Crime Weekly S3 Ep354: BTK | The Mask of Dennis Rader (Part 1)
Oct 31, 2025
01:18:35
In 1974, Wichita, Kansas was shaken by a series of brutal attacks inside family homes. Men, women, and children were bound, tortured, and killed by a predator who called himself BTK. For 17 years, he terrorized the community, claiming at least 10 victims and taunting police with disturbing letters that detailed his crimes. Then in 1991, the killings abruptly stopped, leaving law enforcement and the public to wonder if the killer had vanished forever.
For more than a decade, there was silence. Then in 2004, BTK resurfaced with new messages, reigniting fear in Wichita. But that renewed need for attention would ultimately be his downfall, and by the following year, detectives had identified the killer as Dennis Rader, a father of two, a Scout leader, and a trusted member of his church council. Rader was the last person anyone suspected of being a sexual sadist serial killer, but once investigators began putting all the puzzle pieces together, it became clear that Rader’s family-man persona was just a mask covering the monster beneath.
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For more than a decade, there was silence. Then in 2004, BTK resurfaced with new messages, reigniting fear in Wichita. But that renewed need for attention would ultimately be his downfall, and by the following year, detectives had identified the killer as Dennis Rader, a father of two, a Scout leader, and a trusted member of his church council. Rader was the last person anyone suspected of being a sexual sadist serial killer, but once investigators began putting all the puzzle pieces together, it became clear that Rader’s family-man persona was just a mask covering the monster beneath.
Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com
Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly
Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast
Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com
Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod
Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod
Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod
ADS:
1. Download June's Journey: https://woo.ga/v79wbxd2 - Love solving mysteries of your own? Play June's Journey today! June’s Journey is available on iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as on PC.
2. https://www.littlespoon.com/CRIMEWEEKLY50 - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY50 for 50% off your first Little Spoon order!
3. https://www.Quince.com/CRIMEWEEKLY - Get FREE shipping and 365-day returns at Quince!