answered his question in a newspaper ad posted in the Eagle , saying it would be safe to use the disk. On February 16, 2005, Rader sent a purple 1.44-Megabyte Memorex floppy disk to Wichita station KSAS-TV . Also enclosed were a letter, a gold-colored necklace with a large medallion and a photocopy of the cover of Rules of Prey , a 1989 novel by John Sandford about
710-555: A "cooling-off period." Cases of extended bouts of sequential killings over periods of weeks or months with no apparent "cooling off period" or "return to normality" have caused some experts to suggest a hybrid category of "spree-serial killer". In Controversial Issues in Criminology , Fuller and Hickey write that "[t]he element of time involved between murderous acts is primary in the differentiation of serial, mass, and spree murderers", later elaborating that spree killers "will engage in
852-729: A 1967 review of the book: There is the mass murderer, or what he [Brophy] calls the "serial" killer, who may be actuated by greed, such as insurance, or retention or growth of power, like the Medicis of Renaissance Italy, or Landru , the " bluebeard " of the World War I period, who murdered numerous wives after taking their money. Vronsky states that the term serial killing first entered into broader American popular usage when published in The New York Times in early 1981, to describe Atlanta serial killer Wayne Williams . Subsequently, throughout
994-730: A case of a serial murderer in the 1870s, a Frenchman named Eusebius Pieydagnelle who had a sexual obsession with blood and confessed to murdering six people. The unidentified killer Jack the Ripper , who has been called the first modern serial killer, killed at least five women , and possibly more, in London in 1888. He was the subject of a massive manhunt and investigation by the Metropolitan Police , during which many modern criminal investigation techniques were pioneered. A large team of policemen conducted house-to-house inquiries, forensic material
1136-465: A crime reporter, was a career journalist who was caught after a series of articles he wrote gave clues that he had murdered people. Russell Williams was a successful and respected career Royal Canadian Air Force Colonel who was convicted of murdering two women, along with fetish burglaries and rapes. Many serial killers have faced similar problems in their childhood development. Hickey's Trauma Control Model explains how early childhood trauma can set
1278-515: A date (October 2004) and was stalking his intended victim. That month, a manila envelope was dropped into a UPS box in Wichita. It contained many cards with images of terror and bondage of children pasted on them, a poem threatening the life of lead investigator Lieutenant Ken Landwehr and a false autobiography with many details about Rader's life. These details were later released to the public. In December 2004, Wichita police received another package from
1420-501: A drawing of an upside-down pair of glasses, which were found at the Fox crime scene. They hoped the message would influence the killer to turn himself in, but it was unsuccessful. Attempted Murder of Anna Williams During this time, Rader also intended to kill others, such as Anna Williams (63), who, in 1979, escaped death by returning home much later than expected. Rader explained during his confession that he became obsessed with Williams and
1562-526: A false sense of security," and in its Family Legal Guide, the American Bar Association warns “a court order might even add to the alleged offender's rage". Castle Rock v. Gonzales , 545 U.S. 748 (2005), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled, 7–2, that a town and its police department could not be sued under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for failing to enforce
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#17329306827281704-428: A female mask while bound. He later admitted that he was pretending to be his victims as part of his sexual fantasy. However, Rader kept his proclivities well hidden, and was widely regarded in his community as "normal, polite, and well mannered." After graduating from Wichita Heights High School , Rader attended Kansas Wesleyan University . He received only mediocre grades and dropped out after one year. Rader served in
1846-416: A grandiose sense of self, a belief that he is "special" and therefore entitled to special treatment; a pathological need for attention and admiration; a preoccupation with maintaining rigid order and structure; and a complete lack of empathy. The videotape of Mendoza's interview ended up being used on NBC 's Dateline . NBC claimed Rader knew the interview might be televised, but this was false according to
1988-461: A group, serial killers suffer from a variety of personality disorders . Most are often not adjudicated as insane under the law. Although a serial killer is a distinct classification that differs from that of a mass murderer , spree killer , or contract killer , there are overlaps between them. The English term and concept of serial killer are commonly attributed to former Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent Robert Ressler , who used
2130-479: A health-care facility, or at different locations within the same city or state. A notable exception to the typical characteristics of female serial killers is Aileen Wuornos , who killed outdoors instead of at home, used a gun instead of poison, and killed strangers instead of friends or family. One "analysis of 86 female serial killers from the United States found that the victims tended to be spouses, children or
2272-552: A high degree of control over the crime scene and usually have a solid knowledge of forensic science that enables them to cover their tracks, such as burying the body or weighing it down and sinking it in a river. They follow their crimes in the news media carefully and often take pride in their actions as if it were all a grand project. Often, organized killers have social and other interpersonal skills sufficient to enable them to develop both personal and romantic relationships, friends and lovers and sometimes even attract and maintain
2414-432: A hoax, as originally concluded by psychiatrist David Abrahamsen. Mission-oriented killers typically justify their acts as "ridding the world" of certain types of people perceived as undesirable, such as the homeless , ex-cons , homosexuals , drug users , prostitutes, or people of different ethnicity or religion; however, they are generally not psychotic. Some see themselves as attempting to change society, often to cure
2556-714: A hole in the bag, another bag was tightened over his head, causing him to slowly suffocate to death. Rader attempted to strangle Julie, later recalling: "Mrs. Otero woke back up. She was pretty upset with what was going on, and she asked me to save her son, so I took the bag off. She screamed, 'You killed my boy! You killed my boy!' After the initial realization and shock, she communicated, 'God have mercy on your soul,' before I put her down, permanently." Rader strangled Julie to death with rope. With both parents dead, Rader then placed another plastic bag, followed by two T-shirts and an additional bag, over Joey's head, watching as he thrashed and suffocated. Afterward, Rader led Josie down into
2698-511: A letter with chapter headings for the "BTK Story", fake IDs and a word puzzle. On June 9, a package was found taped to a stop sign at the corner of First and Kansas roads in Wichita, which contained graphic descriptions of the Otero murders and a sketch labeled "The Sexual Thrill Is My Bill." Also enclosed was a chapter list for a proposed book titled The BTK Story , which mimicked a story written in 1999 by Court TV crime writer David Lohr . Chapter One
2840-517: A lot of lucky people", meaning that he had thought about and developed various levels of murder plans for other victims. Massachusetts psychologist Robert Mendoza was hired by Rader's public defenders to conduct a psychological evaluation and determine if an insanity-based defense might be viable. He conducted an interview after Rader had pleaded guilty on June 27, 2005. Mendoza diagnosed Rader with narcissistic , obsessive-compulsive and antisocial personality disorders : he observed that Rader has
