Paula Dietz is an American former bookkeeper who became widely known because of her long marriage to Dennis Rader, the convicted serial killer known as the BTK Killer. Dietz married Rader in 1971, and the couple remained together for nearly 34 years before divorcing in 2005 after his arrest and confession to ten murders.

Unlike her former husband, Paula Dietz has largely avoided public attention. Much of what is known about her comes from historical records surrounding her marriage, divorce and family, while details about her later personal life have remained limited. Her story has attracted continuing interest because she lived for decades alongside Rader without knowing about the secret criminal life he was leading.

Paula Dietz Quick Facts

Public biographical sources consistently identify May 5, 1948, as Dietz’s birth date and connect her to Park City, Kansas. However, some online biographies contain conflicting details about her education, parents and other personal information, so only information with reasonable corroboration is included here.

Who Is Paula Dietz?

Paula Dietz is best known as the former wife of Dennis Rader, the man who was later identified as the BTK Killer. She lived a relatively private life and worked as a bookkeeper before and during her marriage. Her public profile changed dramatically in 2005 when Rader was arrested and admitted responsibility for ten murders committed between 1974 and 1991.

For many years, Dietz’s life appeared outwardly ordinary. She and Rader raised two children and were involved in their local community. Rader participated in church and scouting activities while Dietz was also associated with church life, creating an image of a conventional family household.

The revelation of Rader’s crimes transformed the family’s circumstances. Dietz subsequently obtained an emergency divorce, ending a marriage that had lasted more than three decades.

How Old Is Paula Dietz?

Paula Dietz was born on May 5, 1948, making her 78 years old in 2026. Her reported birthplace is Park City, Kansas, where she grew up.

Her birth date is frequently repeated in biographical profiles, although detailed documentation about her early childhood is scarce. Because she has maintained a private life, information about her parents, siblings and childhood experiences is considerably more limited than information about her former husband.

Where Was Paula Dietz Born?

Paula Dietz was born in Park City, Kansas, United States. Park City is part of the Wichita metropolitan area and became closely connected to the story of the Rader family during their years together.

Although some online profiles provide additional claims about her parents and upbringing, those details are not consistently documented across stronger sources. For that reason, her birthplace and broad Kansas background are more securely established than many specific details about her childhood.

Paula Dietz’s Education

Information about Paula Dietz’s education is limited, but multiple biographical accounts state that she attended the National American University of Wichita and studied accounting. She subsequently worked as a bookkeeper.

Some secondary biographies give a specific graduation year and degree, but those details are not as consistently documented as her reported accounting background. Therefore, it is safer to describe accounting as her reported field of study rather than overstate details that cannot be independently established.

Her accounting background also fits the career information commonly associated with her: Dietz worked as a bookkeeper rather than pursuing a career in entertainment or public life.

What Did Paula Dietz Do for a Living?

Paula Dietz worked as a bookkeeper. Unlike her former husband, she did not become a public figure through a professional entertainment career. Her occupation was primarily associated with accounting and bookkeeping work.

Her professional life is important because it helps distinguish her from the sensational criminal story that later surrounded her family. Dietz herself was not charged with involvement in Rader’s murders, and public accounts describe her as having been unaware of his secret criminal activities.

Because she later withdrew from public attention, there is little reliable information about her professional activities in the years after the divorce.

Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader’s Marriage

Paula Dietz married Dennis Rader on May 22, 1971. At the time, Rader was 26 and Dietz was 23. Their marriage lasted approximately 34 years and produced two children.

The couple built their family life in Kansas while Rader worked a series of jobs and eventually became associated with ADT Security Services and local government. He was also involved in church and scouting activities.

The significance of the marriage comes from the fact that Rader’s known murders began during the marriage. His first known murders occurred in 1974, only a few years after he and Dietz married. Investigators later established that Rader had maintained a hidden life as a murderer while presenting himself publicly as a husband, father and community member.

There is no credible evidence that Dietz knew about the murders while they were taking place. Accounts of the family indicate that the revelation in 2005 came as a profound shock.

Did Paula Dietz Know Dennis Rader Was the BTK Killer?

Available public accounts indicate that Paula Dietz did not know that Dennis Rader was the BTK Killer during their marriage. Rader successfully concealed his criminal activities from his family for years while maintaining his role as a husband and father.

This is one of the central reasons Dietz remains a subject of public interest. Rader committed his known murders between 1974 and 1991, yet continued living what appeared to be a conventional family life.

His arrest in 2005 exposed the contrast between his public identity and criminal activities. Dietz, like other members of the immediate family, was forced to confront information about him that had remained hidden for decades.

It is important not to confuse being married to Rader with participating in or knowing about his crimes. Dietz was never convicted of involvement in the murders.

Paula Dietz’s Children

Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader had two children: a son, Brian, and a daughter, Kerri Rawson. Brian was born in 1975, while Kerri was born in 1978.

Both children were raised during the period when their father was secretly committing murders. Neither child knew that their father was responsible for the BTK killings.

