“How do you live with a man for close to three decades and a half and not find out that he is a notorious serial killer?
Don’t your instincts ever push you to spy on his closet or to ask him prying questions regarding his daily activities to see what he is doing other than being a church leader in the church and a lovely husband to you at home?”
These are some unavoidable questions from people to Paula Dietz after her husband’s hideous crimes that remained covered for thirty-one years were uncovered in February 2005.
Read along to understand Paula’s stance on the incidents, whether or not she is one of the accomplices or, yet still, another victim.
Who is Paula Dietz?
Paula Dietz is a former American libertarian and bookkeeper who rose to the spotlight due to her marital affiliation with the infamous American serial killer Dennis Lynn Rader.
Dennis Lynn Rader is a notorious American serial killer, otherwise known as the BTK serial killer or the BTK strangler.
He is responsible for the murder of ten people in cold blood in two cities in his residential state, Wichita and Park City, in Kansas State, respectively.
In this post, I will write about Paula Dietz, how she married the notorious BTK strangler Dennis Lynn Rader and other interesting facts about her.
Before we continue, let’s take a quick look at her profile summary.
Profile summary
| Full name | Paula Dietz |
| Date of birth | May 5, 1948 |
| Age | 76 years old |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| ex-Husband | Dennis Lynn Rader |
| Known as | Dennis Lynn Rader’s ex-wife |
| Occupation | Bookkeeper |
| Zodiac | Taurus |
Paula Dietz Biography
Paula Dietz was born on May 5, 1948, in Park City, Kansas, in the United States of America. She is 74 years old and has Taurus as her zodiac sign. Her Lucky Number is five.
A report says she comes from a descent of Scenery of Binh Lieu Quang Ninh – Heaven in the Vietnam-China Border Region. Her ancestry is traced back to the White Caucasian ethnic classification.
Her father worked as an automotive engineer, and her mother was a librarian.
Paula’s parents were devoted Christians and attended most of their church’s activities.
This affected her life so much that she continued adhering to Christian beliefs even after marrying Dennis.
Her serial killer husband, Dennis Lynn Rader, also was a church leader at a local church in Kansas. On the other hand, she once volunteered as an accountant for the local church, “The Christ Lutheran church.”
As a Midwest United States and Park City, Kansas State native, Paula holds American citizenship by birth.
She has light brown long hair, a fair skin color, and beautiful black eyes. She stands 165 centimeters or 1.6 meters above the ground, estimated to be five feet five inches.
Looking more at her physique and body structure, Paula’s hip size is 42 inches, her bust size is 36 inches, and her waist size is 28 inches.
More so, she weighs 143 pounds, equivalent to 65 kilograms. Her shoe sign is 8 (US), while her bra size is 33B.
Her favorite food is vegetable soup and pizza. She loves to read books and spend time with kids.
And speaking of kids, Ian Rawson and Emilie Rawson are the names of some of her grandchildren.
Paula’s favorite film actor is Will Smith, while her favorite film actress is Joey King. Her favorite destination is Paris, France, and her favorite color is violet.
Paula obtained her High School Diploma from a local high school in Kansas State in 1966 at 18.
She later enrolled at the prestigious National American University of Wichita in Kansas State, majoring in Accountancy.
There, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accountancy in 1970 at 22.
Did Paula Suspect her husband?
According to reports, Paula never suspected her psychopathic husband, nor did she know the extent to which he had gone, even though she lived and shared the same apartment with him.
Paula’s husband murdered ten people from January 15, 1974, to January 19, 1991, but he was a loving father to his two kids and a good husband to his wife.
Because of his psychopathic treatment of hiding crimes just so well, neither his wife, Paula, nor his two children, Brian Rader and Kerri Rawson, had a clue about his murder antecedents.
But they would find out on February 25, 2005, close to a decade and a half after he committed his tenth and last murder.
Dietz confronted her husband, but he lied and said that the poem he wrote about one of his victims was a draft he had written for one of his college classes.
Understandably, Paula did not doubt him for a second because he was attending college courses at the time.
However, Dennis Lynn Rader had written this short poem after he murdered his sixth victim by strangulation: 26-year-old Shirley Ruth Vian Relford, who lived at her apartment at 1311 S. Hydraulic Street, Wichita (murdered on March 17, 1977).
What are the police saying about Paula? Was she charged with any offense? For now, the police find Paula innocent. They said her only mistake was taking care of Dennis as a husband.
Paula Dietz Career, Marriage
After she became a certified Accountant, Paula Dietz started working as a bookkeeper in a local bookstore in Park City.
While her career lasted, she worked as an accountant and bookkeeper, earning salaries that she used to sustain her low-profile life. She also once worked for ADT Security Services.
About her romantic life. Paula Dietz was a very dedicated Christian and preferred to marry someone who held the same beliefs as she did.
She crossed paths with Dennis Lynn Rader, a devoted member of the church she attended at the time.
They dated for a few months after their first meeting, later on, Paula and Dennis Lynn Rader, tied their wedding knot in a church wedding that was held in Park City, Kansas State, on May 22, 1971.
They had their first child, whom they named Brian Rader, on July 27, 1975 (49 years years old).
Dennis had already committed a series of murders before Brian’s birth. He took a break after Brian was born, and a few months later, Dennis struck again.
They had their second child, Kerri Rader, in 1978, even as Dennis went about his BTK activities.
Paula got married to the BTK Serial killer when she was 23, and Dennis was 26.
In 2005, she filed for an emergency divorce from Dennis after it was confirmed that he was responsible for the murder of ten Kansas State residents in cold blood.
The court granted her the same without delay. Paula was 57 years old at the time. After the divorce, she moved out of Kansas State to avoid the media and their unending questions.
She cut ties with Dennis, never visited him, nor attended any court hearing pertaining to the murder case.
Read up about Dennis Lynn Rader’s crimes here.
Paula Dietz Net worth
Although she had a successful career, Paula Dietz has no estimated net worth.
The realization of her husband’s crimes broke her, and she continued to stay away from the spotlight.
Just like her son, Brian Rader, Paula has yet to say a thing regarding the murder incidents that forever changed her life.
Unlike her and her son, her daughter, Kerri Rawson, has been vocal about her trauma and healing process.
She wrote a book exploring all that she would later find out about her serial killer father titled, “A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming.
She published a second book about the incident on October 17, 2023, titled “Breaking Free: Overcoming the Trauma of My Serial Killer Father.”