One of America's most notorious serial killers, Dennis Rader, known as The BTK Killer, spent decades tormenting Wichita, Kansas. He brutally tortured and murdered 10 people while also taunting the tight-knit community, local media and police with letters detailing his horrific crimes. Now, 14 years after he was caught, his daughter, Kerri Rawson, breaks her silence to ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts in her first television interview for a "20/20" documentary on Rader. Kerri discusses her childhood, how she and her family dealt with the shocking revelation of her father's true identity and how they have worked to overcome the unthinkable crimes of her father. The two-hour "20/20" documentary airs Friday, Feb. 1 (9:00 - 11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC.
In the documentary, Kerri also discusses her new book, "A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming." "20/20" features interviews with Darian Rawson, Kerri's husband; former district attorney and ABC News consultant Nola Foulston, and former Assistant District Attorney Kevin O'Connor, who worked on the BTK case; Kelly Otis and Tim Relph, BTK case detectives; Charlie Otero, Beverly FOX and Jeff Davis, family members of BTK victims; Dr. Katherine Ramsland, forensic psychologist and author of "Confessions of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer"; and Larry Hatteberg and Susan Peters, former KAKE TV anchors who reported extensively on BTK when he was sending letters to their ABC affiliate.
In one of his letters to the media, Rader gave himself the moniker BTK, an abbreviation for "Bind, Torture, Kill," indicating how he murdered his victims. Through the years, Wichita police desperately tried to track him down. Little did they know, Rader was hiding in plain sight, leading a double life as a husband, father of two children, president of his local church and Boy Scout leader, while also a cold-blooded serial murderer. After Rader killed his last victim in 1991, he went quiet for over a decade. He resurfaced in 2004, seeking recognition for his earlier crimes and threatening to strike again. Rader was ultimately arrested in 2005 and pled guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder. He is currently serving 10 consecutive life sentences.
The BTK killer documentary event is part of eight weeks of two-hour "20/20" programming featuring brand-new interviews with key players in some of the biggest newsmaker stories in recent American history. Each documentary takes a look at these cases through a modern lens, challenges original perceptions and sheds new light on each story.
"20/20" is anchored by David Muir and Amy Robach. David Sloan is senior executive producer.
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