Shivangi Sinha
When Aileen Wuornos was arrested in January 1991, the case caused a media frenzy filled with sensationalism and public shaming. Amid all the chaos, one person who reached out to her was her childhood friend, Dawn Botkins. The two maintained a steady correspondence while Aileen was on death row, and Dawn even stayed with her the night before her execution. Netflix’s ‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’ features clips from Aileen’s past interviews that shed light on their friendship and the reasons Dawn chose to remain loyal to a convicted killer.
Dawn Botkins Decided to Reconnect With Aileen Wuornos After Her Incarceration
Dawn Botkins grew up in Troy, Michigan, where she first met Aileen Wuornos during their teenage years. She knew Aileen’s brother, and both siblings were living with their grandparents at the time. It quickly became apparent to Dawn that Aileen was struggling with serious personal issues. She alleged that Aileen was a victim of abuse and often acted out as a result, which made Dawn feel a sense of compassion toward her. Both attended Old Troy High School in Michigan until Aileen dropped out and turned to sex work to support herself. Over time, they lost contact, but years later, Dawn reached out after Aileen was convicted of murder and sentenced to death following her 1992 trial.
Dawn and Aileen exchanged numerous letters over the years, with Aileen often including doodles and witty remarks in her notes. In later interviews, Dawn shared that she had reached out to Aileen after discovering she was in prison, simply wanting to be a friend. She explained that she wasn’t there to judge her because doing so would have made it impossible to maintain their connection and her only goal was to offer companionship and conversation. On October 8, 2002, the day before Aileen’s execution by lethal injection, Dawn visited her in prison. She brought $20 worth of food, and the two spent about four hours talking. She became the last person to speak with Aileen and later recalled that after their conversation, Aileen went to sleep peacefully.
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Dawn Botkins Shares About Her Friendship With Aileen Wuornos Even Today
After Aileen Wuornos’s death, her remains were cremated and given to her longtime friend, Dawn Botkins. Aileen had originally wanted her ashes to be scattered along the beaches of Florida, but Dawn explained to her that such a request might not be welcomed. She convinced Aileen to have her ashes taken back to Michigan instead. In an interview, Dawn shared that bringing Aileen home was her way of setting her free. She scattered her friend’s ashes beneath a tree and held a small, private funeral. Over the years, Dawn has spoken fondly of Aileen, describing her as intelligent and lovable.
However, she also acknowledged that Aileen deserved the death penalty, as she had taken seven lives, and there was no way around that reality. Dawn has spoken about her friendship with Aileen Wuornos on several occasions over the years. In 2011, she supervised the editing of ‘Dear Dawn: Aileen Wuornos in Her Own Words,’ an autobiography authorized by Aileen and based on the ten years of correspondence between the two friends. In 2012, she appeared on the TV series ‘Reel Crime/Real Story,’ and in 2018, she was featured in Oxygen’s documentary special ‘Snapped Notorious: Aileen Wuornos.’
The following year, in 2019, Dawn also appeared in ‘Mind of a Monster’. She also discussed her friendship on the ‘Unforbidden Truth’ podcast and, in 2023, gave an interview to NewsNation, where she reiterated the same compassion and insights she had shared in previous conversations. She said that many of her family members were not happy with her decision to bring Aileen’s remains back to Michigan, but she felt it was the right thing to do. Today, Dawn appears to be living a quiet life in Michigan. Although she keeps her personal life largely private, she is surrounded by the love and support of her children and grandchildren and seems content and at peace.
