My Father, the BTK Killer – Review | Netflix

MY FATHER, THE BTK KILLER on Netflix is a new true crime documentary about one of the most infamous killers. As revealed by the title, it’s told from his own daughter’s POV. Read our full My Father, The BTK Killer documentary review here!

MY FATHER, THE BTK KILLER is a new Netflix true crime documentary. Once again, the subject is a serial killer. Yet another one who was featured in season 2 of Mindhunter as well. His real name was Dennis Rader, and in this documentary, we hear from his daughter.

Whatever you expect her to say about her father, prepare to hear a lot more than that. She delivers a very honest portrayal of the man we all came to know as a monster. It is also centered very much on her experience, which may not be to everyone’s liking.

The runtime is 1 hour and 33 minutes, so it doesn’t run on for too long.

Continue reading our My Father, The BTK Killer Netflix review below.

The BTK Killer, or just “dad”

My Father, The BTK Killer is all about Dennis Rader, who became infamous as a serial killer. For a long time, the killer was known under the moniker “BTK”, which stands for “Bind, Torture, Kill”.

Now, we get to hear about the person behind this name, as his daughter, Kerri Rawson, tells the world about the man. To her, he was her dad. To the rest of the world, he was a sadistic and brutal criminal.

The kind featured in a Netflix series about the most infamous of serial killers.

While the murders happened between 1974 and 1991, he wasn’t arrested until 2005. In other words, Kerri Rawson lived for decades with no idea that her father was a serial killer.

Dennis Rader, AKA the BTK Killer

In 2005, Dennis Rader was arrested while on his lunch break. The police finally had enough to arrest him for the crimes committed by a serial killer known as The BTK Killer.

Dennis Rader was a white man. An unassuming church congregation president, a former Cub Scout leader, and, it turns out, a serial killer who had committed 10 murders. All of which he, almost gladly or proudly, admitted to.

With this true crime documentary, Kerri Rawson tries to help both herself and their community heal. Needless to say, the murders terrorized Wichita, Kansas. Especially as they went unsolved for decades.

Now, Kerri Rawson finds herself forced to confront the very real possibility of more victims. All while dealing with childhood memories that may hold answers right alongside unspeakable trauma. Again, this documentary is about her — and the murder victims.

How was the BTK Killer caught?

The murders he committed had sadly been reduced to cold cases. There were no more clues as Dennis Rader suddenly stopped sending messages admitting to crimes with the BTK moniker.

However, Dennis Rader apparently missed the attention, and this became his downfall. He resumed messaging the media, which led to his demise.

Something as novel and basic as a floppy disk was traced back to his own church. This was what brought the infamous serial killer down: Hybris… and a lack of knowledge about tracking technology!

The story of how Dennis Rader was finally caught is also the opening episode of the Netflix docuseries Catching Killers season 2.

Watch My Father, The BTK Killer on Netflix now

This is yet another documentary from Skye Borgman. If this name doesn’t ring a bell for you by now, you haven’t been paying attention. She is the documentary filmmaker behind some of the most talked-about true crime documentaries released.

You may have heard about Abducted in Plain Sight (which was later turned into a fictional series), The Truth About Jim, or Dead Asleep? Well, all of them are from Skye Borgman.

So are Girl in the Picture and, most recently, the wild story told in Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. And yes, all are worth watching, so do check them out.

This latest documentary isn’t my favorite from her, but still very interesting and well worth your time. If she keeps this up, we might need to have a dedicated tag or place in our website menu for Skye Borgman.

My Father, The BTK Killer is on Netflix from October 10, 2025.