| Computers and computing equipment can contain vital | | | | responded they could not, when in fact they could. |
| pieces of information in a criminal case. Numerous | | | | Rader was unfamiliar with the amount of information |
| high profile cases have been prosecuted with | | | | that can be contained on a computer file. Even |
| evidence from computers. One example is the case | | | | deleted files can still be retrieved from a computer |
| of the "BTK Killer" or "BTK Strangler". The "BTK" | | | | storage device. |
| stands for "bind, torture, and kill", which was the | | | | Rader subsequently sent in a floppy disk file to |
| methods used to commit the crimes. | | | | police. Forensic analysis by the police of the |
| Dennis Rader, known as the "BTK Killer", is a | | | | metadata within the file documents showed a |
| convicted serial killer who was found guilty through | | | | document that Rader believed had been deleted. |
| the aid of computer forensics in 2005. Rader killed | | | | The data was recovered using EnCase forensic |
| at least ten victims between 1974 and 1991 in the | | | | software. The information showed that the disk |
| Wichita, Kansas area. Several other people were | | | | had been used by Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, |
| severely injured or narrowly escaped death at his | | | | where Rader was president of the church counsel. |
| hands. Rader was known as the "BTK" killer as he | | | | There were also references on the file to the name |
| sent taunting letters to police and local news outlets | | | | "Dennis". |
| during this period containing the details of his killings. | | | | By performing an Internet search, police were quickly |
| In 1991, the "BTK" killer went quiet and the case | | | | able to find out who "Dennis" at the Christ Lutheran |
| went cold for more than a decade. | | | | Church was. This information helped lead to Rader's |
| Rader resumed sending letter to the police and local | | | | arrest and subsequent conviction for his crimes. |
| Wichita media outlets in 2004. He unknowingly | | | | Rader is serving a life sentence in a Kansas state |
| asked the police in a letter if they could detect | | | | prison, without any possibility of parole. |
| evidence from a computer floppy disk. The police | | | | |