Viewers of Netflix have been left in disbelief by the glaring mistake that led BTK Killer Dennis Rader to reveal himself.
The platform’s newest true crime documentary delves into Rader’s horrific acts, as experienced by his daughter, Kerri Rawson.
Rader, who once served as a Church congregation president, terrorized and murdered at least 10 people in Wichita and Park City, Kansas, over the period between 1974 and 1991.
He would stalk, bind, torture, and then kill his victims, adopting the nickname ‘Bind, Torture, Kill,’ or BTK.
Among his victims were four members of the Otero family, including two young children, and a 63-year-old neighbor.
Directed by Skye Borgman, known for Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish, the documentary My Father, The BTK Killer revisits the case and examines its effect on Rader’s daughter, now 47.
Her father’s secret life was uncovered when she was 26, following his arrest in 2005—a day she describes as unforgettable.
Rader, who also held a role as a Cub Scout leader, mocked law enforcement by mailing letters and parcels with crime scene evidence.
After years of silence, ‘boredom’ and a newspaper article marking the 30th anniversary of the Otero family murders pulled him back into the public eye.
Rader’s significant error eventually allowed authorities to capture him.
Interestingly, it was Rawson’s own DNA that played a crucial role in his arrest.
In one correspondence, Rader inquired whether a floppy disk could be traced, urging authorities to ‘be honest’.
Law enforcement responded with a newspaper ad, assuring him ‘it will be ok’.
Convinced it was safe, Rader sent a 1.44-megabyte Memorex floppy disk to KSAS-TV, a local TV station.
The disk contained hidden metadata, including a deleted Microsoft Word document of a Christ Lutheran Church meeting agenda, last altered by someone named Dennis.
A basic search identified Rader as the church council president, although this was insufficient for an arrest.
Authorities then secured a warrant to access DNA samples from Rawson’s Kansas State University medical clinic pap smears.
The DNA matched that found under the fingernails of one of Rader’s victims, confirming his identity as the BTK Killer and leading to his capture.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Netflix viewers quickly commented on the oversight.
“BTK thinking the police would ‘be honest’ and tell him whether they would be able to trace him with the floppy disk, and then actually believing them when they said they couldn’t, is top tier stupidity,” noted one user.
“The B in BTK killer stands for Boomer,” added another. “He asked the police if they could track him if he mailed in a floppy disk, and they told him no. They then tracked him with the floppy disk.”
“That’s like some Three Stooges ass comedy right there,” remarked a third about the events.
In August 2005, Rader received 10 consecutive life sentences, totaling a minimum of 175 years—the maximum penalty the judge could administer.
He is currently imprisoned at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Butler County, Kansas.
My Father: The BTK Killer is now available for streaming on Netflix.