Paula Dietz is an American former bookkeeper who became widely known because of her long marriage to Dennis Rader, the convicted serial murderer known as the BTK Killer. Dietz and Rader married in 1971 and raised two children together before their marriage ended in 2005, shortly after Rader’s arrest and confession.
For most of her adult life, Dietz lived away from the public spotlight. Her name became internationally recognized only after the revelation that her husband had secretly committed a series of murders in the Wichita, Kansas, area while maintaining the appearance of an ordinary family life. The contrast between her private family life and Rader’s hidden criminal identity has remained a major reason people continue to search for Paula Dietz.
Quick Facts About Paula Dietz
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Paula Dietz |
| Known As | Paula Dietz Rader |
| Date of Birth | May 5, 1948* |
| Age | 78 years old in 2026* |
| Birthplace | Kansas, United States* |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Former bookkeeper |
| Famous For | Marriage to Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer |
| Marriage | Dennis Rader, 1971–2005 |
| Children | Two: Kerri and Brian |
*Some biographical publications report May 5, 1948, as Dietz’s birth date and identify Kansas as her birthplace, but these personal details are not as strongly documented in major contemporary reporting as her marriage, divorce and family history.
Who Is Paula Dietz?
Paula Dietz is an American woman best known for being the former wife of Dennis Rader, the man convicted of murdering 10 people between 1974 and 1991. Dietz was married to Rader for approximately 34 years, from 1971 until their divorce in 2005.
Unlike her former husband, Dietz was not involved in his crimes. Public accounts of the case indicate that she and their children were unaware that Rader was responsible for the murders during the years in which the crimes were committed.
Her story is therefore largely connected to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Rader’s double life. She was a wife and mother living what appeared to be a conventional family existence while her husband secretly maintained a criminal identity that was unknown to those closest to him.
How Old Is Paula Dietz?
Paula Dietz is reported to have been born on May 5, 1948, which would make her 78 years old in 2026. However, her exact birth information is not documented as extensively as information about her former husband and the BTK investigation.
Because Dietz has deliberately maintained a private life, relatively little verified personal information about her has been published over the years. Her age should therefore be understood as a reported biographical detail rather than one of the most firmly documented facts about her life.
Paula Dietz’s Early Life and Education
Public information about Paula Dietz’s childhood and education is limited. Available biographical accounts identify her as a Kansas native and indicate that she attended Wichita Heights High School, with a reported graduation year of 1966.
Before her marriage to Dennis Rader, she worked in a clerical or secretarial capacity. Contemporary reporting surrounding Rader’s arrest also described Dietz as a member of the local community and someone who had participated in church life.
Unlike many public figures, Dietz did not build a career that required extensive media coverage. As a result, details about her parents, siblings, childhood interests and higher education have not been consistently documented in reliable public records.
What Did Paula Dietz Do for a Living?
Paula Dietz has been described as a former bookkeeper, although earlier accounts also identify her as having worked as a secretary. Her professional life was separate from her husband’s later notoriety.
There is no evidence that Dietz worked in law enforcement, criminal justice or any field connected to Rader’s crimes. Her public profile developed because of her relationship with him rather than because of an entertainment, political or professional career of her own.
After Rader’s arrest, reports indicated that Dietz attempted to return to a private existence and eventually resumed her work away from the intense attention surrounding the case.
When Did Paula Dietz Marry Dennis Rader?
Paula Dietz married Dennis Rader on May 22, 1971. Their wedding took place at Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas, and the couple remained married for more than three decades.
At the time of their marriage, Rader had not yet become known publicly as the BTK Killer. He was building an ordinary-looking career and family life, and the couple eventually had two children.
Their marriage lasted through the entire period in which Rader committed the murders that later made him one of America’s most notorious convicted serial killers. The crimes began in 1974, only a few years after the couple married.
Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader’s Family Life
Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader had two children: a son named Brian and a daughter named Kerri.
Their son Brian was born in 1975, while their daughter Kerri was born in 1978. Both children were young during much of the period when their father’s crimes were being committed.
Accounts of the family describe Rader as maintaining the outward appearance of a conventional husband and father. His public and community activities helped reinforce that image, while his criminal behavior remained hidden from his immediate family.
The eventual revelation was therefore particularly devastating because the family’s understanding of Rader changed completely after his arrest.
Who Are Paula Dietz’s Children?
Paula Dietz has two children with Dennis Rader: Kerri Rawson and Brian Rader.
