When your father-in-law’s name is tied to one of the darkest crime stories in America, anonymity becomes nearly impossible. That is the reality Darian Rawson has lived with for more than two decades, not because of anything he did, but because of who he married.
Born and raised in Kansas, Darian is an American visual artist, designer, and front-end developer. He is best known as the former husband of author and trauma-survivor advocate Kerri Rawson; the daughter of convicted BTK serial killer Dennis Lynn Rader.
Early Life and Education
Darian Rawson was born in 1979, in Kansas, and is currently 46 years old. He spent most of his youth in Wichita, Kansas, where he developed an interest in art and design. His full name is Darian Hayes Rawson.
After completing his basic education (high school) locally, he attended Kansas State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in 2003.
During college, he began experimenting with digital art, motion graphics, and early website design; interests that would later form the foundation of his professional career.
Career and Professional Life
Following graduation, Darian Rawson began a career in creative design and technology that has spanned more than twenty years. His work combines visual art, motion design, and web development, with a particular focus on user experience and digital storytelling.
Now, Darian first worked as a Web Design Intern in the Art Department at Kansas State University, where he maintained the department’s website and managed its computer systems. Shortly after, he joined Eview 360, a design & brand-experience company, where he spent nearly sixteen years as a Senior Design Lead.
In 2019, he became a Senior Designer-Developer at AdventHealth, a major healthcare organization, where he worked until December 2024. Alongside his full-time career, he has created and sold original artwork and T-shirt designs under his personal creative label, Galactic Hero.
His career achievements include multiple GDUSA and Telly Awards for design and video editing, which, by extension, recognizes his contributions to creative media and production.
Marriage to Kerri Rawson
Darian Rawson met Kerri Rawson in 1999 at church. The two began dating soon after and married on July 26, 2003, at Christ Lutheran Church; the same year Darian graduated from Kansas State University.
Now, it was also the same year Kerri graduated with a second degree in Elementary Education and Teaching, having previously, in 2001, obtained a degree in Life Sciences; all from Kansas State University.
Together, they have two children, Emilie Dawson, born in 2008 (now aged 17, and Ian Dawson, born in 2011 (currently 14 years old).
For years, they lived quietly between Kansas, Michigan, and later Oldsmar, Florida, where Kerri continued her writing career and Darian pursued design work.
Their marriage came under unwanted public attention in 2005, when Kerri’s father, Dennis Rader, was arrested and later confessed to being the BTK Killer, responsible for ten murders in Kansas between 1974 and 1991. Despite the shock and public scrutiny, Darian and Kerri were married for nearly two decades.
Kerri would admit in a November 2018 post she made on Facebook about her book, “Kerri Rawson, A Serial Killer’s Daughter,” in part, that her love story was infuriated by her father’s double life, right before she and Darian even got to flourish as a newly married.
“I was 26, Darian was 25, and we had been married a mere 18 months when the world crumbled underneath us.”
Darian Rawson and Kerri Rawson Divorce
In May 2021, Kerri revealed via Facebook that she was going through a divorce, writing:
“There’s a quote going around Twitter: “We need to restore shame to divorce.” I, myself, am going through a divorce. There is no condemnation in Christ. God is with me. Always.
We need to love and care for people. Meet them where they are hurting. Sit beside them. Not attempt to smack them over their heads with misguided judgement.”
As of 2025, Kerri resides in Florida with their two children and family pets. Darian has kept a very low profile since their separation, he has always kept a low profile; even before their divorce, but, maybe that’s exactly how he seems to prefer it.
He maintains focus on his creative work and is mildly on Instagram (privatized account) and LinkedIn.
Personal Life and Public Perception
Though Darian Rawson’s name occasionally appears online in connection with his former father-in-law’s crimes, there is no public record or evidence linking him to any criminal activity. By all accounts, he has lived a professional and private life, separate from the notoriety surrounding the Rader family.
Colleagues and acquaintances describe him as a thoughtful, creative, and highly skilled designer who rarely speaks about his personal life or family history.
Where Is Darian Rawson Now?
As of 2025, Darian continues to work in digital design and creative media. He resides in Florida and occasionally shares professional projects through his personal website and LinkedIn profile, though he remains largely absent from public discussion.
For someone who never sought attention, Darian Rawson’s story reflects the quiet resilience of a man determined to build a life defined by his own work; not the legacy of another man’s crimes.
