Victims
Joseph Otero Julie Otero Joseph Otero ll Josephine Otero
Age: 38 Age: 34 Age: 9 Age: 11
Murdered January 15, 1974 Murdered January, 15 1974 Murdered January 15, 1974 Murdered January 15, 1974
Age: 38 Age: 34 Age: 9 Age: 11
Murdered January 15, 1974 Murdered January, 15 1974 Murdered January 15, 1974 Murdered January 15, 1974
The Otero family was the first of Dennis Rader's victims. BTK enjoyed "trolling" looking around for potential "projects". He spotted Julie and Josephine Otero one day while walking. He gathered his "hit kit" and headed to their house. When he arrived at the Otero house, he entered in through the back door after cutting the phone line. Upon entering the house, he realized that he had not thought through his murder fully. Joseph Otero was still home and Rader had to quickly take control of the situation using a gun. He told the family that he was a wanted criminal and he needed food, money, and a car. Rader then ordered the family to lie face down on the ground. He then put a bag over Joseph Otero's head. In order to kill Mr. Otero he had to put a cord around his neck and that finally killed him. He then tried to manually strangle Julie Otero. The first attempt failed, she passed out but then quickly came back. The second attempt killed her. Joseph Otero ll was the next one to die. Rader said he suffocated and strangulated him. Rader pulled up a chair and watched the young boy died. Josephine was the last one to die. Rader forced her down into the basement and put a noose around her neck and told her she would be joining them in heaven. Rader hung her from a pipe in the basement. He left her partially undressed and then masturbated over her legs, leaving semen on the pipe. Afterwards Rader cleaned up and took some belongings and remembrances. He took the family car and drove it to a parking lot and left the car there and threw the keys on the roof of the store.
Kathryn Bright Kevin Bright
Age: 21 Age: 19
Murdered April 4, 1974 Attacked April 4, 1974
Escaped from Rader while Rader was murdering his sister
Age: 21 Age: 19
Murdered April 4, 1974 Attacked April 4, 1974
Escaped from Rader while Rader was murdering his sister
Shirley Vian
Age: 24
Murdered March 17, 1977
Age: 24
Murdered March 17, 1977
Nancy Fox
Age: 25
Murdered December 8, 1977
Age: 25
Murdered December 8, 1977
Marine Hedge
Age: 53
Murdered April 27, 1985
Age: 53
Murdered April 27, 1985
Vicki Wegerle
Age: 28
Murdered September 16, 1987
Age: 28
Murdered September 16, 1987
Dolores Davis
Age: 62
Murdered January 18, 1991
Last of the BTK murders. Dennis Rader was now 45 years old. With his age he became weaker and his potential projects became older. He went for the older ones because of the ability to take them down easier and they were less likely to put up a fight. Dennis focused in on Dolores one day while he saw her outside. She realized that she was a older lady living alone. That then piqued his interest in her immediately. The night of her killing, Rader was on a boy scout trip. He left the campsite and went to his parents house to change into his killing clothes there he drove to the church parking lot and parked his car. He then walked to Dolores' house and found that she was still up in bed reading. He waited for her to turn the light out then broke into her house by throwing an object through the glass door in the back. Dolores got up thinking someone had just drove through her house. She found Dennis waiting for her. She told Rader that she was expecting someone shortly, that did not deter him whatsoever. He killed her then took her body and put it in her car. Drove to a lake a short distance from Park City. He dumped her body there and then drove back to her house, he whipped the car down for fingerprints and then tossed the keys onto the roof. He then cleaned up the house and walked back to his car at the church. He changed clothes and went back to the boy scout camp site like nothing had happened.
Age: 62
Murdered January 18, 1991
Last of the BTK murders. Dennis Rader was now 45 years old. With his age he became weaker and his potential projects became older. He went for the older ones because of the ability to take them down easier and they were less likely to put up a fight. Dennis focused in on Dolores one day while he saw her outside. She realized that she was a older lady living alone. That then piqued his interest in her immediately. The night of her killing, Rader was on a boy scout trip. He left the campsite and went to his parents house to change into his killing clothes there he drove to the church parking lot and parked his car. He then walked to Dolores' house and found that she was still up in bed reading. He waited for her to turn the light out then broke into her house by throwing an object through the glass door in the back. Dolores got up thinking someone had just drove through her house. She found Dennis waiting for her. She told Rader that she was expecting someone shortly, that did not deter him whatsoever. He killed her then took her body and put it in her car. Drove to a lake a short distance from Park City. He dumped her body there and then drove back to her house, he whipped the car down for fingerprints and then tossed the keys onto the roof. He then cleaned up the house and walked back to his car at the church. He changed clothes and went back to the boy scout camp site like nothing had happened.