Who was the BTK Killer and what did he do?

Netflix has released a spine-chilling new true crime documentary for those seeking a gripping watch, following the success of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which delved into the life of the notorious serial killer and grave robber played by Charlie Hunnam, reports the Manchester Evening News.

My Father, the BTK Killer, landed on the streaming service today (October 10), and it centres around Kerri Rawson, the daughter of one of America's most feared and brutal serial killers: Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Killer.

In this factual film, Rawson embarks on a quest for answers about her father, who was once seen as an unassuming church congregation president and former Cub Scout leader.

Furthermore, Rawson is seeking to find healing after the devastating revelation, providing a deeply personal perspective on the case that continues to torment her and the community.

Here's everything you need to know about the BTK Killer, from his heinous crimes, how he was apprehended, and where he is now.

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What does BTK Killer stand for?

BTK stands for bind, torture, kill. This was a nickname that Rader gave himself, and it also describes his method of committing his crimes.

Rader's reign of terror spanned from 1974 to 1991, during which he committed at least 10 horrific murders in Wichita and Park City, Kansas.

Among his victims were members of the Otero family: Joseph Otero, Julia Maria Otero and their children Joseph Otero Jr. , aged nine, and Josephine Otero, aged 11.

Their bodies were discovered by the Oteros' three older children, who were at school at the time of the murders.

He also brutally took the lives of Kathryn Doreen Bright, Shirley Ruth Vian Relford, Nancy Jo Fox, Marine Wallace Hedge, Vicki Lynn Wegerle, and Dolores Earline Johnson Davis.

Kevin Bight and Anna Williams, who were on his hit list, managed to dodge a similar gruesome fate; the former made a lucky escape while the latter was not at home when Rader was lurking for her.

Rader primarily preyed on women, invading their homes and launching his attacks there.

His signature style, or modus operandi, involved tying up his victims with household items and then either suffocating or strangling them.

Before being apprehended, Rader taunted the police and media with a series of letters in which he chillingly detailed his crimes and referred to himself as BTK, hence the nickname.

Rader's initial reign of terror spanned from 1974 to 1979, before he went silent and BTK became one of the most notorious cold cases in American history. He would later commit three more murders between 1985 and 1991.

As suggested by the Netflix documentary, Rawson was approached to see if she could provide any additional insight into any other unknown killings or crimes committed by her father.

How did they finally catch the BTK Killer?

In 2004, The Wichita Eagle published a story about the 30th anniversary of the Otero murders, prompting Rader to start sending letters again detailing a murder from 1986.

He then sent a letter to a local radio station and continued to leave messages and packages around the area with details of his horrific crimes.

Later, Rader inquired with the police if they could trace information sent on a floppy disk. The police assured him it couldn't be traced, a move that would ultimately lead to his downfall.

The police discovered a deleted file on the floppy disk that was directly linked to Rader, but at this point, the evidence was still circumstantial.

However, through DNA testing on a family member, they found a strong familial match to DNA taken from one of BTK's victims.

In 2005, Rader was arrested and confessed to his crimes, confirming that the notorious BTK killer had finally been apprehended.

Is the BTK Killer still alive?

Indeed, the BTK Killer is still alive and serving out 10 consecutive life sentences in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

The BTK Killer has inspired numerous films, TV shows and books, including the character of Paul Spector (portrayed by Jamie Dornan) in BBC's The Fall, Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes) in the novel and film Red Dragon by Thomas Harris from the Hannibal Lecter series, and Stephen King's novella A Good Marriage.

Most recently, the BTK Killer (played by Sonny Valicenti) was depicted in the now-cancelled Netflix series Mindhunter, which featured an overarching storyline about his crimes as the FBI Behavioural Sciences Unit was beginning to develop criminal profiling.

My Father, the BTK Killer is streaming on Netflix now