Inside the mind of a serial killer : BTK

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Authors
Kieper, Paxton
Advisor
Lindberg, Laurie K.
Issue Date
2016-05
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (B.?)
Department
Honors College
Other Identifiers
Abstract

Serial killers began to gain the public's interest as early as the 1800s. Today, it is estimated that there are between twenty-five to fifty serial killers in America at any given time. The psychology of a serial killer is so very different from ours, which makes them so interesting. I have looked at the lives of the average serial killer and the characteristics they have in common. I have analyzed where they come from and even their DNA to determine what forms a serial killer. Then, I tell the story of the BTK Killer, Dennis Rader. Dennis Rader began killing women in 1974 and was arrested for his murders in 2005. I will analyze his life and determine the factors that I believe formed him into the serial killer he became.