S3 Ep354: BTK | The Mask of Dennis Rader (Part 1)

In 1974, Wichita, Kansas was shaken by a series of brutal attacks inside family homes. Men, women, and children were bound, tortured, and killed by a predator who called himself BTK. For 17 years, he terrorized the community, claiming at least 10 victims and taunting police with disturbing letters that detailed his crimes. Then in 1991, the killings abruptly stopped, leaving law enforcement and the public to wonder if the killer had vanished forever.  For more than a decade, there was silence. Then in 2004, BTK resurfaced with new messages, reigniting fear in Wichita. But that renewed need for attention would ultimately be his downfall, and by the following year, detectives had identified the killer as Dennis Rader, a father of two, a Scout leader, and a trusted member of his church council. Rader was the last person anyone suspected of being a sexual sadist serial killer, but once investigators began putting all the puzzle pieces together, it became clear that Rader’s family-man persona was just a mask covering the monster beneath. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. Download June's Journey: https://woo.ga/v79wbxd2 - Love solving mysteries of your own? Play June's Journey today! June’s Journey is available on iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as on PC. 2. https://www.littlespoon.com/CRIMEWEEKLY50 - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY50 for 50% off your first Little Spoon order! 3. https://www.Quince.com/CRIMEWEEKLY - Get FREE shipping and 365-day returns at Quince!

Nearly two decades after Jennifer Kesse vanished from her Orlando condo in January 2006, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has announced significant progress. Previously untested DNA evidence has been discovered and the pool of persons of interest has been narrowed down to just a few individuals, leading the family to say the case is “no longer cold”. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod

Just after sunrise on October 30, 2004, police in a Richmond, Virginia suburb responded after a neighbor walking his dogs discovered the body of 52-year-old University of Richmond professor Dr. Fred Jablin lying in his driveway. He’d been shot multiple times as he went outside to grab his newspaper, something he did every morning. Inside the house, officers found his three children - still asleep, unaware of what had happened just beyond their front door. As police began to search the neighborhood for clues, one name surfaced again and again: Fred’s ex-wife, Piper Rountree. Their marriage had been volatile, their divorce bitter, and their custody battle filled with accusations that seemed to have no end. When detectives started tracing Piper’s movements before and after the shooting, they uncovered a series of bizarre and calculated choices - each one more unhinged than the last. And soon, it became clear that the story of Fred Jablin’s murder wasn’t just about one act of violence - it was about everything that led to it. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.SimpliSafe.com/CrimeWeekly - Save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system today! 2. https://www.SmartCredit.com/CrimeWeekly - Start your 7-Day trial now! 3. https://www.Rula.com/CrimeWeekly - Connect with quality therapists and prioritize your mental health today. 4. https://www.EatIQBAR.com - Text WEEKLY to 64000 for 20% off ALL IQBAR products and FREE shipping!

The brutal 1991 killing of four teenage girls at an Austin, Texas frozen-yogurt shop have taken a turn after advanced DNA testing identified a new suspect: Robert Eugene Brashers, a known serial killer who died in 1999. These killings were referred to as the Yogurt Shop Murders for decades, with many in the true crime scene and beyond waiting for a resolution in the case. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.UnCommonGoods.com/CrimeWeekly - Get 15% off your next gift!

Just after sunrise on October 30, 2004, police in a Richmond, Virginia suburb responded after a neighbor walking his dogs discovered the body of 52-year-old University of Richmond professor Dr. Fred Jablin lying in his driveway. He’d been shot multiple times as he went outside to grab his newspaper, something he did every morning. Inside the house, officers found his three children - still asleep, unaware of what had happened just beyond their front door. As police began to search the neighborhood for clues, one name surfaced again and again: Fred’s ex-wife, Piper Rountree. Their marriage had been volatile, their divorce bitter, and their custody battle filled with accusations that seemed to have no end. When detectives started tracing Piper’s movements before and after the shooting, they uncovered a series of bizarre and calculated choices - each one more unhinged than the last. And soon, it became clear that the story of Fred Jablin’s murder wasn’t just about one act of violence - it was about everything that led to it. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.LittleSpoon.com/CrimeWeekly50 - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY50 for 50% off your first online order! 2. https://www.FactorMeals.com/CrimeWeekly50Off - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY50OFF for 50% off your first box and FREE breakfast for a year! 3. https://www.RocketMoney.com/CrimeWeekly - Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals today! 4.https://www.PDSDebt.com/CrimeWeekly - Get your FREE debt assessment and find the best option for you today! 5. https://www.HelixSleep.com/CrimeWeekly - Get 25% off sitewide! Select our podcast after you check out to let them know we sent you!