2982-472: A lower mean IQ than organized serial killers, at 89.4. Mixed serial killers, with both organized and disorganized traits, have an average IQ of 100.9, but a low sample size. Some people with a pathological interest in the power of life and death tend to be attracted to medical professions or acquiring such a job. These kinds of killers are sometimes referred to as "angels of death" or angels of mercy. Medical professionals will kill their patients for money, for
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#17329306827283124-605: A murderer from South America, killed a minimum of 110 young girls between 1969 and 1980. However, he claims that the number is over 300. He was released from a mental facility in 1998 and his whereabouts are still unknown. He is commonly nicknamed the "Monster of the Andes". An additional non-American serial killer is Luis Garavito from Colombia. Garavito would kill and torture boys using various disguises. He murdered around 140 boys ranging in ages from 8 to 16. He would dump his victims' bodies in mass graves. The serial killing phenomenon in
3266-433: A non-molestation order. Non-molestation orders sought for protection from domestic violence qualify for legal aid regardless of the applicant's income. Federal law requires that all states give "full faith and credit" to every portion of a restraining order issued by any state provided that certain minimum due process requirements are met. Thus a state with very lax standards for issuing a restraining order may enter such
3408-509: A parent has a drug or alcohol problem, the attention in the household is on the parents rather than the child. This neglect of the child leads to the lowering of their self-esteem and helps develop a fantasy world in which they are in control. Hickey's Trauma Control Model supports how parental neglect can facilitate deviant behavior, especially if the child sees substance abuse in action. This then leads to disposition (the inability to attach), which can further lead to homicidal behavior, unless
3550-435: A person can get from such an order, and how the order will be enforced. The court will order the adverse party to refrain from certain actions or require compliance with certain provisions. Failure to comply is a violation of the order which can result in the arrest and prosecution of the offender. Violations in some jurisdictions may also constitute criminal or civil contempt of court . All protective order statutes permit
3692-455: 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
3834-576: A possible tool to help prevent mass shootings such as the Orlando nightclub shooting . A domestic violence restraining order in the Czech Republic may be issued by a police officer or by a court. Any police officer has authority under the Police Act to issue restraining order prohibiting a person from entering common dwelling and nearby areas and from contacting the threatened person. Such restraining order
3976-399: A potential victim and began stalking her. On December 8, 1977, Rader knocked at her door. When nobody answered, he cut the phone lines before breaking in to wait for Fox in her kitchen. Her murder would be described by Rader as "what I call a perfect – perfect hit. Although she gave me a lot of verbal static, she cooperated, and she didn't fight me. I had complete control of her, that's why it
4118-455: A problem that afflicts the whole society." Lorenzo Carcaterra, author of Gangster (2001), explains how potential criminals are labeled by society , which can then lead to their offspring also developing in the same way through the cycle of violence . The ability for serial killers to appreciate the mental life of others is severely compromised, presumably leading to their dehumanization of others. This process may be considered an expression of
4260-469: A protective order, and every state and federal territory would be required to adhere to every provision. Federal law prohibits any person who is subject to a state protective order from possessing a firearm, provided that the protected party is an intimate partner, meaning a spouse or former spouse, or a person with whom the protected party has had a child. Violating a restraining order is a deportable offense. Some states (e.g. Mississippi ) may also call
4402-399: A rambling thirty-minute monologue that the prosecutor likened to an Academy Awards acceptance speech . His statement has been described as an example of an often-observed phenomenon among psychopaths : their inability to understand the emotional content of language. Rader was sentenced to ten consecutive life sentences , with a minimum of 175 years. Kansas did not enforce the death penalty at
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4544-404: A random weapon available at the time, and usually do not attempt to hide the body. They are likely to be unemployed, a loner, or both, with very few friends. They often turn out to have a history of mental illness, and their modus operandi (M.O.) or lack thereof is often marked by excessive violence and sometimes necrophilia or sexual violence. Disorganized serial killers have been found to have
4686-527: A restraining order a peace bond and are similar to ASBO laws in the UK. Minnesota law provides for an order for protection (OFP) and a harassment restraining order (HRO). Many jurisdictions offer a simplified process for filing a civil complaint for unrepresented litigants. For example, in North Carolina, pro se litigants can file a 50B (also called a DVPO, for domestic violence protective order) complaint with
4828-443: A restraining order can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but it is generally lower than the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt required in criminal trials. Many US states—such as Oregon and Pennsylvania —use a standard of preponderance of the evidence . Other states use different standards, such as Wisconsin , which require that restraining orders be based on "reasonable grounds". Judges have some incentives to err on
4970-586: A restraining order, only 30% of these orders kept the stalker away. Threat management experts are often suspicious of restraining orders, believing they may escalate or enrage stalkers. In his 1997 book The Gift of Fear , American security specialist Gavin de Becker characterized restraining orders as "homework assignments police give to women to prove they're really committed to getting away from their pursuers," and said they "clearly serve police and prosecutors," but "they do not always serve victims". The Independent Women’s Forum decries them as "lulling women into
5112-406: A restraining order, which had led to the murder of a woman's three children by her estranged husband. Both parties must be informed of the restraining order for it to go into effect. Law enforcement may have trouble serving the order, making the petition unproductive. A study found that some counties had 91 percent of restraining orders non-served. A temporary order of restraint (" ex parte " order)
5254-467: A result, the ten known murders were at that point believed to be the only murders for which Rader was actually responsible, although Wichita police are fairly certain that he stalked and researched a number of other potential victims. This includes one person who was saved when Rader called off his planned attack upon his arrival near the target's home due to the presence of construction and road crews nearby. Rader stated in his police interview that "there are
5396-554: A sense of sadistic pleasure, for a belief that they are "easing" the patient's pain, or simply "because they can". Perhaps the most prolific of these was the British doctor Harold Shipman . Another such killer was nurse Jane Toppan , who admitted during her murder trial that she was sexually aroused by death . She would administer a drug mixture to patients she chose as her victims, lie in bed with them and hold them close to her body as they died. Another medical professional serial killer
