Serial Killer Set to Strike Again?

June 25, 2004 -- Is Wichita's notorious "BTK" serial killer about to strike again — or about to be arrested?

Residents and police in Wichita, Kan., are on edge as FBI investigators announced they had authenticated letters sent to ABC News affiliate KAKE-TV and directly to police as being written by the same serial killer who terrorized the region in the 1970s. Earlier this month, police received a letter that described the 1974 strangulation of four family members — the first of eight slayings linked to the BTK ("blind, torture, kill") strangler.

Last month, ABC News affiliate KAKE-TV received a letter containing potential clues that have intrigued investigators, including: photocopies of I.D. cards of a former employee of the Wichita public school district and a Southwestern Bell employee who retired 20 years ago as well as a couple of word puzzles that spell out "wrong address" backwards and "ruse." KAKE-TV also says the letter includes a page titled "The BTK Story" which lists what appears to be chapter titles. The final chapter title, according to KAKE-TV, reads "Will there be more?"

Breaking His Silence

The BTK strangler sparked fear in Wichita in the 1970s when he bragged about seven slayings in letters to newspapers and television stations.

However, he had remained silent for more than 20 years until last March, when The Wichita Eagle received a letter. The letter, which was authenticated by authorities, detailed an unsolved 1986 slaying and contained the victim's driver's license and photos of her body.

Wichita police suspect BTK could have used the I.D. cards to gain access to his victims and believe BTK is trying to communicate with them. They have asked anyone with information to contact them. They are specifically interested in hearing from anyone who remembers being approached at their home between 1974 and 1986 by a man who claimed to work for a school or utility company.