BTK Blunders - The Bumbling Serial Killer Dennis Rader
05/19/25 • 49 min
2 Listeners
Dennis Rader, the self-proclaimed "BTK" killer—short for "Bind, Torture, Kill"—terrified Wichita and Park City, Kansas, for nearly two decades. But behind the mask of a monstrous mastermind was a man whose crimes were riddled with laughable mistakes, sloppy execution, and a bizarre craving for attention. In this episode, we dismantle the myth of BTK as a criminal genius and reveal the truth: Dennis Rader wasn’t brilliant—he was a bungler. Tune in as we unravel the twisted, error-filled path of one of America’s most incompetent, yet still deadly, serial killers.
Sources:
Once Upon a Crime - Patreon Bonus: BTK Blunders, April 26, 2023
Confessions of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, The BTK Killer, Katherine Ramsland, PhD, ForeEdge Books, 2016.
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Links:
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
CrimeCon UK - www.crimecon.co.uk - Use our discount code ONCEUPON for tickets
Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast
Dennis Rader, the self-proclaimed "BTK" killer—short for "Bind, Torture, Kill"—terrified Wichita and Park City, Kansas, for nearly two decades. But behind the mask of a monstrous mastermind was a man whose crimes were riddled with laughable mistakes, sloppy execution, and a bizarre craving for attention. In this episode, we dismantle the myth of BTK as a criminal genius and reveal the truth: Dennis Rader wasn’t brilliant—he was a bungler. Tune in as we unravel the twisted, error-filled path of one of America’s most incompetent, yet still deadly, serial killers.
Sources:
Once Upon a Crime - Patreon Bonus: BTK Blunders, April 26, 2023
Confessions of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, The BTK Killer, Katherine Ramsland, PhD, ForeEdge Books, 2016.
Sponsors:
Gabb Mobile - gabb.com/once
Spot & Tango - spotandtango.com/once
La Pure - All thriller, no filler! Upgrade your skincare routine with our all-natural Beef Tallow, made with rich, skin-loving vitamins and natural oils. Take 40% OFF today at https://lapurenaturals.com/ONCE
Cornbread Hemp - cornbreadhemp.com/ONCE
To advertise on this podcast, please email: [email protected]
Or go to:
https://advertising.libsyn.com/onceuponacrime
Links:
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
CrimeCon UK - www.crimecon.co.uk - Use our discount code ONCEUPON for tickets
Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast
Previous Episode
Child of Darkness: Mary Bell
In 1968, the quiet streets of Scotswood, England, were shattered by a chilling discovery: two young boys, just three and four years old, had been murdered—and the killer was an eleven-year-old girl. Mary Flora Bell's name would soon become synonymous with one of Britain’s most disturbing criminal cases. In this episode, we explore the harrowing details of her crimes, the trial that stunned the nation, and the deeply troubled upbringing that may have shaped a child into a killer.
Sources:
Once Upon a Crime Podcast, Season 1, Episode 7, Killer Kids: Mary Bell - https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/s1-ep7-killer-kids-chapter-2-mary-bell/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1968/dec/18/ukcrime.childprotection
https://allthatsinteresting.com/mary-bell
https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/famous/bell/bell_11.html
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Gabb - For the best deals on safe phones and watches for your kids, teens, and tweens, go to GABB.com/once.
To advertise on this podcast, please email: [email protected]
Or go to:
https://advertising.libsyn.com/onceuponacrime
Links:
www.crimecon.co.uk - Join us at CrimeCon UK - the ultimate true crime experience in the heart of London, June 7th and 8th, 2025. Use our discount code ONCEUPON for 10% off your ticket.
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast
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