5538-447: A serial killer. Police found metadata embedded in a deleted Microsoft Word document that was, unknown to Rader, still stored on the floppy disk. The metadata contained the words "Christ Lutheran Church" and the document was marked as last modified by "Dennis." An Internet search determined that a "Dennis Rader" was president of the church council. When investigators drove by Rader's house, a black Jeep Cherokee—the type of vehicle seen in
5680-446: A societal ill. Restraining order A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence , child abuse and neglect , assault , harassment , stalking , or sexual assault . Restraining and personal protection order laws vary from one jurisdiction to another but all establish who can file for an order, what protection or relief
5822-523: A spouse and sustain a family including children. Among serial killers, those of this type are in the event of their capture most likely to be described by acquaintances as kind and unlikely to hurt anyone. Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy are examples of organized serial killers. In general, the IQs of organized serial killers tend to be normal range, with a mean of 98.7. Disorganized serial killers are usually far more impulsive, often committing their murders with
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5964-558: A supernatural element that also motivated Jack the Ripper , the Son of Sam and the Hillside Stranglers . He also asked for the police to send him a hidden message. In response, and with the knowledge that the BTK killer watched KAKE, police decided to flash a subliminal message during one of the station's evening newscasts for a split second. The message stated: "Now call the chief," and featured
6106-598: A useful role in threat management". However, a 2002 analysis of 32 U.S. studies found that restraining orders are violated an average of 40 percent of the time and are perceived as being "followed by worse events" almost 21 percent of the time, and concluded that "evidence of [restraining orders'] relative efficacy is lacking", and that they may pose some degree of risk. Other studies have found that restraining orders offer little or no assurance against future interpersonal violence. A large America-wide telephone survey conducted in 1998 found that, of stalking victims who obtained
6248-454: A variety of fields and specialties with the goal of identifying the commonalities of knowledge regarding serial murder. The group also settled on a definition of serial murder which FBI investigators widely accept as their standard: "The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s) in separate events". Serial homicide researcher Enzo Yaksic found that the FBI was justified in lowering
6390-602: A young age, Rader harbored sadistic sexual fantasies about torturing "trapped and helpless" women. He also exhibited zoosadism by torturing, killing and hanging small animals. Rader acted out sexual fetishes for voyeurism , autoerotic asphyxiation and cross-dressing , often spying on female neighbors while dressed in women's clothing, including women's underwear that he had stolen. He also masturbated with ropes or other bindings around his arms and neck. Years later, during his "cooling off" periods between murders, Rader would take pictures of himself wearing women's clothes and
6532-667: Is Genene Jones . It is believed she killed 11 to 46 infants and children while working at Bexar County Medical Center Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, United States. She is currently serving a 99-year sentence for the murder of Chelsea McClellan and the attempted murder of Rolando Santos, and became eligible for parole in 2017 due to a law in Texas at the time of her sentencing to reduce prison overcrowding . A similar case occurred in Britain in 1991, where nurse Beverley Allitt killed four children at
6674-503: Is akin to a male serial killer's collecting of totems (souvenirs) from the victim as a way of exerting continued control over the victim and reliving it. By contrast, Hickey states that although popular perception sees "black widow" female serial killers as something of the Victorian past, in his statistical study of female serial killer cases reported in the United States since 1826, approximately 75% occurred since 1950. Elizabeth Báthory
6816-697: Is arrested." On February 28, 2005, Rader was charged with ten counts of first degree murder . Soon afterward, the Associated Press cited an anonymous source alleging that Rader had confessed to other murders in addition to those with which he had been connected. However, the Sedgwick County district attorney denied the story, yet refused to say whether Rader had made any confessions or if investigators were looking into his possible involvement in more unsolved killings. On March 5, news sources claimed to have verified by multiple sources that Rader had confessed to
6958-579: Is in effect for two weeks before a court settles the terms of the order, but it is still not in effect until the alleged abuser is served. Restraining orders most commonly protect a woman against a male alleged abuser. A California study found that 72% of restraining orders active in the state at the time protected a woman against an alleged male abuser. The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence uses female pronouns to refer to petitioners and male pronouns to refer to abusers due to
7100-457: Is instigated to seek approval from parents, sexual partners, or others." This need for approval is what influences children to attempt to develop social relationships with their family and peers. "The quality of their attachments to parents and other members of the family is critical to how these children relate to and value other members of society." Wilson and Seaman (1990) conducted a study on incarcerated serial killers, and what they concluded
7242-461: Is retarded because the child's emotional and social development occurs within his self-centered fantasies. A person can do no wrong in his own world and the pain of others is of no consequence when the purpose of the fantasy world is to satisfy the needs of one person" (Garrison, 1996). Boundaries between fantasy and reality are lost and fantasies turn to dominance, control, sexual conquest, and violence, eventually leading to murder. Fantasy can lead to
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#17329306827287384-474: Is sometimes cited as the most prolific female serial killer in all of history. Formally countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (Báthory Erzsébet in Hungarian , August 7, 1560 – August 21, 1614), she was a countess from the renowned Báthory family . Before her husband's death, Elizabeth took great pleasure in torturing the staff, by jamming pins under the servant's fingernails or stripping servants and throwing them into
7526-406: Is valid for a period of ten days. In case that the threatened person files for court restraining order, the police restraining order remains valid until court renders decision. A court may issue a domestic violence or stalking restraining order based on application of threatened person for a period of up to one month. This may later be extended if the threatened person files for extension. Extension
7668-508: The Associated Press reported that Rader was considered the prime suspect in two further killings in Oklahoma and Missouri . Authorities discovered "possible trophies" from victims after launching a search for evidence at Rader's former Park City home, resulting in the investigation of his potential involvement in additional unsolved disappearances and murders: By 2004, the investigation of
7810-691: The El Dorado Correctional Facility . Dennis Lynn Rader was born in Pittsburg , Kansas , on March 9, 1945. His parents were bookkeeper Dorothea Mae Rader ( née Cook ; September 17, 1925 – October 14, 2007) and Kansas Gas Service worker William Elvin Rader (November 21, 1922 – December 27, 1996). He was the eldest of four sons. Growing up in Wichita , Rader later recalled feeling ignored by his mother. Both of his parents worked long hours and paid little attention to their children at home. From