Kerri Rawson later became publicly known for writing about her experience as the daughter of the BTK Killer. Her 2019 memoir, A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming, describes the shock of discovering that the man she knew as her father was responsible for a series of murders.
Brian has generally maintained a much lower public profile. Unlike his sister, he has not become a prominent public commentator on his father’s crimes.
The different ways the siblings have dealt with their father’s legacy illustrate the lasting personal consequences of Rader’s crimes for his family.
Did Paula Dietz Know That Dennis Rader Was the BTK Killer?
Available public accounts indicate that Paula Dietz did not know that her husband was the BTK Killer while the murders were taking place.
Rader managed to maintain a seemingly ordinary identity for decades. He had a family, employment, church involvement and community responsibilities, while simultaneously hiding his criminal activities.
When his identity was finally exposed in 2005, Dietz and the rest of the family were confronted with information that fundamentally changed their understanding of him. Contemporary reporting described Dietz as having left Wichita after the arrest, while details about the family’s reaction were closely followed by the media.
What Happened to Paula Dietz After Dennis Rader Was Arrested?
Paula Dietz’s life changed dramatically after Dennis Rader was arrested in February 2005.
Rader was eventually identified as the BTK Killer and admitted responsibility for 10 murders. He pleaded guilty in June 2005, bringing decades of unanswered questions surrounding the BTK case to a conclusion.
Dietz responded by seeking a divorce. A Kansas judge granted her an emergency divorce in July 2005 and waived the normal waiting period because of the circumstances and concerns surrounding the case. Rader did not contest the divorce.
When Did Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader Divorce?
Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader divorced in July 2005, after approximately 34 years of marriage.
The divorce came only weeks after Rader pleaded guilty to 10 murders. The court allowed Dietz to obtain an immediate divorce rather than requiring the usual waiting period.
Reports from the time stated that Rader signed over the couple’s property and retirement benefits to Dietz. The legal separation marked the definitive end of a marriage that had lasted through Rader’s years as an unidentified murderer.
Why Did Paula Dietz Get an Emergency Divorce?
Paula Dietz received an emergency divorce because of the extraordinary circumstances created by Rader’s arrest and the revelation of his crimes.
A Kansas judge waived the standard waiting period, with contemporary reporting stating that the situation posed a serious threat to Dietz’s mental well-being. Rader did not fight the divorce proceeding.
The speed of the divorce reflected the unusual circumstances rather than an ordinary marital separation. Dietz had suddenly discovered that her husband was responsible for a series of killings committed during their marriage.
What Happened to Paula Dietz After the Divorce?
After the divorce, Paula Dietz largely disappeared from public life.
She reportedly left Kansas for a period after Rader’s arrest in an effort to escape the intense media attention surrounding her family. Later accounts have indicated that she returned to Kansas and continued living privately.
Because Dietz has not pursued a public career or maintained a prominent media presence, reliable information about her life after 2005 is limited. Claims circulating online about her whereabouts, activities or personal circumstances should therefore be treated cautiously unless they can be independently verified.
Paula Dietz and the BTK Killer’s Crimes
The reason Paula Dietz remains a subject of public interest is inseparable from the BTK case.
Dennis Rader murdered 10 people in the Wichita area between 1974 and 1991. He later explained that he had adopted the BTK name, referring to his phrase “Bind, Torture, Kill.”
During the years of the murders, Rader continued his ordinary family and professional life. His arrest in 2005 revealed a hidden side of his identity that his wife and children had not understood.
Rader ultimately pleaded guilty to all 10 murders and received 10 consecutive life sentences. He remains imprisoned in Kansas.
Was Paula Dietz Involved in Dennis Rader’s Crimes?
There is no reliable evidence that Paula Dietz participated in Dennis Rader’s murders.
Her connection to the BTK case is that she was his wife during the years in which the crimes occurred. Public accounts instead portray her as someone who was unaware of her husband’s secret criminal identity until his arrest.
It is important to distinguish being related to a convicted criminal from being involved in that person’s crimes. Dietz was never publicly identified as a participant in the BTK murders.
Did Paula Dietz Remarry?
There is no reliable, widely documented public information confirming that Paula Dietz remarried after her divorce from Dennis Rader.
Since Dietz has maintained a highly private life since 2005, details about any later romantic relationships have not been established through strong public documentation.
For that reason, claims about a second husband or later marriage should not be treated as established facts without reliable evidence.
What Is Paula Dietz’s Net Worth?
Paula Dietz’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed.
She is not known for having a major entertainment, business or public career that would make her finances easily traceable. Some online biographies may publish financial estimates, but those figures should not be treated as verified.
Her financial circumstances after the 2005 divorce have also received limited reliable public reporting. Therefore, there is no responsible basis for assigning her a specific net-worth figure.
Did Paula Dietz Appear in Movies or TV Shows?
Paula Dietz is not known for having an acting career or a substantial film or television career.
Her name has appeared in documentaries, news coverage and programs dealing with Dennis Rader and the BTK case, but that is different from having an entertainment career herself.
The public interest in her comes primarily from her position as Rader’s former wife and the family perspective surrounding one of America’s most notorious criminal cases.
Is Paula Dietz Connected to Mindhunter?
Paula Dietz is associated with public discussions about the BTK story, but she was not a principal character in Netflix’s Mindhunter storyline.
The series included a continuing subplot inspired by the BTK investigation, although it did not provide a comprehensive dramatization of Dietz’s life.
As with many real people connected to historical criminal cases, viewers should distinguish dramatized television material from established biographical facts.
Where Is Paula Dietz Now?
Paula Dietz has kept her life private since divorcing Dennis Rader in 2005.
Publicly verified information about her current residence, daily activities and personal life is extremely limited. Earlier reports indicated that she left Kansas following Rader’s arrest and later returned, but there is insufficient reliable information to provide a precise current location.
As of 2026, she does not appear to maintain the kind of public profile that would allow her current activities to be documented in detail.
Paula Dietz’s Legacy and Public Interest
Paula Dietz’s story continues to attract attention because it provides a family perspective on the BTK case.
The most striking part of her story is not a celebrity career but the sudden transformation of her private life after her husband’s identity became known. For decades, she was living as the wife and mother of an apparently ordinary family. In 2005, she discovered that the same man was responsible for a series of murders that had haunted the Wichita area for years.
Her subsequent decision to leave the public eye is consistent with the limited amount of reliable information available about her today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Paula Dietz
Who is Paula Dietz?
Paula Dietz is an American former bookkeeper who was married to Dennis Rader, the convicted serial murderer known as the BTK Killer. They married in 1971, had two children and divorced in 2005 after Rader’s arrest and confession.
How old is Paula Dietz?
Paula Dietz is reported to have been born on May 5, 1948, which would make her 78 years old in 2026. Her birth information is not as strongly documented in major contemporary reporting as the details surrounding her marriage and divorce.
When did Paula Dietz marry Dennis Rader?
Paula Dietz married Dennis Rader on May 22, 1971. Their marriage lasted for approximately 34 years and ended in 2005, shortly after Rader was arrested and identified as the BTK Killer.
Did Paula Dietz have children with Dennis Rader?
Yes. Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader had two children, a son named Brian and a daughter named Kerri. Their daughter later became publicly known as Kerri Rawson and wrote about her experience growing up as the daughter of the BTK Killer.
Did Paula Dietz know about the BTK murders?
Available public accounts indicate that Paula Dietz did not know her husband was responsible for the BTK murders. Rader maintained an outwardly conventional family life while secretly committing the crimes, and his criminal identity was revealed to his family after his arrest.
When did Paula Dietz divorce Dennis Rader?
Paula Dietz divorced Dennis Rader in July 2005, shortly after his arrest and guilty plea. The court granted an emergency divorce and waived the normal waiting period because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding the case.
What did Paula Dietz do for a living?
Paula Dietz has been described as a former bookkeeper, while earlier accounts also identified her as having worked as a secretary. She was not known for a public entertainment or media career.
Does Paula Dietz have a net worth?
Paula Dietz’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed. Because she has lived privately and has not maintained a major public career, reliable information about her finances is limited.
Where is Paula Dietz now?
Paula Dietz has maintained a private life since her 2005 divorce from Dennis Rader. Earlier reports indicated that she left Kansas following his arrest and later returned, but her precise current location and activities have not been reliably documented.
Is Paula Dietz still married to Dennis Rader?
No. Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader divorced in 2005. Their marriage lasted more than three decades and ended after Rader’s arrest and confession to the BTK murders.
Conclusion
Paula Dietz became publicly known because of her long marriage to Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer, rather than because of a career in entertainment or public life. She married Rader in 1971, raised two children with him and remained married to him for more than three decades before his criminal identity was exposed.
Her emergency divorce in 2005 marked a dramatic break from her former life. Since then, Dietz has largely stayed away from the spotlight. Her story remains of interest because it illustrates the profound personal consequences that followed the exposure of Rader’s secret criminal life.
