BTK serial killer Dennis Rader was ordered to serve 10 consecutive life terms Thursday during a tear-filled hearing in which relatives of his victims called him a monster.
It culminated with rambling testimony from Rader, who said he had been dishonest to his family and victims and at times wiped his eyes.
The sentence–a minimum of 175 years without a chance of parole–was the longest possible that Judge Gregory Waller could deliver and was in many ways a formality because Rader was virtually guaranteed to serve a life sentence.
Kansas had no death penalty at the time the killings were committed.
Rader, 60, a former church congregation president and Boy Scout leader, led a double life, calling himself BTK for “bind, torture and kill.”
He was arrested in February and pleaded guilty in June to 10 murders from 1974 to 1991.
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“Nancy’s death is a like a deep wound that will never, ever heal. … This man needs to be thrown in a deep, dark hole and left to rot. … He should never, ever see the light of day.”
— Beverly Plapp,
sister of victim Nancy Fox
“No remorse, no compassion –he had no mercy. … I think that’s what he ought to receive.”
Kevin Bright,
brother of victim Kathryn Bright. Kevin was shot but managed to flee.
“A dark side is there, but now I think light is beginning to shine. … Hopefully someday God will accept me.”
–Dennis Rader
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Compiled from news services and edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
