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Is Kerri Rawson still married? bio: age, family, kids, husband, net worth
Kerri Rawson, the Daughter of BTK Killer Dennis Rader, recently came out of a divorce, has two two children: catch up with her full biography.
Who is Kerri Rawson, the Daughter of BTK Killer Dennis Rader?
“There is no bad man in your house,” Kerri Rawson’s mother, Paula Dietz, would say each time little Kerri woke from night terrors; nightmares that came whenever their Kansas neighbors were found brutally murdered by an unknown serial killer.
But there was a bad man in their house. That man was her father, Dennis Rader, later revealed to be the infamous BTK Killer, a serial killer responsible for ten killings between 1974 and 1991.
Imagine that: your loving father; a vocal Christian, a church President, a Boy Scout leader, a loving dad and husband, and then one day, FBI agents knock on your door and say:
“Is your father Dennis Rader? He has been arrested. Your dad is wanted for murders in Kansas.”
The year was February 25, 2005, and that would be the day Kerri Rawson’s entire life felt like a lie, told by her church president father, Dennis Rader.
At this time, Kerri was just a 26-year-old young woman, who, two years earlier, graduated with her 2nd degree; a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education and Teaching from Kansas State University, still trying to get ahead in life, and pursue her dreams of becoming a writer and teacher.
In 2025, exactly two decades later, Kerri continues to live with the trauma of that discovery. Therapy, faith, and writing have helped, but the shadows of her father’s double life still haunts her. Now, she is on Netflix’s new documentary, “My Father, the BTK Killer.”
Where is Kerri Rawson in 2025?
Kerri appears in the new Netflix documentary My Father, the BTK Killer, premiering October 10, 2025. The series features exclusive interviews with her, exploring how she learned the truth in 2005 and how she’s continued confronting that reality since.
In 2024, she revealed at CrimeCon that she confronted her father in prison over suspicions he may have sexually abused her as a child.
“Soon you will meet your maker. You’re going to have a few things to discuss,” she said about her father.
Kerri also appeared in Peacock’s The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets, meeting with the family of suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann. She particularly connected with Heuermann’s daughter, Victoria.
“Her and I’s reality is we’re never gonna be able to separate ourselves from our fathers,” Kerri said.
“I know in the bottom of my heart, my father loved and protected us, but I also know in the bottom of my heart, he committed murder.”
Profile Summary
- Birth Name: Kerri Dietz-Rader
- Date of Birth: 1978
- Place of Birth: Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
- Age: 47 years old
- Parents: Dennis Rader (father), Paula Dietz (mother)
- Siblings: Brian Rader
- Husband: Darian Rawson (divorced)
- Ethnicity: White (European)
- Nationality: American
Kerri Rawson Biography
Born Kerri Dietz-Rader in 1978 in Wichita, Kansas, Kerri Rawson is the daughter of Dennis Rader and Paula Dietz. She grew up in Park City, Kansas, in a devout Christian family; attending church every Sunday where her father was president of the local council at Christ Lutheran Church.
Kerri spent most of her childhood with her older brother Brian Rader, who was born in 1975. Their home life seemed perfectly normal; until that FBI visit in 2005 shattered everything.
Both siblings have since worked to rebuild their lives. Brian Rader joined the U.S. Navy, serving in submarines between 2004 and 2009, while Kerri turned to writing and advocacy.
Now, she does writing for a day job, advocacy, public speaking, and interviews, quite a lot of interviews. After graduating high school in the Spring, she enrolled at Kansas State University in August 1996, at age 18, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences in May 2001.
In August of the same year, she enrolled for a Bachelor of Education program, graduating with a BEd Elementary Education and Teaching in May 2003, at which point she was 25… this was also the same year she got married to her husband, Darian Rawson.
Kerri Rawson’s Husband
Kerri Rawson married her husband, Darian Rawson, on July 26, 2003 after meeting him at church in 1999. He’s an American visual artist, designer, and front-end developer. The couple share two children; a daughter Emilie (born 2008, now 17) and a son Ian (born 2011, now 14).
In a May 2021 Facebook post, however, Kerri shared that she was going through a divorce from her husband, writing:
“There’s a quote going around Twitter: “We need to restore shame to divorce.” I, myself, am going through a divorce.
There is no condemnation in Christ. God is with me. Always. We need to love and care for people. Meet them where they are hurting. Sit beside them.
Not attempt to smack them over their heads with misguided judgement.”
She currently lives in Michigan, Florida, with her two children, Emilie & Ian, and their two cats.
What happened to Kerri Rawson?
In February 2025, Kerri Rawson revealed she’d been hospitalized for health issues “likely related to long COVID.”