7952-496: The FBI and ATF agents searched Rader's home and vehicle, seizing evidence including computer equipment, a pair of black pantyhose retrieved from a shed and a cylindrical container. Christ Lutheran Church, Rader's office and the main branch of the Park City library were also searched. At a press conference the next morning, Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams announced, "The bottom line: BTK
8094-516: The Han Emperor Jing , was made Prince of Jidong in the sixth year of the middle period of Jing's reign (144 BC). According to the Chinese historian Sima Qian , he would "go out on marauding expeditions with 20 or 30 slaves or with young men who were in hiding from the law, murdering people and seizing their belongings for sheer sport". Although many of his subjects knew about these murders, it
8236-481: The Hungarian aristocrat Elizabeth Báthory , born into one of the wealthiest families in Transylvania , allegedly tortured and killed as many as 650 girls and young women before her arrest in 1610. Between 1564 and 1589, German farmer Peter Stumpp killed 14 children, including his own son. He also murdered two pregnant women and had an incestuous relationship with his daughter. Stumpp claimed to have been granted
8378-505: The NHS ). He was considered a pillar of the local community; he even won a professional award for a children's asthma clinic and was interviewed by Granada Television 's World in Action on ITV . Dennis Nilsen was an ex-soldier turned civil servant and trade unionist who had no previous criminal record when arrested. Neither was known to have exhibited many of the tell-tale signs. Vlado Taneski ,
8520-621: The United States Air Force from 1966 to 1970. On discharge, he moved to Park City , a suburb of Wichita, where he worked in the meat department of an IGA supermarket where his mother was employed as a bookkeeper. Rader married Paula Dietz on May 22, 1971. They had two children, Kerri and Brian. He attended Butler County Community College in El Dorado , earning an associate degree in electronics engineering in 1973. He then enrolled at Wichita State University and graduated in 1979 with
8662-628: The Vietnam War were preventing California from experiencing the Big One . As the war wound down, Mullin claimed his father instructed him via telepathy to raise the number of "human sacrifices to nature" to delay a catastrophic earthquake that would plunge California into the ocean. David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam") may also be an example of a visionary serial killer, having claimed a demon transmitted orders through his neighbor's dog and instructed him to commit murder. Berkowitz later described those claims as
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#17329306827288804-448: The intersubjectivity associated with a cognitive deficit regarding the capability to make sharp distinctions between other people and inanimate objects. For these individuals, objects can appear to possess animistic or humanistic power while people are perceived as objects. Before he was executed, serial killer Ted Bundy stated media violence and pornography had stimulated and increased his need to commit homicide, although this statement
8946-459: The power to control the mistreatment they suffer sometimes create a new reality to which they can escape. This new reality becomes their fantasy that they have total control of and becomes part of their daily existence. In this fantasy world, their emotional development is guided and maintained. According to Garrison (1996), "the child becomes sociopathic because the normal development of the concepts of right and wrong and empathy towards others
9088-446: The 1980s, the term was used again in the pages of The New York Times , one of the major national news publications of the United States, on 233 occasions. By the end of the 1990s, the use of the term had increased to 2,514 instances in the paper. When defining serial killers, researchers generally use "three or more murders" as the baseline, considering it sufficient to provide a pattern without being overly restrictive. Independent of
9230-400: The 1990s include increased incarceration in the United States , the end of the crack epidemic in the United States , and decreased lead exposure in early childhood. Some commonly found characteristics of serial killers include the following: There are exceptions to these criteria, however. For example, Harold Shipman was a successful professional (a General Practitioner working for
9372-424: The BTK case. Hungry for attention, Rader re-emerged as BTK in 2004 after learning that the book was being written. On July 26, 2005, after Rader's arrest, his wife was granted an emergency divorce, waiving the normal sixty-day waiting period. In an interview with ABC News in 2019, his daughter Kerri stated she writes to her father and has now forgiven him, but still struggles to reconcile her "normal" childhood with
9514-513: The BTK killer was considered a cold case . However, Rader initiated a series of eleven communications to local media, which led directly to his arrest in February 2005. In March 2004, The Wichita Eagle received a letter from someone using the name "Bill Thomas Killman" claiming that he had murdered Vicki Wegerle in 1986. Enclosed with the message were photographs of the crime scene and a photocopy of Wegerle's driver's license, which had been stolen at
9656-530: The Home Depot surveillance footage—was parked outside. This was strong circumstantial evidence against Rader, but they needed more direct evidence to detain him. Police obtained a warrant to test a pap smear taken from Rader's daughter at the Kansas State University medical clinic. DNA tests showed a "familial match" between the pap smear and the sample from Wegerle's fingernails; this indicated that
9798-545: The Islamic Calendar), "a strangler from Baghdad was apprehended. He had murdered a number of women and buried them in the house where he was living." The majority of documented serial killers were active in the United States. In one study of serial homicide in South Africa, many patterns were similar to established patterns in the U.S., with some exceptions: no offenders were female, offenders were lower educated than in
9940-551: The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office. Rader mentioned the interview during his sentencing statement. On October 25, 2005, the Kansas attorney general filed a petition to sue Mendoza and Tali Waters, co-owners of Cambridge Forensic Consultants LLC, for breach of contract, claiming that they intended to benefit financially from the use of information obtained through involvement in Rader's defense . On May 10, 2007, Mendoza settled
10082-482: The U.S., and both victims and offenders were predominantly black. In the 15th century, one of the wealthiest men in Europe and a former companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc , Gilles de Rais , was alleged to have sexually assaulted and killed peasant children, mainly boys, whom he had abducted from the surrounding villages and had taken to his castle. It is estimated that his victims numbered between 140 and 800. Similarly,
10224-470: The United States since that time. The decline in serial killers has no known single cause but is attributed to a number of factors. Mike Aamodt , emeritus professor at Radford University in Virginia, attributes the decline in number of serial killings to less frequent use of parole , improved forensic technology , and people behaving more cautiously. Causes for the general reduction in violent crime following
10366-472: The United States between 1800 and 2004 (64 females from a total of 416 known offenders), or that around 15% of U.S. serial killers have been women, with a collective number of victims between 427 and 612. The authors of Lethal Ladies , Amanda L. Farrell, Robert D. Keppel, and Victoria B. Titterington, state that "the Justice Department indicated 36 female serial killers have been active over the course of
