Wichita
Kansas police this week charged a churchgoing family man with the BTK killings, a series of grisly murders that terrorized Wichita in the 1970s. The suspect, a dogcatcher named Dennis Rader, 59, reportedly confessed to six killings. At the time of the murder spree, the killer taunted investigators with poems and boastful letters. In one, he said there was “no help, no cure” for his sadistic urges. He had been silent for years, then suddenly started sending police fresh clues as newspapers publicized the 30th anniversary of his first murder. “Bottom line: BTK is arrested,” said Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams. “Doggone it, we did it.” The BTK murderer’s nickname stemmed from his method: bind, torture, kill.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Time-honored political tactic: Throw your wife under the bus'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
-
Best non-alcoholic spirits for summer cocktailsThe Week Recommends As hard liquor takes a backseat for many, the ingredients for the perfect mocktail are dryly delicious
-
Will Biden's tariffs hinder China's EV dominance?Today's Big Question Climate change goals and American jobs in tension
