And people knew that if you ran around with me, you ran around with broads.. During his trial, Henleys written confessions were read. [47][n 2], Following the revelation of Henley's subsequent involvement in the murders initiated by Corll, the mother of David Hilligiest would recollect: "He (Henley) would ask if we had heard anything and he would look off into the distance. There were rumors going around school about Dean, but he was never overt. Despite the abuse, Mary Henley tried to ensure that her children received a good education and stayed out of trouble. Corll was furious that a girl had been brought to his house, telling Henley in private he had "ruined everything." The jury heard evidence from both Rhonda Williams and Tim Kerley, who each testified to the events of August 7 and 8 leading to the shooting of Dean Corll, plus the testimony from various police officers who recited and discussed the written statements each youth had made and described how both Brooks and Henley had led them to each of the burial sites. From the moment Brooks and Corll met, Corll took advantage of Brooks vulnerability: Brooks father was a bully who constantly chastised his son for being weak. Even after Elmer Wayne Henley found out what happened to the first boy hed lured to Corlls home, he didnt stop. At the time, the so-called Houston Mass Murders were described as the most lethal in modern U.S. historythe Pope sent his condolences and Truman Capote considered writing about the case as a sequel to his book In Cold Blood. Henley woke to find Corll placing handcuffs upon his wrists,[1]:100,101 Kerley and Williams had each been bound and gagged and lay alongside Henley on the floor. Lise has investigated many twisted Texas tales, including crooked judges, an unjust execution, massive environmental disasters, myriad cases of corporate and public corruption, and unsolved serial killings. It was, says Elmer Wayne Henley, snapping his fingers, such cool. Both were later buried in the boat shed. Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., 17, leads law enforcement agents along a grassy dune on a beach at High Island, Texas. My only regret is that Dean isnt here now, Henley would say afterward, so I could tell him what a good job I did killing him., Hed of been proud of the way I did it, he added, if he wasnt proud before he died.. He was getting drunk too much, getting too rowdy. He told them that Corll had been killing boys for the past two-and-a-half years and burying many of them at Southwest Boat Storage, according to the Houston Chronicle. Henley is appearing at a pretrial hearing before District Judge Preston Dial, who is to hear pretrial motions and arguments. So Corll not only provided an addressa curious sense of belonging to his fictitious crime ringhe was also an inspiration, an intimation that life held some mystery beyond the Heights. Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks were both convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. But in Henleys case, Harris County prosecutors did not seek a death sentence, which the U.S. Supreme Court had declared to be cruel and unusual punishment on June 29, 1972. "I thought I was looking at Hannibal Lector," she said of her first meeting with Henley. I just found that, this show still continues to amaze me a few years after. The Houston police claimed they were runaways, in an attempt to cover up what must be one of the grossest displays of inadequacy of any police department. His homosexuality played second fiddle to this aura of experience and latent power, as viewed in the boys narrow perspective. Abbott, FBI announce rewards for info on Cleveland mass shooter, Massive ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, 3,800-acre San Antonio-area property to become Texas state park, Texas man catches giant alligator snapping turtle, releases it, Former KPRC 2 anchor Dominique Sachse to launch podcast Monday, Uber ranks Houston among most 'forgetful' U.S. cities, Texas to host national hot air balloon championship this summer, Report: Texas man took break from dinner date to kill man outside, One of Houston's tallest skyscrapers to become apartment complex, J.J. Watt tweets the 2 things he doesn't miss about Houston, You can own your own cave system for a cool $875k, home included, Texas college baseball player hit by stray bullet mid-game, Greg Abbott announces $50k reward for information on Cleveland shooting, Massive Coastal Bend ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, Property north of San Antonio set to become a new Texas state park, Texas man catches massive alligator snapping turtle, then