Dennis Rader describes Marine Hedge's murder

WICHITA, Kansas -- Judge: Alright sir, lets turn to count eight. In count eight, it is clear that on or about the 27th of April 1985 to the 28th day of April 1985. In Sedgwick County, Kansas. It is claimed that you unlawfully killed a human being, Marine Hedge, maliciously, willfully, deliberately and with premeditation by strangulation, inflicting injuries in which Marie Hedge did die on April 27th 1985. Can you tell me what occurred on that day?

Dennis Rader: Well actually, kind of like the others, she was chosen. I went through the different phases -- uh, stalking phase -- and since she lived down the street from me I could watch [her] coming and going quite easily. On that particular day, I had another commitment. Came back from that commitment, parked my car over at Woodlawn and 21st Street, bowling alley at that time. Before that, I dressed into -- I had some other clothes on -- I changed clothes, went to the bowling alley. I went in there under the precepts of bowling, called a taxi. Had a taxi take me out to Park City. Had my kit with me. It was a bowling bag.

Judge: Alright, that was Park City in Sedgwick County, Kansas?

Rader: Yes, Sir.

Judge: Alright, you had the taxi take you to Park City. What happened then?

Rader: There I asked, uh, I pretended I was a little drunk -- I just took some beer and washed it around in my mouth. The guy could probably smell alcohol on me. I asked, I told him to let me off to get some fresh air. I walked where the taxi left me off to her house.

Judge: Where does she live?

Rader: Uh 62 huh 42? 54? (talks with attorney's) 6254 North Independence.

Judge: Alright, when you walked over there, what happened next?

Rader: Well, as before I was going to have, uh, sexual fantasies so I brought my hit kit. Umm, and low and behold her car was there. I thought, 'geez, she's not supposed to be home.' So I very carefully snuck into the house, kind of like a cat burglar. And after checking the house, she wasn't there. So about that time, the doors rattled. So I went back to one of the bedrooms and hid back there in one of the bedrooms. She came in with a male visitor. They were there for maybe an hour or so. He left and I waited until wee hours of the morning. I then proceeded to sneak into her bedroom and flipped the lights on real quick like -- I think the bathroom lights, I didn't want to flip her lights on -- and she screamed and I jumped on the bed and strangled her manually.

Judge: Alright, now were you wearing any kind of disguise or mask at this time?

Rader: No, no.

Judge: You indicated this woman lived down the street from you. Did she know you?

Rader: Uh, casually. We walked by and waved. She liked to work in her yard as well as I like to work... it was just a neighborly thing, it wasn't anything personal. It was just a neighbor.

Judge: Alright, so she was in her bed when you turned on the lights in the bathroom..

Rader: Yeah, in the bathroom, yeah, so I could get some light in there.

Judge: So what did you do then?

Rader: I manually strangled her when she started to scream. But,

Judge: So you used your hands?

Rader: Yes, sir.

Judge: And you strangled her. Did she die?

Rader: Yes.

Judge: Alright, what did you do then?

Rader: After that, since I was in the sexual fantasy, I went ahead and stripped her. I probably went ahead and, I'm not sure if I tied her up at that time, but anyway she was nude. I put her on a blanket, went through her purse, some personal items in the house. Figured out how I was going to get her out of there. Eventually, moved her to the trunk of the car. (Heavy sign) Took the car over to Christ Lutheran Church, this is where the older church, and took some pictures of her.

Judge: Alright, you took some photographs of her. What kind of camera did you use?

Rader: A Polaroid.

Judge: Did you keep those photographs?

Rader: Yes, the police probably have them.

Judge: Alright what happened then?

Rader: That was it. She was already dead so I took pictures of her in different forms of bondage and that's probably what got me in trouble was the bondage thing. So anyway, that's probably the main thing. But anyway, after that I moved her back out to the car then we went east on 53rd.

Judge: What occurred then?

Rader: Sir?

Judge: What happened then?

Rader: Oh, trying to find a place to hide her -- hide the body.

Judge: Did you find a place?

Rader: Yes! Yes I did.

Judge: Where?

Rader: Uhhm, I couldn't tell you without looking at a map but it was on 53rd between Greenwich, maybe. (Asks attorney 'what's that one between Greenwich and Rock? Webb. Webb) I think, between Webb and Greenwich, I found a ditch, a low place on the north side of the road, and hid her there.

Judge: Alright, you say you hid her there.

Rader: Well, there was some trees and brush and I laid that over the top of the body.

Judge: Alright, so you removed the body from the car put her in the ditch and then moved some brush over the body.

Rader: Yes.

Judge: Alright.