Dennis Rader Case Summary

The 10 murders that led to Dennis Rader being put away in prison for life began on January 15, 1974. Dennis Rader entered the house of the Otero family and murdered the husband, wife, and two youngest children. He entered the house and according to Philbin (2011) Rader testified in court that, “Well, I confronted the family, pulled the pistol, confronted Mr. Otero and asked him to – you know, that I was there to – basically I wanted the car” (p. 155). Rader told the family that he only wanted the car and some food; trying to convince the family he wouldn’t hurt them, which was not the case. After telling the family that, he continued on to bind the four of them in one of the bedrooms. After the family members were all bound, he put plastic bags over their

(Philbin, 2011, p. 158)
After telling Kathryn Bright and Kevin Bright he only needed a car, he continued on to tie them up. After he tied them up, he took them into separate bedrooms, and he began to strangle Kevin Bright. While attempting to strangle him, Bright fought back, causing Rader to shoot him in the head (Philbin, 2011). Fortunately, Kevin Bright survived. However, the same cannot be said for Kathryn Bright. Rader tried to strangle her, but was unsuccessful. After his attempt to strangle her failed, he decided to just stab her with a knife. Kathryn Bright was dead. Then, on March 17, 1977 Rader committed yet another brutal murder, killing Shirley Vian. Rader entered the house of Vian and told her, “I had a problem with sexual fantasies, that I was going to tie her up, and that – and I might have to tie the kids up, and that she would cooperate with this – cooperate with me at that time” (Philbin, 2011, p. 163). Vian did cooperate and Rader then tied her up, put a plastic bag over her head, and strangled her. After this murder, Rader committed his seventh murder by killing Nancy Fox on December 8, 1977. Rader cut her phone lines, snuck into her home while