**UPDATE** 2 children, a boy aged 9 and a girl aged 10, are now facing several charges, including attempted murder and rape of 5-year-old A'Marie Jones: https://www.fox10tv.com/2025/10/15/2-children-ages-9-10-charged-with-attempted-murder-rape-brutal-attack-5-year-old-girl-prosecutors-say/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNcwNdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHs5gBqKp9xgz8_vRJBiLIMZLy0lNGNovjzGFKfun8MYfjkqSyFCE3TTX7nyg_aem_TOAMXfs2MY0tSW4RTV8QRA Sign the petition to change Ohio's Juvenile Justice Loophole here: https://www.change.org/p/change-ohio-s-juvenile-justice-loophole-for-young-offenders Donate to A'Marie's GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-amarie 5-year-old A’Marie Jones of Cleveland, Ohio, was found brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, and nearly killed after a group of children, aged 8, 9, and 10, allegedly lured her into a field and assaulted her. Now, her mother is reaching out for help, claiming that some of the boys can't be prosecuted due to their ages, and there have been no arrests. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.WildGrain.com/CrimeWeekly - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY for $30 off your first box and FREE croissants!

Sign the petition to reopen Megan's case here: www.change.org/p/reopen-megan-trussell-s-case-in-boulder-co Please consider donating or sharing Megan's family's GoFundMe for private testing and legal costs here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-megan-memorial-fund Also please consider following the fight for answers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/523984600725253 Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student, was reported missing on February 12, 2025 after last being seen leaving her dorm on February 9. Her body was found just a few days later in remote area near Boulder Canyon, and after an investigation, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office ruled her death a suicide. Though Megan's toxicology reports show medications had been in her system at the time of death, the rest of her autopsy tells a chilling story, and her family is fighting to get her case reopened. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/CrimeWeekly - Try ZipRecruiter for FREE today! 2. https://www.TryFUM.com - Try FUM Zero today! 3. https://www.HelloFresh.com/CrimeWeekly10FM - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY10FM for 10 FREE meals and a FREE item for life! 4. https://www.EatIQBAR.com - Text WEEKLY to 64000 for 20% of ALL IQBAR products and FREE shipping! 5. https://www.SKIMS.com/CrimeWeekly - Shop our favorites at SKIMS! After you place your order, let them know we sent you! 

The prosecutors’ star witness in the Kouri Richins case has recanted key testimony accusing Richins of supplying the fentanyl she allegedly used to poison her husband, prompting her legal team to seek a reconsideration of her bail and case proceedings. Meanwhile, in New Hampshire’s Bear Brook murders, investigators have for the first time identified the final unknown victim as Rea Rasmussen, the daughter of serial killer Terry Rasmussen, using advanced DNA and genealogical methods, bringing a nearly 40-year investigation closer to closure. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.OneSkin.co/Hair - Use code CWN for 15% off!

Sign the petition to reopen Megan's case here: www.change.org/p/reopen-megan-trussell-s-case-in-boulder-co Please consider donating or sharing Megan's family's GoFundMe for private testing and legal costs here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-megan-memorial-fund Also please consider following the fight for answers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/523984600725253 Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student, was reported missing on February 12, 2025 after last being seen leaving her dorm on February 9. Her body was found just a few days later in remote area near Boulder Canyon, and after an investigation, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office ruled her death a suicide. Though Megan's toxicology reports show medications had been in her system at the time of death, the rest of her autopsy tells a chilling story, and her family is fighting to get her case reopened. Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod ADS: 1. https://www.HungryRoot.com/CrimeWeekly - Use code CRIMEWEEKLY for 40% off and a FREE item for life!

In 1992, the remains of a woman were discovered in north Houston, Texas. For 33 years, she was known only as a Jane Doe. Today, through forensic genetic genealogy, she has finally been identified as Joann Zamora, a mother of six. With the help of Moxxy Forensic Investigations, Intermountain Forensics, Break Investigative Group, and supporters of Criminal Coffee Company like you, we were able to discover the identity of a Jane Doe left unknown for over three decades. Now, Joann has her name back, her family has some answers, and investigators can search for what happened to her. If you have any information in the case of Joann Zamora, please contact the Houston Police Department Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-8477. Criminal Coffee Co. is offering $5,000 to anyone with information leading to an arrest of those responsible for her death. Read more about the case here: https://www.forensicmag.com/3594-All-News/621319-Moxxy-IDs-1992-Jane-Doe-Case-is-Ongoing/ Try our coffee!! - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod