True Crime Cases from 1974
Cases from 1974 include criminal investigations, trials, and notable events that occurred during the year. Whether they involved new charges, breakthroughs in cold cases, high-profile trials, or tragic incidents that captured national attention, the cases documented here reflect the state of the criminal justice system in 1974. CaseSleuth provides detailed, chronological coverage of each case with timelines, evidence breakdowns, profiles of key people involved, and links to primary sources and media coverage.
5 cases found
Golden State Killer
ConvictedSacramento, CA · 1974
Joseph James DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer, terrorized California from 1974 to 1986, committing at least 13 murders and 50 rapes across various locations. After years of investigation, he was identified in 2018 through genealogical DNA analysis, leading to his arrest. DeAngelo pleaded guilty in 2020 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
BTK Killer — Dennis Rader
ConvictedWichita, KS · 1974
Dennis Lynn Rader, known as the BTK Killer (Bind, Torture, Kill), murdered ten people in the Wichita, Kansas area between 1974 and 1991. Rader taunted police and media with letters for years before a floppy disk he sent to a TV station in 2005 was traced to his church computer, leading to his arrest. He pleaded guilty to all ten murders and was sentenced to ten consecutive life terms.
BTK Killer — Dennis Rader Capture
ConvictedWichita, KS · 1974
Dennis Rader, the self-named BTK (Bind Torture Kill) serial killer, murdered 10 people in the Wichita, Kansas area between 1974 and 1991. He was identified through a floppy disk and arrested in 2005.
BTK Killer
ConvictedWichita, KS · 1974
Dennis Rader, a church president and compliance officer from Wichita, Kansas, secretly murdered ten people between 1974 and 1991, calling himself BTK — "Bind, Torture, Kill." He evaded capture for thirty years before his DNA was identified through a floppy disk he sent to police, leading to his arrest in 2005.
Ted Bundy
ConvictedTallahassee, FL · 1974
Ted Bundy was a charismatic serial killer who confessed to murdering 30 women and girls across seven states during the 1970s, though the true number of his victims may be higher. He escaped from custody twice before being captured, convicted, and executed in Florida in 1989.