10508-511: The United States indicated that sexual activity was one of several motives in 10% of the cases, enjoyment in 11% and control in 14% and that 51% of all U.S. female serial killers murdered at least one woman and 31% murdered at least one child. In other cases, women have been involved as an accomplice with a male serial killer as a part of a serial killing team. A 2015 study published in The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology found that
10650-434: The United States was especially prominent from 1970 to 2000, which has been described as the "golden age of serial murder". The cause of the spike in serial killings has been attributed to urbanization , which put people in close proximity and offered anonymity. The number of active serial killers in the United States peaked in 1989 and has been steadily trending downward since, coinciding with an overall decrease in crime in
10792-426: The United States. According to a 2016 study, since the year 2000, African Americans accounted for roughly 60% of all serial killers in the United States. Anthony Walsh found that the prevalence of non-white serial killers has typically been drastically underestimated in both professional research literature and the mass media. Black males were over-represented among serial killers by a factor of 2. Walsh argues that
10934-687: The ability to turn into a werewolf by the Devil. As punishment for his crimes, Stumpp was put on a torture wheel and executed. His head was later severed and put on a pole next to the figure of a wolf to scare other people away from claiming themselves werewolves too. Members of the Thuggee cult in India may have murdered a million people between 1740 and 1840. Thug Behram , a member of the cult, may have murdered as many as 931 victims. In his 1886 book, Psychopathia Sexualis , psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing noted
11076-410: The alleged abuser ("restitution" provisions). Some courts might also be able to instruct the alleged abuser to turn over any firearms and ammunition they have ("relinquish firearms" provisions), attend a batterers' treatment program, appear for regular drug tests, or start alcohol or drug abuse counselling. Its issuance is sometimes called a "de facto divorce". The standard of proof required to obtain
11218-554: The basement, where he hanged her with a noose from a pipe. Later, police found Rader's semen near Josie's partially clothed body. Rader eventually wrote a letter that he stashed inside an engineering book in the Wichita Public Library in October 1974, describing the Otero killings in detail. Murder of Kathryn Bright On April 4, 1974, Rader broke into the Wichita home of Kathryn Doreen Bright (21) through her screen door but
11360-503: The bathroom, Rader took Relford to the rear bedroom. Relford vomited before being tied to her bedpost by her legs. Rader strangled her with rope after placing a plastic bag over her head, while her children screamed and banged down the hallway. Similar to the Otero murders, Rader intended to murder Relford's children, although they were ultimately able to escape before he could do so. Murder of Nancy Jo Fox When Rader noticed Nancy Jo Fox (25) going into her home in Wichita, he marked her as
11502-540: The behavior. While juvenile serial killers are rare, the youngest felon on death row is a juvenile serial killer named Harvey Miguel Robinson who was 17 at the time of his crimes and 18 at the time of his arrest. There is a myth that most serial killers are white males. However, according to the FBI, based on percentages of the U.S. population, white males are not more likely than other races to be serial killers. White males are actually greatly under-represented among serial killers in proportion to their overall numbers in
11644-427: The case for US$ 30,000 with no admission of wrongdoing. Forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland compiled Confession of a Serial Killer from her five-year correspondence with Rader. Multiple works draw on the case: Serial killer Note: Varies by jurisdiction Note: Varies by jurisdiction A serial killer (also called a serial murderer ) is a person who murders three or more people, with
11786-432: The case of psychological decompensation or overconfidence due to having evaded capture. Organized serial killers often plan their crimes methodically, usually abducting victims, killing them in one place and disposing of them in another. They often lure the victims with ploys appealing to their sense of sympathy. Others specifically target prostitutes, who are likely to go voluntarily with a stranger. These killers maintain
11928-399: The categories of the black widow or team killer. Although motivations for female serial killers can include attention seeking, addiction, or the result of psychopathological behavioral factors, female serial killers are commonly categorized as murdering men for material gain, usually being emotionally close to their victims, and generally needing to have a relationship with the victim, hence
12070-448: The child finds a way to develop substantial relationships and fight the label they receive. If a child receives no support from anyone, then they are unlikely to recover from the traumatic event in a positive way. As stated by E. E. Maccoby, "the family has continued to be seen as a major—perhaps the major—arena for socialization". There have been studies looking into the possibility that an abnormality with one's chromosomes could be
12212-426: The child up for deviant behavior in adulthood; the child's environment (either their parents or society) is the dominant factor determining whether or not the child's behavior escalates into homicidal activity. Family, or lack thereof, is the most prominent part of a child's development because it is what the child can identify with on a regular basis. "The serial killer is no different from any other individual who
12354-584: The clerk of court. In the United States, every state has some form of domestic violence restraining order law, and many states also have specific restraining order laws for stalking and sexual assault. In the US, each state has its own restraining order laws, but they tend to be divided into five main types. Not every state will have every type of restraining order on the books. A domestic violence restraining order generally protects only parties deemed to be in some form of "domestic" relationship which may, depending on
12496-477: The context of a domestic relationship or if the statute is written sufficiently broad. In such cases, sexual assault survivors can sometimes qualify for domestic violence restraining orders because any act of sexual intercourse between petitioner and respondent, even during rape, legally establishes the required sexually intimate relationship. Harassment and stalking restraining orders also generally do not require any specific relationship to exist or not exist between
12638-402: The court issues an ex parte order, the defendant must "appear before the court at a specific time and date and . . . show cause, if any, why said temporary civil protection order should not be made permanent". That is, Colorado courts place the burden of proof on the accused to establish his or her innocence, rather than requiring the accuser to prove his or her case. Hawaii similarly requires
12780-457: The court may allow the alleged abuser to maintain their current living situation with the alleged victim or have contact with them. Some states also allow the court to order the alleged abuser to pay temporary support or continue to make mortgage payments on a home owned by both people ("support" provisions), to award sole use of a home or car owned by both people ("exclusive use" provisions), or to pay for medical costs or property damage caused by
12922-592: The court to instruct an alleged abuser to stay a certain distance away from someone, such as their home, workplace or school ("stay away" provisions), and not to contact them. Alleged victims generally may also request the court to order that all contact, whether it be by telephone, notes, mail, fax, email, text, social media, or delivery of flowers, gifts, or drinks be prohibited ("no contact" provisions). Courts can also instruct an alleged abuser to not hurt or threaten someone ("cease abuse" provisions) known as no violent contact orders. The no-violent contact order statutes from
