Pre Sentence Investigation 1

Pre Sentence Investigation Report

Name
Class
Date
Professor











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Dennis Radar the BTK Killer
To: Judge Gregory Waller Defendant: Dennis Radar
From: Parole Officer DOB: March 9, 1945
Prosecutor: Offense: Serial Murder
Defense Attorney: Offense Dates: 1972-1991

Complaint:
Dennis Radar also known as the BTK Killer is a serial murderer that is responsible for the
murder of ten people. Radar was charged and convicted of the murders of Joseph, Julie, Joseph
Jr., and Josephine Otero, Kathryn Bright, Shirley Vian, Nancy Fox, Marine Hedge, Vicki
Wegerele, and Dolores Davis.
Offense Summary:
On January 15, 1974 Radar entered the home of the Otero family and proceeded to
kill all four members. Joseph Otero was suffocated with a plastic bag, Julie Otero was
strangled with a rope, Joseph Jr. was strangled with a pipe, and Josephine was hung
by a rope.
On April 4, 1974 Radar entered the home of his fifth victim Kathryn Bright and shot
her brother Kevin, who survived, and before stabbing and choking her to death.
On March 17, 1977 Radar entered the home of Shirley Vian when her five year old
son opened the door to the killer. Vian was found strangled with a cord and suffocated
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with a bag in her bedroom. Her three small children where left unharmed. Radar
claimed telephone call interrupted the crime.
On December 8, 1977 Nancy Fox was found by a neighbor strangled by a pair of
stockings. Fox was found partially nude and her hands and feet were bound.
On April 27, 1985 Radar abducted Marine Hedge from her home in Park City, Kansas
and was found strangled on a dirt road eight days after the abduction. Hedge lived on
the same street as Dennis Radar.
On Sept. 16, 1986 Vicki Wegerele was found strangled and raped in her bed by her
husband. Wegerele two year old son was present during the crime but left unharmed
by radar (Baier, 2005).
On January 19, 1991 Radar kidnapped and murdered Dolores Davis. Davis body was
found thirteen days later under a bridge. She had been strangled, raped, and her hands
and feet were bound with her pantyhose.
Defendants Statement:
Defendant Dennis Radar made statement at sentencing hearing where he admitted and
apologized to the family for his crimes. Radar admitted to being a sexual predator and said he
belonged in jail.
Criminal Record:
No Previous Criminal Record
Social History:
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Dennis Radar, known as the BTK Killer, was born March 9, 1945 in Kansas to parents
William and Dorethea Radar. He was one of four sons and had a relatively normal childhood.
Radar was in the Boy Scouts and regularly attended church. Radar admitted to having fantasy of
killing and torturing people as young as elementary school and began killing animals at the age
of ten. Radar was never caught for these acts and learned at an early age to disguise his desire to
bind, torture, and kill. Dennis Radar was a loner and have very few friends but was considered a
nice boy. Radar graduated from high school and went on to attend Kansas Wesleyen College
where he was a poor student (Bardsley, 2009). He joined the Air Force at the age of 21 but was
not drafted to Vietnam.
Dennis Radar was in the Air Force for four years where he lived in Tokyo and other foreign
countries before ending his service and returning home. Radar married Paul Dietz and worked at
the meat department of a local grocery store where he was the bookkeeper before finding
employment with Cessna, the small aircraft manufacturer (Evans, 2005). Radar went back to
college an obtained his Associates Degree in Electronics before continuing on to get his
Bachelors degree after six years. Radar was fired from the Cessna manufacturing company in
1973 and left unemployed and depressed.
In 1974 after losing his job and fantasying about binding, torturing, and killing Radar
committed his first murder of the entire Otero family. While Radar appeared normal and had no
previous ruins with police he was fantasying of killing people until he was driven to commit his
first killings. Dennis radar was considered quiet but normal and after killing ten victims and
attempting to kill Radar quit killing and disappeared from the public eye until 2004 when he
began sending letters to the media and was captured.
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Medical/Health Status:
Average intelligence, no health problems
Recommendations:
Dennis radar is a dangerous sexual predator that has fantasized about binding, torturing, and
killing people, especially women, since a young age. While radar was able to quit killing for 13
years he could not resist sending messages to the media in order to bring himself attention. If
Dennis Radar was to be released from custody he would be a genuine threat to citizens in the
community.










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References
Baier, B. (2005). Fast Facts: BTK Victims. Fox News. Retrieved January 17, 2012 from
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149113,00.html
Bardsley, M. (2009). The BTK Story: BTK Suspect Arrested. Retrieved January 17, 2012 from
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/17.html
Evans, C. (2005). BTK Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison. Retrieved January 17, 2012 from
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166072,00.html