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Today in History: BTK Killer Dennis Rader Claims First Four Victims

1/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On January 15, 1974, Dennis Rader, infamously known as the BTK killer, committed his first murders in Kansas. He targeted four victims, primarily women, in their homes. Rader bound and suffocated them, marking the beginning of a series of brutal killings that would span nearly two decades, claiming at least ten lives.

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Story summary

On January 15, 1974, Dennis Rader, infamously known as the BTK killer, committed his first murders in Kansas. He targeted four victims, primarily women, in their homes. Rader bound and suffocated them, marking the beginning of a series of brutal killings that would span nearly two decades, claiming at least ten lives.