13064-528: The defendant to prove his or her own innocence. The low burden of proof for restraining orders has led to some high-profile cases involving stalkers of celebrities obtaining restraining orders against their targets. For example, in 2005 a New Mexico judge issued a restraining order against New York City -based TV host David Letterman after a woman made claims of abuse and harassment, including allegations that Letterman had spoken to her via coded messages on his TV show. The judge later admitted that he granted
13206-647: The early 1890s. The case was one of the first involving a serial murderer that gained widespread notoriety and publicity through sensationalized accounts in William Randolph Hearst 's newspapers. However, at the same time of the Holmes case, in France, Joseph Vacher became known as "The French Ripper" after killing and mutilating 11 women and children. He was executed in 1898 after confessing to his crimes. Another notable non-American serial killer is Pedro Lopez ,
13348-640: The elderly". Other studies indicate that since 1975, increasingly strangers are marginally the most preferred victim of female serial killers, or that only 26% of female serial killers kill for material gain only. Sources state that each killer will have her own proclivities, needs and triggers. A review of the published literature on female serial murder stated that "sexual or sadistic motives are believed to be extremely rare in female serial murderers, and psychopathic traits and histories of childhood abuse have been consistently reported in these women." A study by Eric W. Hickey (2010) of 64 female serial killers in
13490-575: The fact that most petitioners are women and most alleged abusers are men. In English law , a non-molestation order may be granted under Section 42 of the Family Law Act 1996 . Non-molestation orders are a type of injunction used to protect an individual from intimidation or harassment. Breaching a non-molestation order is a criminal offence. Under the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 , cohabiting same-sex couples are able to seek
13632-521: The family dog. Rader told the Otero family that he was a "wanted" man in California before he ordered them to lie on the living room floor at gunpoint. Then, he led the family into a bedroom and bound them with rope he had prepared. Joseph and Joey were on the floor, while Julie and Josie were on the bed. The wrists and feet of Joseph and Julie were restrained. Joseph's head was covered by a plastic bag, which Rader then secured with ropes. After Joseph chewed
13774-413: The family's three older children, who had been at school at the time of the killings. After his 2005 arrest, Rader confessed to the Otero murders. He claimed that he first targeted the family two months prior, when he spotted Julie leaving to take her children to school and followed them. On the morning of January 15, Rader cut the phone lines and entered the Otero residence when Joey opened the back door for
13916-417: The firearms restrictions. It is sought when household members or police believe a particular individual is at risk to use firearms to harm themselves or others. If a court agrees, the person can have their firearms taken away. This type of restraining order is not intended to protect a specific individual but rather the community at large from someone believed to be a danger for gun violence. It has been cited as
14058-418: The first step in the process of a dissociative state, which, in the words of Stephen Giannangelo, "allows the serial killer to leave the stream of consciousness for what is, to him, a better place". Criminologist Jose Sanchez reports, "The young criminal you see today is more detached from his victim, more ready to hurt or kill. The lack of empathy for their victims among young criminals is just one symptom of
14200-547: The hospital where she worked, attempted to kill three more, and injured a further six over the course of two months. A 21st-century example is Canadian nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer , who murdered elderly patients in the nursing homes where she worked. William George Davis is another hospital nurse who was sentenced to death in Texas for the murder of four patients. Female serial killers are rare compared to their male counterparts. Sources suggest that female serial killers represented less than one in every six known serial murderers in
14342-456: The killer was closely related to Rader's daughter and, combined with the other evidence, was enough for police to arrest Rader. Rader was arrested while driving near his home in Park City shortly after noon on February 25, 2005. An officer asked, "Mr. Rader, do you know why you're going downtown?" Rader replied, "Oh, I have suspicions why." Wichita Police , the Kansas Bureau of Investigation ,
14484-402: The killer. This time, the package was found in Wichita's Murdock Park. It contained the driver's license of Nancy Fox, which was noted as stolen from the crime scene, as well as a doll that was symbolically bound at the hands and feet with a plastic bag tied over its head. In January 2005, Rader attempted to leave a cereal box in the bed of a pickup truck at a Home Depot in Wichita, but the box
14626-399: The killing acts for days or weeks" while the "methods of murder and types of victims vary". Andrew Cunanan is given as an example of spree killing, while Charles Whitman is mentioned in connection with mass murder, and Jeffrey Dahmer with serial killing. In 2005, the FBI hosted a multi-disciplinary symposium in San Antonio, Texas, which brought together 135 experts on serial murder from
14768-598: The killings taking place over a significant period of time in separate events. Their psychological gratification is the motivation for the killings, and many serial murders involve sexual contact with the victims at different points during the murder process. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) states that the motives of serial killers can include anger, thrill-seeking , financial gain, and attention seeking , and killings may be executed as such . The victims tend to have things in common, such as demographic profile , appearance, gender, or race . As
14910-538: The knowledge that she was raised by the BTK killer. However, at the 2024 Crime Con in Nashville , Tennessee , Kerri revealed excerpts from her father's journal that revealed he had sexually abused her as a young girl. Otero Murders On January 15, 1974, four members of the Otero family were murdered in Wichita. The victims were Joseph Otero Sr. (38), Julia Maria "Julie" Otero (33), Joseph "Joey" Otero II (9) and Josephine "Josie" Otero (11). Their bodies were discovered by
15052-505: The last century." According to The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology , there is evidence that 16% of all serial killers are women. Michael D. Kelleher and C. L. Kelleher created several categories to describe female serial killers. They used the classifications of black widow , angel of death , sexual predator , revenge , profit or crime , team killer , question of sanity , unexplained , and unsolved . In using these categories, they observed that most women fell into
15194-422: The midst of the wealth of London focused the media's attention on the plight of the urban poor and gained coverage worldwide. Jack the Ripper has also been called the most infamous serial killer of all time, and his legend has spawned hundreds of theories on his real identity and many works of fiction . H. H. Holmes was a serial killer in the United States, responsible for the death of at least nine victims in
15336-835: The misconceptions concerning female criminality. In the article, Perri and Lichtenwald analyze the current research regarding female psychopathy, including case studies of female psychopathic killers featuring Munchausen syndrome by proxy , cesarean section homicide, fraud detection homicide, female kill teams, and a female serial killer. Juvenile serial killers are rare. There are three main categories that juvenile serial killers can fit into: primary, maturing, and secondary killers. There have been studies done to compare and contrast these three groups and to discover similarities and differences between them. Although these types of serial killers are less common, oftentimes adult serial killers may make their debut at an early age and it can be an opportunity for researchers to study what factors brought about
