Paula Dietz Biography

Paula Dietz is an American former bookkeeper who was once married to the serial killer Dennis Rader, who is better known by the moniker BTK or BTK Strangler. A native of Kansas, Dietz grew up in a religious household. In 1971, she married Rader, who was still a student at the time. In the 1970s, Rader was working while simultaneously pursuing his education. He was employed at the Wichita-based office of ADT Security Services from 1974 to 1988, which allowed him the opportunity to scout the neighbourhoods of his potential victims as a security-alarm installer. He was active as a serial killer from 1974 to 1991 and killed ten people, including four members of the Otero family. Dietz and Rader have two children together and led an outwardly normal life. The family maintains that none of them knew about the murders. During this period, their family was highly respected by their community. After Rader’s arrest in 2005, Dietz moved away from Kansas. Neither she nor her children came to see him in jail or were present at the court during his trial, but they did write him letters, imploring him to confess. In June, Rader entered a guilty plea to all ten murders. Dietz subsequently was granted an emergency divorce.