This gruesome murder case was solved by computer forensics after 30 years of searching

For more than 30 years, the case of the BTK serial killer went as one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in America. Police spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars trying to figure out the identity of this man, who killed 10 people in and around Wichita, Kansas, between 1974 and 1991.

But, on the 16^th of February 2005, in a few short hours computer forensic specialists accomplished what police had failed to do for more than 30 years – they identified the BTK killer as a man named Dennis Rader! This case remains the most famous ever solved by computer forensics.

The case started on the 15^th of January 1975, when Dennis Rader killed four members of the Otero family. Over the next 15 years, he would admit to killing six more female victims.

As he was committing these murders, Rader would taunt police by sending them bizarre notes. His first note was found in the Wichita Public Library; in it he claimed responsibility for the Otero murders and provided details only the police would know. He also promised that he would kill again and suggested a nickname for himself – BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill).

Rader went on to write numerous letters to the police, including twisted poems, puzzles and pictures. Sometimes he would send the letters straight to the police and other times he would mail them to the media or hide them somewhere.

Local police worked with the FBI and spent thousands of hours studying these communications. They hired the best criminal psychologists, followed up on every possible lead and interviewed thousands of people. Even with so much evidence and effort, police were still unable to tie any of the murders to Dennis Rader.

It was not until 2004, after 10 years of silence from the BTK killer, that police finally caught a break. That year, Rader resumed his communications with police. He sent them a Word document on a floppy disk that computer forensic experts immediately examined.

By using special forensics software, police were able to pull up a Word document that have been deleted. The document revealed a clue – it had last been modified by someone named Dennis at Christ Lutheran Church. A quick search of the church’s website revealed that Dennis Rader was actually the president of the church’s congregation council!

Police were then able to quickly link Rader to the BTK murders.

Today, computer forensics is used more than ever to solve crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, fraud and embezzlement. Forensic investigators are able to dig up information that was thought to be long gone on cellphones, computers, laptops, hard drives and chats. The tools these experts use are growing more and more advanced every day.

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