15478-536: The most common motive for female serial killers was for financial gain and almost 40% of them had experienced some sort of mental illness. Peter Vronsky in Female Serial Killers (2007) maintains that female serial killers today often kill for the same reason males do: as a means of expressing rage and control. He suggests that sometimes the theft of the victims' property by the female "black widow" type serial killer appears to be for material gain, but really
15620-499: The motives of any given killer may display considerable overlap among these categories. Visionary serial killers suffer from psychotic breaks with reality, sometimes believing they are another person or are compelled to murder by entities such as the Devil or God. The two most common subgroups are "demon mandated" and "God mandated". Herbert Mullin believed the American casualties in
15762-432: The murders. He suggested many possible names for himself, including "BTK." He demanded media attention in this second letter, saying, "How many do I have to kill, before I get a name in the paper or some national attention?" A poem was enclosed titled "Oh! Death to Nancy," a parody of the lyrics to the American folk song " O Death ". In the letter, Rader claimed to be driven to kill by "factor X," which he characterized as
15904-406: The number of murders, they need to have been committed at different times, and are usually committed in different places. The lack of a cooling-off period (a significant break between the murders) marks the difference between a spree killer and a serial killer. The category has, however, been found to be of no real value to law enforcement, because of definitional problems relating to the concept of
16046-627: The parties' lawyers and may prolong the legal struggle. Some attorneys offer to have restraining orders dropped in exchange for financial concessions in such proceedings. Experts disagree on whether restraining orders are effective in preventing further harassment. A 2010 analysis published in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law reviewed 15 U.S. studies of restraining order effectiveness, and concluded that restraining orders "can serve
16188-663: The parties, but also may not be available in all states. These types of restraining orders also generally require at least two instances of, respectively, harassment or stalking to qualify. In many cases, one statute may cover more than one type of restraining order. For example, what is called a harassment restraining order in Wisconsin also specifically includes cases of sexual assault and stalking. In California, domestic violence restraining orders are issued under Family Code Section 6200, et. seq. The California courts have designed domestic violence restraining orders to be accessible to
16330-418: The popular media ignores black serial killers because of a fear of allegations of racism, and that this may enable black serial killers to operate more effectively, as their crimes do not get the same media attention as the crimes of non-black serial killers. The motives of serial killers are generally placed into four categories: visionary , mission-oriented , hedonistic , and power or control ; however,
16472-401: The public so as not to require a lawyer to obtain or defend against one. Finally, an extreme risk restraining order is a form of US restraining order, currently used in 13 states. Other forms of restraining order will sometimes order firearms restrictions as a part of a larger injunction intended to protect a specific individual. But with an extreme risk restraining order, the sole focus is on
16614-430: The residence by pretending to be a telephone repairman. After the murder, he rearranged her clothes and took a number of photographs of her nude body. Murder of Dolores Davis His final victim, Dolores Earline "Dee" Davis (62), was found dead on February 1, 1991, at West 117th Street North and North Meridian Street in Park City. Rader had killed her on January 19 by strangling her with pantyhose . On August 23, 2023,
16756-544: The restraining order not on the merits of the case, but because the petitioner had completely filled out the required paperwork. Some attorneys have criticized the use of restraining orders on the theory that parties to a divorce may file such orders to gain tactical advantages, rather than out of a legitimate fear of harm. Liz Mandarano, an attorney who specializes in family and matrimonial law, speculates that divorce attorneys are incentivized to push for restraining orders because such orders force all communications to go through
16898-468: The side of granting restraining orders. If a judge grants a restraining order against someone who might not warrant it, typically the only repercussion is that the defendant might appeal the order. If, however, the judge denies a restraining order and the plaintiff is killed or injured, poor publicity and an enraged community reaction may harm the jurist's career. Colorado's statute inverts the standard court procedures and due process , providing that after
17040-554: The snow. After her husband's death, she and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and young women, with one witness attributing to them over 600 victims, though the number for which they were convicted was 80. Elizabeth herself was neither tried nor convicted. In 1610, however, she was imprisoned in the Csejte Castle, where she remained bricked in a set of rooms until her death four years later. A 2010 article by Perri and Lichtenwald addressed some of
17182-416: The statute, include a family, household, intimate, or sexual relationship. A sexual assault restraining order specifically protects a victim of sexual assault regardless of what relationship may or may not exist between petitioner and respondent. If the state has no sexual assault restraining order statute, the victim may still qualify for a domestic violence restraining order if the sexual assault occurred in
17324-529: The ten murders he was charged with, but no other ones. On March 1, Rader's bail was set at US$ 10 million, and a public defender was appointed to represent him. On May 3, the judge entered not guilty pleas on Rader's behalf, as Rader did not speak at his arraignment ; however, on June 27, the scheduled trial date, Rader changed his plea to guilty. He described the murders in detail to the court and made no apologies. At Rader's August 18 sentencing, victims' families made statements, after which Rader apologized in
17466-675: The term serial homicide in 1974 in a lecture at Police Staff College, in Bramshill , Hampshire , England. Author Ann Rule postulates in her 2004 book Kiss Me, Kill Me , that the English-language credit for coining the term goes to Los Angeles Police Department detective Pierce Brooks, who created the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) system in 1985. The German term and concept were coined by criminologist Ernst Gennat , who described Peter Kürten as
17608-401: The time of the crime. Prior to this message, it had not been definitively established that Wegerle was killed by BTK. DNA collected from under her fingernails provided police with previously unknown evidence. They began DNA testing hundreds of men in an effort to find the killer. Altogether, more than 1,300 DNA samples were taken and later destroyed by court order. In May 2004, KAKE received
17750-489: The time of the murders. On August 19, Rader was moved to the El Dorado Correctional Facility . Rader talked about innocuous topics such as the weather during the forty-minute drive to El Dorado but began to cry when the victims' families' statements from the court proceedings came on the radio. He is now in solitary confinement for his protection (with one hour of exercise per day and showers three times per week). This will likely continue indefinitely. Beginning in 2006, Rader
