Inside the Mind of BTK

My Lifelong Hunt for BTK 105
1974, using the GI Bill to foot the bill. There’s a professor out there
who might have known him. When he was a student, he probably
talked to him, even borrowed books from him to write a term paper.
I can see him working on one that dealt with famous people who have
killed. This is a guy who really wants to be in law enforcement, but
maybe he can’t make the grade because of some physical handicap,
speech impediment, or bad eyes. But his application should be on file
with the local police, reserve police, perhaps even as an emergency
room ambulance driver.”
Hazelwood interrupted my reverie to bring us back to what he felt
was important about the UNSUB’s relationship to his victims. “He’s
angry at women, but not angry at the people he killed,” he said. “He’s
unemotional and detached from them. They are nothing but props.
He feels emotionally and intellectually above them.”
Walker nodded as Hazelwood spoke, but he seemed interested in
following the thread I’d begun to weave regarding BTK’s possible military
background. “The Air Force seems logical to me because of that
base in Wichita,” he said. “He probably enlisted to avoid the Vietnam
draft out of high school. This guy is basically a coward. He won’t be
the type to project a macho image and definitely not the Marine Corps
type. I could see him using the two Otero kids as a shield. He threatened
to harm the children if the parents didn’t cooperate. When he
was in the service, he’d be seen as a nondescript underachiever. His
performance rating would be average. His officers would say he completes
a task when it’s given to him, but he could have done a better
job. He’s probably a little lazy and somewhat rebellious. Those who
came in contact with him in the military or college might say they
remember him, but didn’t really know much about him.”
I liked where Walker was heading and decided to see what I’d
find if I began to move my thoughts in that direction. “He’s always
going to be frustrated because he’s not in the position that he thinks
he should be in,” I said. “That could have caused problems with his
superiors and it would have affected his promotions. At tops, when
this guy got out of the Air Force, he would have had an E-4 rating.
His lackadaisical attitude might have led to him getting the boot
from the service. He’s not a team player. He’s definitely got that lonewolf
mentality.”
“He’s a now person,” added Hazelwood. “He wants instant gratification.
He has short-lived interests. He’ll pursue a hobby, but then
lose interest. Like a small child, he needs constant gratification.”