Netflix’s My Father, The BTK Killer Changed How I Think About The Families Of Serial Killers

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I took a break from my October binge of the best horror movies to shift into the true crime sector for a bit. This was mainly because My Father, The BTK Killer was available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and I was itching to hear more stories about Dennis Rader. Surprisingly, I walked away with an entirely different perspective, that has me rethinking how I characterize the families of serial killers.

My Father, The BTK Killer chronicles the story of Rader, but through the eyes of his daughter, Kerri Rawson. We learn about how she played a part in his arrest, how she learned about his crimes, and dealt with all the headlines surrounding the situation. It’s a powerful story I’d rank up there in sadness with Con Mum, and one I’d recommend to true crime lovers for how it impacted me.

Generally, I Was Always Quick To Judge Families Of Serial Killers

Whenever a new true crime story comes my way, especially one that involves serial killers, my gut instinct is to think about the family. For me, I think it’s the same reason I like Dexter, because I can’t for the life of me figure out how a serial killer can operate in society without even their closest relatives suspecting them.

Of course, every story is different, and there certainly are serial killers out there who had family members who either played a part in exposing the killer or were aware of what was going on. We’ve seen cases where relatives have zero clue, and others where they’re accessories to the crimes.

My Father, The BTK Killer Helped Me Sympathize With The Family Of One Killer, And Changed My Perspective

It’s irresponsible to make any blanket assumption about what families did and didn’t know in these cases, but in the case of My Father, The BTK Killer, I certainly felt a responsibility to be more mindful of how I speculate about these things. It was heartbreaking to hear Rawson’s experience, and the harm caused by the speculation of others who thought she was also involved.

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Rawson was certainly traumatized by her father’s actions, but in the documentary, she also talked about how the criticism and speculation of others impacted her mental health. This ultimately led to a confrontation with Stephen King after learning her father was the inspiration for A Good Marriage.

The incident only put a spotlight on Kerri Rawson further, though it’s not King’s fault for writing a story based on the premise. As I mentioned previously, he’s not the first person to have a natural fascination that someone can operate as a serial killer in secret to the point that not even their loved ones know. Dennis Rader is a subject of interest, and there are plenty of movies based on actual true crime incidents.

All this is to say that My Father, The BTK Killer is a true crime documentary that puts the focus on a family member in a way that made me sympathetic to her situation. It wasn’t her fault her dad committed heinous crimes, and it had to be so concerning to reconcile that while also having great memories of him being her dad. It gives an added layer to the harm inflicted by these killers, and how the things they do can extend beyond the victims.

My Father, The BTK Killer is available to stream on Netflix. Be sure to keep an eye on CinemaBlend for other upcoming Netflix shows and movies on the horizon, because there’s some great stuff on the way.