17892-403: The traditional cultural image of the "black widow". The methods that female serial killers use for murder are frequently covert or low-profile, such as murder by poison (the preferred choice for killing). Other methods used by female serial killers include shootings (used by 20%), suffocation (16%), stabbing (11%), and drowning (5%). They commit killings in specific places, such as their home or
18034-607: The trigger for serial killers. Two serial killers, Bobby Joe Long and Richard Speck , came to attention for reported chromosomal abnormalities. Long had an extra X chromosome . Speck was erroneously reported to have an extra Y chromosome ; in fact, his karyotype was performed twice and was normal each time. While attempts have been made to link the XYY karyotype to violence, including serial murder, research has consistently found little or no association between violent criminal behaviour and an extra Y chromosome. Children who do not have
18176-439: The victim threshold from three to two victims given that serial murderers from these groups share similar pathologies. Historical criminologists suggest that there have been serial killers throughout history. Some sources suggest that legends such as werewolves and vampires were inspired by medieval serial killers. In Africa, there have been periodic outbreaks of murder by leopard men . Liu Pengli of China, nephew of
18318-426: Was "absolutely livid" when she evaded him. He recalled spending hours waiting at Williams' home but becoming impatient and leaving when she did not return from visiting friends. Murder of Marine Hedge Marine Hedge (53) was found on May 5, 1985, at East 53rd Street North in Wichita, between North Webb Road and North Greenwich Road. Rader had killed her on April 27 and took her body to Christ Lutheran Church, where he
18460-578: Was a field operations supervisor for the Wichita area for the 1990 federal census . In May 1991, Rader became a dogcatcher and compliance officer in Park City. In this position, neighbors recalled him as being sometimes overzealous and extremely strict, as well as taking special pleasure in bullying and harassing single women. Two women he stalked in the 1980s, and one whom he stalked in the mid-1990s, filed restraining orders against him; one of these women also changed her address to avoid him. One neighbor complained that Rader killed her dog for no reason. Rader
18602-483: Was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, and at one point was elected president of the church council. He was also a Cub Scout leader and would frequently use being with the scouts as his alibi when a BTK killing was discovered. By the 2000s, the public's memories of the murders had begun to fade. Local author Robert Beattie began writing a book about the killings, Nightmare in Wichita , after being shocked that many young people he spoke to had never heard of
18744-719: Was allowed access to television and radio, to read magazines and other privileges for good behavior. Following Rader's arrest, police in Wichita and several surrounding cities looked into unsolved cases with the cooperation of the state police and the FBI. They particularly focused on cases after 1994, when the death penalty was reinstated in Kansas. Police in surrounding states also investigated cold cases that fit Rader's pattern. After exhaustive investigations, none of these agencies discovered any further murders attributable to Rader, supporting early suspicions that he would have taken responsibility for any additional murders that he had committed. As
18886-451: Was also strangled and shot in the head, but he survived by feigning death and later escaping. Murder of Shirley Ruth Relford On March 17, 1977, Shirley Ruth Relford (25) was found dead in her home in Wichita. Rader was pursuing Relford and located her by following her 5-year-old son to her home. Rader entered their residence and produced a handgun from his jacket, frightening the family. After tying up her three children and locking them in
19028-427: Was collected and suspects were identified and traced. Police surgeon Thomas Bond assembled one of the earliest character profiles of the offender . The Ripper murders also marked an important watershed in the treatment of crime by journalists. While not the first serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper's case was the first to create a worldwide media frenzy. The dramatic murders of financially destitute women in
19170-482: Was discarded by the truck's owner. It was later retrieved from the trash after Rader asked what had become of it in a later message. Surveillance tape of the parking lot from that date revealed a distant figure driving a black Jeep Cherokee leaving the box in the pickup. In February 2005, more postcards were sent to KAKE, and another cereal box left at a rural location was found to contain another bound doll. In his letters to police, Rader asked if his writings, if put on
19312-553: Was made during last-ditch efforts to appeal his death sentence. In the 1970s and 1980s, FBI profilers instigated a simple division of serial killers into "organized" and "disorganized"; that is, those who plan their crimes, and those who act on impulse. The FBI's Crime Classification Manual now places serial killers into three categories: organized , disorganized , and mixed (i.e., offenders who exhibit organized and disorganized characteristics). Some killers descend from organized to disorganized as their killings continue, as in
19454-399: Was not until the 29th year of his reign that the son of one of his victims finally sent a report to the emperor. Eventually, it was discovered that he had murdered at least 100 people. The officials of the court requested that Liu Pengli be executed; however, the emperor could not bear to have his own nephew killed, so Liu Pengli was made a commoner and banished. In the 9th century (year 257 of
19596-443: Was one of the more enjoyable kills, as I call them." Rader killed Fox by strangling her with his belt on her bed. Before she died, Rader told her that he was responsible for the Otero murders. The following day, Rader called police from a payphone , telling them they would find Fox's body at her home. BTK asks for infamy On February 10, 1978, Rader sent another letter to Wichita television station KAKE claiming responsibility for
19738-463: Was taken aback to discover her 19-year-old brother, Kevin Bright, was also present in the property. He transported Kathryn to another bedroom and tied her down after forcing Kevin, who was being held at gunpoint, to restrain his sister with a rope Rader had provided. Rader attempted to strangle Kathryn before stabbing her three times in the back and lower abdomen with a knife when she struggled too much. Kevin
19880-446: Was the most influential factor that contributed to their homicidal activity. Almost all of the serial killers in the study had experienced some sort of environmental problems during their childhood, such as a broken home caused by divorce, or a lack of a parental figure to discipline the child. Nearly half of the serial killers had experienced some type of physical or sexual abuse, and more of them had experienced emotional neglect. When
20022-430: Was the president of the church council. There, he photographed her body in various suggestive positions. Rader had previously stored black plastic sheets and other materials at the church in preparation for the murder and then, later, dumped the body in a remote ditch. Murder of Vicki Wegerle On September 16, 1986, Rader strangled Vicki Lynn Wegerle (28) to death with a nylon stocking at her house in Wichita. He entered
20164-488: Was titled "A Serial Killer Is Born." In July, a package dropped into the return slot at a public library contained more bizarre material, including the claim that BTK was responsible for the death of 19-year-old Jake Allen in Argonia, Kansas , earlier that month. This claim was false, and that death was ruled a suicide . After his capture, Rader admitted in his interrogation that he had been planning to kill again, that he had set
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