48 Hours

Trapping the BTK Killer

Oct 9, 2025
Bill Wegerly, the husband of murder victim Vicki Wegerle, shares the heart-wrenching details of Vicki's tragic death in 1986. He recounts the painful years of suspicion he faced, being wrongly perceived as a suspect for nearly two decades. The discussion delves into the chilling profile of BTK killer Dennis Rader, who evaded capture until his own ego led to his downfall. The emotional weight of community stigma and the Wegerle family's lifelong grief resonate throughout, highlighting their hope for justice and closure.
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ANECDOTE

Discovery Of Vicki's Body

  • Bill Wegerle recounts coming home for lunch and finding his son alone before discovering Vicki tied up and strangled.
  • He immediately called 911 and later faced suspicion despite taking polygraphs that he failed.
INSIGHT

Pattern Linked A Long Unsolved Case

  • BTK's crimes spanned decades and left Wichita living with fear and unanswered questions until new communications resurfaced.
  • The pattern of binding and strangulation linked Vicki's death to the earlier BTK murders.
ANECDOTE

Killer's Return Through A Letter

  • In 2004 a letter to reporter Hirst Laviana included Vicki's driver's license and crime-scene-like photos that only the killer could have taken.
  • That evidence cleared Bill Wegerle and re-established BTK as the real murderer.
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