A GoFundMe campaign was launched to cover housing and medical costs. Updates confirmed she found temporary housing and was searching for a permanent apartment.
Family: Parents & Siblings
Kerri Rawson’s father, Dennis Lynn Rader, born March 9, 1945, in Pittsburg, Kansas, lived a double life; as both a respected church leader and the BTK serial killer. Arrested in February 2005 and charged with ten counts of first-degree murder, he pleaded guilty that June and was sentenced to 175 years without parole.
Her mother, Paula Dietz, born May 5, 1948, in Park City, Kansas, was a bookkeeper who came from a religious background. She married Dennis in May 1971 but filed for divorce immediately after his arrest in 2005.
Brian Rader, born November 30, 1975, and now 50 years old, is Kerri’s only brother and three years older. He was stationed in Connecticut with the Navy when his father was arrested.
Her paternal grandparents were William Elvin Rader and Dorothea Mae Rader (née Cook). Her father had three brothers; Jeff, Paul, and Bill Rader, making them Kerri’s uncles.
Career Timeline
Kerri Rawson became “Victim Advocate”, as soon as her father was arrested in February 2005. She is an author and advocate known for her memoir A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming (2019).
In the book, she describes her disbelief, anger, and grief after discovering her father’s crimes; and how faith helped her navigate the pain.
Speaking to The Detroit News, she said:
“I feel like my father imploded my family. We’re not the same and we’ll never be the same.”
She has since become a voice for families of violent offenders, helping others find healing while continuing her own recovery from PTSD and anxiety.
Books
A Serial Killer’s Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming
- Publication Date: January 29, 2019
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Genre: Religion, Christian Living, Inspirational Biography
- Length: 366 pages
The book became a New York Times Bestseller, praised for its honesty and emotional power.
Breaking Free: Overcoming the Trauma of My Serial Killer Father
Her second book, Breaking Free, published in 2023, continued her story, focusing on therapy, healing, and life after public trauma.
Is Kerri Rawson a Psychopath or Sociopath Like Her Dad?
No. Kerri Rawson is not a psychopath nor a sociopath. While her life was upended by her father’s crimes, she is emotionally self-aware, compassionate, and deeply grounded in faith.
Ironically, it was her DNA that led police to her father. Investigators obtained a sample from her college health records, matching it to the BTK Killer’s DNA.
Kerri later said she felt violated because she would have “willingly helped if asked.”
What Kerri Rawson Never Knew About Her Father
Kerri had no idea her father was “BTK Killer.”
She never knew:
- He lived a double life.
- He had murdered ten people.
- He was the same serial killer terrorizing Kansas for decades.
Does Kerri Believe Her Father Will Go to Heaven?
Yes. Despite everything, Kerri believes her father can be forgiven.
She once said:
“I hope to see him in heaven someday because he could be forgiven for his sins too.”
In December 2012, she said she felt “overcome by forgiveness” and wrote to her father for the first time in five years.
Dr. Phil Interview
Kerri appeared on The Dr. Phil Show in February 2019, where she discussed her book and her ongoing trauma. The episode aired on KWCH 12 and KSCW, and Dr. Phil described her as “a woman of extraordinary strength and grace.”
20/20 Interview
Kerri was also featured in ABC’s 20/20 episode “My Father, BTK” (2019). The special included interviews with Kerri, former FBI profiler Brad Garrett, and forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland.
It explored her experience of growing up with Dennis Rader and learning his dark truth.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 feet 6 inches tall (167 cm)
- Weight: 68 kg (150lbs)
- Hair Color: Dark brown
- Eye Color: Brown
- Skin Color: White
- Ancestry: European (German origin)
Net Worth
Kerri Rawson’s estimated net worth is between $380k and $460k thousand. Her income comes mainly from her books, public speaking, and advocacy work.
FAQ
Is Kerri Rawson still married? No, Kerri has confirmed she was going through a divorce from her husband, Darian Rawson, in 2021. She announced her divorce from Darian back in May 2021, must have completed the divorce process in 2025.
Does KerriRawson talk to her dad? Yes, she has spoken to her father in prison, both privately and for law enforcement purposes.
Where does Kerri Rawson live? She currently lives in Michigan, Florida, U.S., with her two children, Emilie and Ian.
Who is Kerri Rawson married to? Her now ex-husband’s name is Darian Rawson, an artist and developer.
How old is Kerri Rawson? She is 47 years old, born in 1978, in Wichita, Kansas.
Does Kerri believe her father will go to heaven? Yes. Despite his crimes, she believes God can forgive him. But, of course, that’s, for her, between her father and his creator.