Their family story later became part of the broader public discussion surrounding Rader’s crimes. Kerri Rawson eventually became a writer and public speaker and discussed the impact of discovering her father’s identity in her memoir and interviews.

Brian has maintained a substantially lower public profile. This difference between the siblings has helped shape how the Rader family’s story has been discussed in the years since the arrest.

Who Is Kerri Rawson?

Kerri Rawson is Paula Dietz’s daughter and Dennis Rader’s daughter. Born in 1978, she was an adult when her father’s identity as the BTK Killer became known in 2005.

Rawson later wrote A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming, in which she described her childhood, the discovery of her father’s crimes and the emotional consequences that followed.

Her public work has made her the most visible member of Dietz’s immediate family. She has spoken extensively about the experience of being related to a notorious criminal while emphasizing the distinction between a perpetrator and the family members affected by his actions.

Who Is Brian Rader?

Brian Rader is Paula Dietz’s son and the younger public profile within the immediate family. He was born in 1975 and has generally avoided the level of media attention experienced by his sister.

Publicly available information about his adult life is limited, which is consistent with his preference for privacy. He has not become a prominent media figure in the way Kerri Rawson has.

What Happened to Paula Dietz After Dennis Rader Was Arrested?

After Dennis Rader’s arrest in 2005, Paula Dietz sought an emergency divorce. A judge granted the divorce while waiving the usual waiting period, citing the severe emotional circumstances surrounding the case.

The divorce ended a marriage that had lasted roughly 34 years. Rader did not contest the divorce.

Dietz then largely disappeared from public view. Reports have indicated that she moved away from Kansas for a period, but precise details of her later residence and daily life have not been reliably documented.

That privacy appears intentional. Unlike her daughter, Dietz has not made herself a regular participant in documentaries, interviews or public discussions about Rader.

Why Did Paula Dietz Divorce Dennis Rader?

Paula Dietz divorced Dennis Rader shortly after learning that he was responsible for the BTK murders. Her emergency divorce petition cited serious emotional and physical effects associated with the marriage and described the relationship as incompatible.

The divorce was granted in July 2005, only months after Rader’s arrest and shortly after his guilty plea.

The circumstances were extraordinary because the marriage had lasted decades and included raising two children. Dietz had to separate her family life from the criminal identity that Rader had concealed for years.

Paula Dietz and the BTK Case

Paula Dietz’s connection to the BTK case is through her former husband, not through any alleged criminal participation of her own.

Dennis Rader murdered ten people in the Wichita, Kansas, area between 1974 and 1991. He later resumed communication with authorities and the media, which ultimately contributed to his identification and arrest in 2005. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of first-degree murder and received ten consecutive life sentences, with a minimum term of 175 years.

During the period of the murders, Rader maintained his family and community life. This included his marriage to Dietz and his role as a father.

The case therefore became an example of how a criminal can maintain an apparently conventional public identity while concealing serious crimes. Dietz’s story is often discussed in this context because she was one of the people closest to Rader during those years.

Did Paula Dietz Appear in Court?

Paula Dietz did not become a prominent public participant in Dennis Rader’s court proceedings. Reports indicate that members of the immediate family did not attend the hearings, with the family’s actions reflecting concern for the victims and their families.

Dietz’s response was primarily private. Rather than seeking publicity, she separated herself from Rader and pursued the emergency divorce.

This approach has remained consistent with her later life, which has largely stayed outside the public spotlight.

Paula Dietz Net Worth

Paula Dietz’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed.

Some websites publish numerical estimates for her wealth, but these figures are not supported by sufficiently reliable public financial records. There is therefore no responsible basis for presenting a specific dollar amount as her confirmed net worth.

Her known professional background was in bookkeeping, and her divorce from Dennis Rader involved property and financial matters. However, individual assets, income and current finances should not be inferred from those circumstances.

Paula Dietz Height and Other Personal Details

Paula Dietz’s exact height has not been reliably established through authoritative public documentation. Various websites publish measurements, but the figures differ and should not be treated as confirmed.

Similarly, online profiles sometimes list detailed information about her appearance, religion, weight and other personal characteristics. Much of this material lacks strong independent verification and is not necessary to understand her biography.

The most relevant established personal details are her reported birth date, Kansas background, former occupation, marriage to Dennis Rader and two children.

Where Is Paula Dietz Now?

Paula Dietz has maintained a private life since divorcing Dennis Rader in 2005. Public reporting has indicated that she moved away from Kansas after the arrest, although reliable current details about her residence and day-to-day activities are scarce.

As of 2026, there is no well-documented public career or media role associated with Dietz. She has not pursued the public platform that her daughter later developed.

Because she is a private individual rather than an active celebrity, speculation about her current address, relationships or personal routine would be inappropriate. The available evidence supports describing her present life simply as private and largely outside the public eye.

Is Paula Dietz Still Alive?

There is no reliable evidence establishing that Paula Dietz has died. Online searches for the name can produce obituary records belonging to other people named Paula Dietz, but those records do not establish that Dennis Rader’s former wife is deceased.

