‘My Father, the BTK Killer’ (2025) Netflix Review - Good and Emotional True Crime Documentary

On the face of it, we see a very normal family life. But what’s beneath is what shocks us. My father, the BTK killer, is a documentary narrated by Kerri Rawson, who is the daughter of the infamous murderer Dennis Rader. Wondering what the full form of BTK is? It is Blind, Torture, Kill- a practice that Dennis Rader followed on his victims. His acts left the people of Wichita, Kansas, terrorized for decades.  He committed around 10 murders between 1974 and 1991. However, things get creepier when you see that he committed those murders while he was living the most ordinary life possible. During these murders, he served as the president of his church, he was also the Cub Scout leader, and of course, a husband and a father. No one, especially his daughter, had a clue what the man was up to or that he committed such heinous crimes. The family finally suffered a big blow when, in 2005, he was arrested. Kerri Rawson was 26 at that time.  In this documentary, we hear and see from Kerri Rawson’s perspective. Today, after so many years, she opens up to the world. She is not afraid to label her father as a predator for what he had done. More so, she explains to us how she dealt with the fact that her father was actually living the dual personalities all this time. He was not only her father but also a murderer. In addition to all this, the documentary gives us a glimpse of the police investigations that followed around this and how the authorities led themselves to Dennis Rader, which eventually led to his conviction. We see how not only his, but also the lives of his loved ones are disrupted once they uncover the truth of what had actually happened.

This is a great documentary for many reasons. Apart from the fact that it tells us in clarity what exactly had happened and who Dennis Rader was, it maintains its stand clearly- Kerri Rawson’s point of view. This is decisive because we seldom get to see a documentary that shows us what the perpetrators' family members undergo. You do feel bad for her, for having to see the monster her father was, and how she dealt with and is still dealing with. This also means that the makers don’t make the documentary all about Dennis Rader solely, even though he is the primary person on whom the plot is based. That thin, fine line of demarcation is visible throughout the show. We are also shown pictures of happier times, which also tells us that they were indeed a regular family.

As viewers, we are served with just the right amount of information needed. It is not like we are bombarded with it full on. With good pacing, there is not one moment where you will feel like skipping any scenes. It does actually make you sit down and watch the entire thing unfold right in front of your own eyes. So, for those of you who are big fans of murder series, My Father, the BTK killer, is a good watch to see the other side of the coin. No, there is no one playing the victim card. Just pure feelings and thoughts of what it is like to witness your own father’s role change and realize he is not the person you thought him to be.

Final Score- [8/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times