Paula Dietz: 7 Shocking Truths About The BTK Killer's Ex-Wife And Her Life Now

Few individuals have experienced a betrayal as profound as Paula Dietz. For 34 years, she lived a seemingly normal, middle-class life as the wife of a church council president, a Cub Scout leader, and a code compliance officer in Park City, Kansas. All the while, her husband, Dennis Rader, was secretly the notorious serial killer known only as "BTK"—Bind, Torture, Kill. The shocking revelation in February 2005 shattered her reality, forcing her into a private battle with one of the most infamous true crime stories in American history. This article, updated for December 2025, delves into the facts of her life, her dramatic divorce, and her current, fiercely protected whereabouts.

The public’s enduring curiosity about Paula Dietz stems from the almost unimaginable nature of her situation: living a double life alongside a monster without ever suspecting the truth. Her story is one of profound, unwitting victimhood and a desperate fight for emotional survival after the media storm subsided. While she has chosen a life of intense privacy, her daughter, Kerri Rawson, has provided glimpses into the family’s ongoing struggle and the psychological toll the BTK Killer’s actions took on his wife.

Paula Dietz: A Life Profile and Biography

Paula Dietz's life prior to the 2005 revelation was characterized by normalcy and dedication to her family and community. Her public profile only exists in the context of her marriage to Dennis Rader.

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• Full Name: Paula Dietz (also known as Paula Rader during her marriage)
• Date of Birth: Circa 1948 (Exact date remains private)
• Place of Birth: Kansas, USA
• Nationality: American
• Known Occupation: Former Bookkeeper
• Spouse: Dennis Rader (Married May 22, 1971; Divorced October 2005)
• Children: Kerri Rawson (Daughter, born 1978, author of *A Serial Killer's Daughter*) and one son (Name kept private)
• Residence: Unknown (Maintains strict privacy since 2005)
• Notable Association: Ex-wife of the BTK Killer

The Unsuspected Double Life: 34 Years of Deception

The most compelling, and terrifying, detail of Paula Dietz's life is the sheer length of time her husband maintained his murderous secret. For over three decades, Dennis Rader murdered at least ten people in the Wichita, Kansas, area, all while playing the part of a devoted husband and father.

1. The Meeting and Marriage

Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader met and married in 1971. Their life together began before the BTK Killer's first murders in 1974. They were married at Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas, and went on to have two children, Kerri and their son.

2. A Normal, Middle-Class Existence

The Rader family lived in Park City, a suburb of Wichita. Paula worked as a bookkeeper, a stable and respectable career she maintained for decades. Dennis Rader was a compliance officer for Park City and an active member of the Christ Lutheran Church council. The family's life was described by their daughter, Kerri Rawson, as "the American dream," filled with church activities, camping trips, and a strict but loving father.

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3. The Shocking 2005 Arrest and Revelation

The facade crumbled on February 25, 2005, when Dennis Rader was arrested. The FBI had tracked him down after he made the critical mistake of communicating with authorities via a floppy disk, which led to a DNA match. Paula Dietz reportedly learned the truth alongside the rest of the world, in a moment of unimaginable horror and public exposure.

The Legal and Emotional Aftermath: 4 Facts About Her Post-BTK Life

Following the arrest, Paula Dietz's primary focus was survival—both emotional and legal—and protecting her children from the crushing weight of the public spectacle.

4. The Emergency Divorce

Paula Dietz immediately filed for an emergency divorce from Dennis Rader. The divorce was officially granted in October 2005, just months after his arrest and before his sentencing. This legal action was a critical step for her to legally and emotionally separate herself and her children from the BTK Killer's identity and crimes. The speed of the divorce highlighted her absolute need to sever all ties with the man who had deceived her for 34 years.

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5. The Financial and Emotional Fallout

The revelation left Paula and her children in a state of profound financial and emotional distress. Her daughter, Kerri Rawson, has spoken publicly about the immense family trauma, including the fact that Paula was left with significant debt and had to sell their family home. Paula Dietz was an unwitting victim, yet she faced the public scrutiny and the psychological burden of her husband's horrific actions.

6. Her Current and Protected Whereabouts

Since the 2005 divorce, Paula Dietz has maintained an extremely low public profile. Her current residence and occupation are not publicly known, a deliberate choice to shield herself from the media and the constant association with the BTK Killer. Unlike her daughter, who has become a public advocate and author, Paula has chosen a life of complete privacy to process the trauma of her marriage. This absence of recent, verifiable information is, in itself, the most current update on her life: she is successfully staying out of the spotlight.

7. The Family's Public Voice: Kerri Rawson

The most insightful and current information regarding the Rader family's trauma comes from Paula's daughter, Kerri Rawson. Kerri's 2019 memoir, *A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming*, offers a powerful perspective on the family’s journey. Kerri Rawson has become a vocal advocate for victims' rights and a source of insight into the psychological impact of being related to a serial killer. She has consistently defended her mother, asserting that Paula was completely innocent and a victim of Rader's sophisticated double life.

The Lasting Legacy of the BTK Wife

Paula Dietz's story is a tragic case study in the unsuspected double life of a serial killer. Her life serves as a stark reminder that the victims of such crimes extend far beyond the direct targets, encompassing the family members left behind to deal with the psychological wreckage. The trauma of realizing the person you shared a bed, a home, and children with for over three decades was a monster is an emotional burden that few can truly comprehend.

While the world continues to be fascinated by the macabre details of the BTK Killer’s crimes, Paula Dietz has quietly carved out a new existence, free from the shadow of Dennis Rader. Her decision to retreat from the public eye is a testament to her determination to heal and protect her privacy. She remains a symbol of the innocent collateral damage caused by one of history's most chilling true crime figures, and her continued silence is a powerful statement on her need for peace.