Some older websites have circulated death rumors, but these claims have not been reliably substantiated.

Accordingly, it is more accurate to avoid repeating an unverified death claim and to describe her current public status as private.

Paula Dietz’s Connection to Popular Culture

The story of Dennis Rader and his family has received renewed attention through books, documentaries, television programs and true-crime productions.

Kerri Rawson’s memoir brought additional attention to the family’s experience, while later documentaries examined the impact of Rader’s crimes on his daughter and relatives.

Paula Dietz herself has not become an entertainment personality. Her relevance to these productions comes from her position as Rader’s former wife and the mother of his two children.

This distinction matters because portraying Dietz as part of Rader’s criminal activity would be inaccurate. Her story is instead about the consequences faced by someone who discovered that a person she had married and raised a family with had been secretly committing murders.

Paula Dietz and Her Daughter’s Public Story

Kerri Rawson’s decision to speak publicly has provided much of the available insight into the family environment before and after Rader’s arrest.

Rawson has described her father as a parent who appeared to be involved in family life while hiding his criminal identity. She has also discussed the profound effect his arrest had on both her understanding of childhood memories and her relationship with her family history.

For Paula Dietz, however, the response has been markedly different. She has generally avoided interviews and public commentary.

That contrast has allowed Rawson to become an important public voice about the family’s experience while Dietz has remained largely anonymous outside the context of the BTK case.

What Makes Paula Dietz’s Story Significant?

Paula Dietz’s story is significant because it demonstrates the human consequences of discovering a hidden criminal life within a family.

She was married to Dennis Rader for decades and raised two children with him. The marriage continued while Rader committed his known murders, yet public accounts do not indicate that Dietz knew about his crimes.

After his arrest, she did not attempt to capitalize on the sudden attention. Instead, she pursued a divorce and largely withdrew from public life.

Her story also highlights the difference between a criminal’s actions and the experiences of relatives who did not participate in them. Dietz’s identity became linked to Rader because of their marriage, but the available record does not establish her as a participant in his crimes.

FAQs

Who is Paula Dietz?

Paula Dietz is an American former bookkeeper best known as the former wife of Dennis Rader, the convicted serial killer known as the BTK Killer. She married Rader in 1971, had two children with him and divorced him in 2005 after his arrest and confession to ten murders.

How old is Paula Dietz in 2026?

Paula Dietz was born on May 5, 1948. Based on that reported birth date, she is 78 years old in 2026. Her reported birthplace is Park City, Kansas.

When did Paula Dietz marry Dennis Rader?

Paula Dietz married Dennis Rader on May 22, 1971. Dietz was reportedly 23 years old at the time, while Rader was 26. Their marriage lasted about 34 years before ending in an emergency divorce in July 2005.

Did Paula Dietz know Dennis Rader was the BTK Killer?

Available public accounts indicate that Paula Dietz did not know that Dennis Rader was secretly responsible for the BTK murders. His criminal activities remained hidden from his family for years, and his arrest in 2005 revealed the double life he had maintained during their marriage.

How many children did Paula Dietz have?

Paula Dietz and Dennis Rader had two children, Brian and Kerri Rawson. Brian was born in 1975 and Kerri was born in 1978. Kerri later became a writer and publicly discussed her experience as the daughter of Dennis Rader.

What did Paula Dietz do for a living?

Paula Dietz worked as a bookkeeper and is also reported to have studied accounting. She did not pursue a public entertainment career. Most information about her professional life comes from biographical accounts associated with her years in Kansas.

When did Paula Dietz divorce Dennis Rader?

Paula Dietz was granted an emergency divorce in July 2005, shortly after Rader’s arrest and guilty plea. The judge waived the normal waiting period because of the circumstances surrounding the case. Rader did not contest the divorce.

What is Paula Dietz’s net worth?

Paula Dietz’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed. Although various websites publish estimates, there is no sufficiently reliable public financial record that establishes a specific figure. It is therefore best to avoid treating online net-worth estimates as fact.

Where is Paula Dietz now?

Paula Dietz has largely remained out of public view since her divorce from Dennis Rader. Reports have indicated that she moved away from Kansas after his arrest, but reliable details about her current residence and private life are limited. As of 2026, she is not known for maintaining a significant public media presence.

Is Paula Dietz still alive?

There is no reliable evidence confirming that Dennis Rader’s former wife, Paula Dietz, has died. Some online obituary and death-related searches involve other people with the same name. Those records should not be confused with Dietz, and unverified death rumors should not be presented as fact.

Conclusion

Paula Dietz is primarily known for her decades-long marriage to Dennis Rader and for the extraordinary circumstances that ended that marriage in 2005. Born in Kansas in 1948, she worked as a bookkeeper, raised two children with Rader and lived a largely private family life before discovering the shocking reality of his criminal activities.

Her story remains relevant because she was closely connected to one of America’s most notorious criminal cases without being identified as a participant in the crimes. After divorcing Rader, Dietz chose privacy rather than publicity, while her daughter Kerri Rawson later became the family’s more visible public voice.