Cynthia Kinney: Crossword puzzle links BTK serial killer to cold case of teen who went missing in 1976
PARK CITY, KANSAS: An Oklahoma sheriff has announced a significant breakthrough in a cold case dating back to 1976, linking it to the notorious BTK serial killer.
Cynthia Dawn Kinney, who disappeared at the age of 16, may have fallen victim to Dennis Rader, famously known as BTK, according to revelations made by Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden.
Virden's task force, established last summer with the specific aim of connecting Rader to unsolved cases, uncovered compelling evidence suggesting his involvement in Kinney's disappearance.
This evidence includes a cryptic crossword puzzle sent by BTK to a local newspaper, which upon re-investigation, appears to contain references to Kinney's name and the Osage Laundromat, where she was last seen.
Who is Dennis Rader?
Rader terrorized Kansas communities from 1974 to 1991 under the moniker BTK, signifying his modus operandi of "bind, torture, kill." He remained dormant for many years before resurfacing with additional letters and ciphers, ultimately leading to his arrest more than a decade later.
Among these communications was a crossword puzzle sent by Rader, which notably listed the names of his ten confirmed victims.
Sheriff Virden now suspects that this puzzle may also contain references to Kinney's name.
"It’s more than just a simple crossword-type puzzle," he remarked. "It’s more in-depth," reported Daily Mail.
Although convicted in 2005 for the murders of ten people, authorities suspect Rader's actual victim count could be much higher.
Insights into Cynthia Dawn Kinney's murder
In August 2023, Sheriff Virden publicly identified Rader as the primary suspect in Kinney's murder. This assertion was supported by evidence at the time, including writings found in the journal of the serial killer.
Kinney's disappearance coincided with Rader's employment as a security alarm installer for ADT, raising suspicions about his potential involvement. Notably, entries in Rader's journal from the same period mention a "bad laundry day," and the investigation into him "spiraled out from there."
Referring to the latest crossword clue, the sheriff remarked, it's "pretty hard to get around the fact that Cindy Kinney's name is in there, that Osage Laundromat is in there, that Pawhuska is in there."
"In the past, he has played games, cat and mouse with law enforcement and has toyed with them, but he did not come clean with any admission until there was solid proof on what had happened."
The emergence of previously unseen drawings by BTK, depicting women bound in barns, further implicates him in Kinney's case.
Sheriff Virden believes these drawings, coupled with carvings found in local barns, provide "100% proof he has operated within our area" at the time of Kinney's disappearance.
Dennis Rader's daughter's critical role in unearthing evidence at childhood home
While Rader has denied involvement in Kinney's case, he remains the prime suspect in the murder of Shawna Beth Garber, whose remains were discovered in 1990.
Rader's daughter, Kerri Rawson, has been instrumental in the investigation, assisting authorities in uncovering potential evidence hidden in her childhood home.
Simultaneously, investigators combed through her childhood residence and found "possible trophies" from victims, including "binding type items" from the killings.
Kerri disclosed that investigators focused on a metal shed located in the backyard of her childhood home in Park City, Kansas, suspecting that Rader might have concealed items pilfered from his victims there, such as driver's licenses.
"'He was known to hide things in our house," she divulged.
"He built a false bottom in our hallway where he hid evidence like driver's licenses before... We also had two dogs die, and he buried one of them in the backyard in the 90s. I've always theorized that he might have buried stuff in there too."
Currently, Rader is serving a series of ten life sentences consecutively at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas.
