PARK CITY, KANSAS: Kerri Rawson, daughter of the infamous BTK killer Dennis Rader, experienced a mix of emotions when news broke about the arrest of Rex Heuermann. The 59-year-old architect has been charged with the murders of three sex workers after police cracked the case referred in the media as the "Gilgo Beach murders" or the "Long Island serial killings".
Rawson woke up to a flood of messages and her thoughts immediately turned to the suspect's family. She understood the complex emotions the Heuermann's family must be going through as she herself had undergone a similar experience when her father, Dennis Rader, had been arrested for his murder spree.
Who is Kerri Rawson?
Kerri Rawson is an accomplished author and advocate, widely recognized for her New York Times bestselling book, 'A Serial Killer's Daughter.' Her unique perspective stems from being the daughter of Dennis Rader, known as the 'BTK' (Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killer. Rawson has transformed her personal experiences into a platform for raising awareness about the impacts of abuse, crime, and trauma.
Through her writing and public speaking engagements, she shares her remarkable journey of finding hope, healing, faith, and forgiveness. Currently residing in Florida, Rawson is a devoted mother to her two children. Her resilience and commitment to helping others have made her an influential voice in the field of victim advocacy.
'I almost get ripped again, like emotionally torn'
Speaking to the Independent following the arrest of Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann, Rawson shared, "They've been working on it forever, right, but for the public, we don't see any of that. So you're like, 'Holy crap.' You're elated to think they got another big one like my dad – and there hasn't been one this big since [the Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo] or my dad, really." Rawson continued, "And so your next thought, for me, is: Does he have a family? That's a question, and so you're looking through media, and all of a sudden, you're reading, okay, he has a wife, he has kids. And then, for me...it's like I almost get ripped again, like emotionally torn – because you're so glad that they've caught somebody and got him before he could hurt anybody else, but you're heartbroken for this family."
Rawson recalled when her father was arrested for the BTK murders. Reflecting on that moment, Rawson said, "Right as the agent said, 'Hey, your dad is BTK,' I went into shock. And then I was trying to ask him dates because seven of the murders were before I was born, and then three were after... So I'm literally going from alibiing my dad – trying to – to realizing he very well could have committed this murder of my neighbor lady down the street."
Navigating the aftermath
She further explained the intensity of the immediate aftermath, saying, "And so I'm having to give information and details about that... It's a pretty intense process while they're trying to screen you and get as much information as they can out of you, really, in that first interview before you talk to anybody else or the media gets involved. Because I think they also know they only have a window, because you're going to go into trauma and shock mode, and you're not going to be nearly as helpful for a while."
Rawson empathized with the Heuermann family, recognizing the turmoil they were likely experiencing. She shared her own journey after her father's arrest, saying, "It was like coming home to a funeral. It was several generations of my mom's family got together – like my grandparents, aunts, and uncles – and then it literally was like my cousins were coming over, and people were bringing food in the community. It was like a whole funeral was happening, like we had gathered all over a sudden death, and we were all sitting around sort of in shock."
She spoke about the overwhelming emotions and the need for time to process the situation. Rawson mentioned her Christian faith as a source of strength, saying, "You just have to make a decision, minute by minute... 'Okay, this really sucks, whatever this is going on, and now what do I do next?' And I always need a lot of time to process things still, emotionally and mentally...You just do it."
Advocating for others
Rawson also shared her perspective on advocating for victims and families affected by such crimes. She expressed hope that her own advocacy work could make a difference. "When my family went through this, we didn't have anybody speaking up for us... And so it is my hope that I'm helping a little bit, getting visibility on families like mine... if I'm even making a difference with one person and changing their perspective, then it's worth it," said Rawson.
Acknowledging the challenges of balancing advocacy with expertise, Rawson said, "I feel personally like I almost get torn here between what my responsibility is of making sure I am coming from a place of victim advocacy, but also a place from helping to progress knowledge... I'm trying not to speak up unless I have something worthwhile to say; I'm trying to make sure I'm sticking to facts and being helpful."
The road to healing
Rawson emphasized the emotional toll such cases take on the families involved, noting that events like the Long Island arrest can trigger PTSD and anxiety. She expressed her deep empathy for the Heuermann family, saying, "I can just imagine, based on what my own family went through. Certain aspects of it get better in time, but when stuff like this happens, it brings it all back up for the families. It's hard for me, on something like this close to home, to step away from it." Rawson highlighted the importance of investigating the suspect's potential activities over the span of several decades, stating, "You really have to go back into like the 80s...My gut on this is that there's going to be a lot more. We just have to wait on evidence and DNA."
