Hatteberg said they were Nancy Fox and Shirley Vian, two murder victims from the previous year.
Had anyone ever connected the Otero killer to the Fox and Vian homicides? Loewen asked. Hatteberg said no.
Loewen realized, as his hands began to tremble, that if the letter was authentic, if BTK had killed Nancy Fox and Shirley Vian, that made BTK a serial killer. That was something the public had not heard before.
He read more:
Josephine, when I hung her really turn me on; her pleading for mercy then the rope took whole, she helpless; staring at me with wide terror fill eyes the rope getting tighter-tighter.
Loewen was only thirty. He had never faced a story this big. He felt sick and alone, as though he’d just been transported to the far side of the moon. What should he do about this letter? He read more, about Shirley Vian’s kids:
They were very lucky; phone call save them. I was go-ng to tape the boys and put plastics bag over there head like I did Joseph, and Shirley. And then hang the girl. God-oh God what a beautiful sexual relief tha would been.
In the letter, BTK claimed another victim�#5�whom he did not name.
7 down and many moreto go.
BTK was threatening to kill again. He underscored that point, saying that he would leave a note with the letters “BTK” on his next victim.
We need to call the cops, Loewen said. He picked up the phone.
He wondered whether the cops knew BTK was a serial killer and had covered it up. He wondered whether BTK had been stalking KAKE’s female anchors.
Hatteberg and Loewen drove to city hall as Loewen fretted out loud:
What if it really is BTK, but LaMunyon blows us off and refuses to say? How do we confirm it’s really BTK?
Hatteberg did not know what to advise.
What if the letter is real but there is a cover-up? Loewen asked. All they have to do is deny the letter is authentic. Or worse, they could stall…tell us that they have to test the letter…show it to experts…meanwhile there’s a killer at large who has pledged to kill again….
Hatteberg said they had to run a story no matter what, to warn people.
Oh, we’re going to air the story, Loewen said. No matter what LaMunyon says.
LaMunyon and Deputy Chief Cornwell read the letter slowly, sitting side by side, turning pages. They had said hardly a word since Loewen and Hatteberg arrived.
LaMunyon stood up.
Would you excuse us for a few minutes? he asked. We need to talk about this in private.
Five minutes passed, then ten. Loewen fidgeted.
LaMunyon came back in.
Is it from BTK? Loewen asked.
Yes, it is, LaMunyon said. And I want to talk to you.
This is where they try to tell us not to air the story, Loewen thought.
I’ll tell you the whole story, LaMunyon said. I’ll tell you everything.
The chief looked relieved, as though he had reached a difficult decision.
We believe we have a serial killer, LaMunyon began. We believe he’s killed seven. We have not made it public. We’ve known about this guy for a while, knew he probably killed the Oteros, and the others, and the only reason we didn’t tell the public was that some of our people thought going public might make him want to kill again.
Loewen braced himself: This is where the arguing begins, he thought.
We know now it’s time to talk, LaMunyon said. For the good of everybody, it’s time we tell what we know. We’ve got to warn people.
Loewen sank back in relief; LaMunyon wanted the secret revealed.
Loewen told him KAKE would broadcast the story on the 6:00 PM newscast. He asked LaMunyon to show up at KAKE to give an exclusive live interview. LaMunyon agreed but said he would also call a news conference afterward and tell the other media.
Loewen told him he intended to go on the air himself to tell the BTK story. He worried that BTK would stalk whoever broadcast the story, and he did not want to ask anyone else to face that. He did not have a family; he had less to risk. Maybe BTK was already stalking KAKE people,
Had anyone ever connected the Otero killer to the Fox and Vian homicides? Loewen asked. Hatteberg said no.
Loewen realized, as his hands began to tremble, that if the letter was authentic, if BTK had killed Nancy Fox and Shirley Vian, that made BTK a serial killer. That was something the public had not heard before.
He read more:
Josephine, when I hung her really turn me on; her pleading for mercy then the rope took whole, she helpless; staring at me with wide terror fill eyes the rope getting tighter-tighter.
Loewen was only thirty. He had never faced a story this big. He felt sick and alone, as though he’d just been transported to the far side of the moon. What should he do about this letter? He read more, about Shirley Vian’s kids:
They were very lucky; phone call save them. I was go-ng to tape the boys and put plastics bag over there head like I did Joseph, and Shirley. And then hang the girl. God-oh God what a beautiful sexual relief tha would been.
In the letter, BTK claimed another victim�#5�whom he did not name.
7 down and many moreto go.
BTK was threatening to kill again. He underscored that point, saying that he would leave a note with the letters “BTK” on his next victim.
We need to call the cops, Loewen said. He picked up the phone.
He wondered whether the cops knew BTK was a serial killer and had covered it up. He wondered whether BTK had been stalking KAKE’s female anchors.
Hatteberg and Loewen drove to city hall as Loewen fretted out loud:
What if it really is BTK, but LaMunyon blows us off and refuses to say? How do we confirm it’s really BTK?
Hatteberg did not know what to advise.
What if the letter is real but there is a cover-up? Loewen asked. All they have to do is deny the letter is authentic. Or worse, they could stall…tell us that they have to test the letter…show it to experts…meanwhile there’s a killer at large who has pledged to kill again….
Hatteberg said they had to run a story no matter what, to warn people.
Oh, we’re going to air the story, Loewen said. No matter what LaMunyon says.
LaMunyon and Deputy Chief Cornwell read the letter slowly, sitting side by side, turning pages. They had said hardly a word since Loewen and Hatteberg arrived.
LaMunyon stood up.
Would you excuse us for a few minutes? he asked. We need to talk about this in private.
Five minutes passed, then ten. Loewen fidgeted.
LaMunyon came back in.
Is it from BTK? Loewen asked.
Yes, it is, LaMunyon said. And I want to talk to you.
This is where they try to tell us not to air the story, Loewen thought.
I’ll tell you the whole story, LaMunyon said. I’ll tell you everything.
The chief looked relieved, as though he had reached a difficult decision.
We believe we have a serial killer, LaMunyon began. We believe he’s killed seven. We have not made it public. We’ve known about this guy for a while, knew he probably killed the Oteros, and the others, and the only reason we didn’t tell the public was that some of our people thought going public might make him want to kill again.
Loewen braced himself: This is where the arguing begins, he thought.
We know now it’s time to talk, LaMunyon said. For the good of everybody, it’s time we tell what we know. We’ve got to warn people.
Loewen sank back in relief; LaMunyon wanted the secret revealed.
Loewen told him KAKE would broadcast the story on the 6:00 PM newscast. He asked LaMunyon to show up at KAKE to give an exclusive live interview. LaMunyon agreed but said he would also call a news conference afterward and tell the other media.
Loewen told him he intended to go on the air himself to tell the BTK story. He worried that BTK would stalk whoever broadcast the story, and he did not want to ask anyone else to face that. He did not have a family; he had less to risk. Maybe BTK was already stalking KAKE people,
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