releases it back into the wild, How former KPRC 2 anchor Dominique Sachse is getting back to reporting, Uber ranks Houston among the most 'forgetful' U.S. cities. Dean had been training me to react, to react fast and to react, greatly. Acute asthma attacks were overcome with the aid of his grandparents, who tended Henley while his mother was occupied with younger children and an unpredictable husband. As Corll continued to advance upon him, Henley shot him a further two times in the shoulder, upon which Corll staggered out of the room where the teenagers were held. The three drove back to Corlls apartment, and Henley left. He told the operator that he had just shot and killed Corll and then gave them the address of Corlls house in the Houston suburb of Pasadena. Andy Kahan, the victim advocate for Houston Crime Stoppers, said that several murder other victims relatives are concerned and angry about the request. The following day, David Brooks turned himself in, and assisted authorities in locating the remaining bodies. Henley is incarcerated in the Stiles Unit in Jefferson County. I owe my life to them., He describes his grandfathera hard-working baker who died when Henley was only sevenwith a term that for him is close to adulation. I was known as a playboy, a party person. [14], On March 24, Henley, in the company of Corll and Brooks, persuaded an 18-year-old friend of his named Frank Aguirre to accompany him to Corll's home on the promise of smoking marijuana with the trio. Throughout his trial, Henley was represented by Will Gray and Edwin Pegelow. [26] The youth, who vanished on July 12, 1973, had died of four gunshot wounds fired from a rifle, whereas each other victim of the Houston Mass Murders had either been strangled or killed with the .22 caliber pistol Henley had used to kill Dean Corll. He is currently incarcerated at Mark W. Michael Unit in Anderson County, Texas, and he will next be eligible for parole in 2025. However, Henley is not a typical aging and ailing Texas prisoner. Henleys earliest memory is of near suffocation. I didnt have to do nothing but steal. PS I will be back in late August. Now that youve read about serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., check out the story of Barbara Daly Baekeland, who tried to cure her sons homosexuality with incest causing him to stab her to death. As reported by ABC13, Elmer Wayne Henley led authorities to the bodies of the majority of the victims. Even with a COVID-19 epidemic that rendered prison conditions infinitely more hazardous, Texas officials reported granting compassionate release to very few. [43] Brooks died of COVID-19 complications in May 2020.[44]. Bettmann/Getty Images (l.) / Netflix (r.), Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. (left) is portrayed by Robert Aramayo in the Netflix series. Nonetheless, between June and July 1973: Henley, Brooks and Corll killed a further seven victims between the ages of fifteen and twenty, at least five of whom Henley participated in either the abduction or murder. David Courtney, a.k.a. [12][31] Throughout his trial, Henley was represented by Will Gray and Edwin Pegelow. Elmer Wayne Henley (left) admired Dean Corll (right) and wanted to make him proud. Externally, however, Corll remained calm: he waited until Henley and the other two teenagers fell asleep from a night of drinking and smoking marijuana before binding and gagging them. Even after the pandemic began, that did not change. Hed of been proud of the way I did it, if he wasnt proud before he died.. August 10, 2022, 11:21 AM, CDT. You can chip in for as little as 99 cents a month. Before kids started coming around, we got money from Dean for thieving, for setting up places to rob. Bail was set at $100,000. Henley then fired a further three rounds into the rear of his right shoulder and upper back, killing him. [24] Seventeen of the victims were found buried in the boat shed, a further four victims were found at Lake Sam Rayburn, six bodies were found buried at High Island Beach (although the body of a seventh victim buried at High Island, Mark Scott, still lies undiscovered at this location) and the body of a 28th victim was found buried at Jefferson County Beach in August 1983. When they questioned Henley about the items, he completely broke down. Course Corrections: The Return of Prison Education, Clarence Brandley: Unjustly Convicted, Overdue for Justice, Mapping the Legacy of Prison Hunger Strikes in Texas, Last Dance with Ann Richards: Best Texas Books of 2022. At Henley's trial in 1974, one of the six bodies found buried at High Island, that of 17-year-old John Manning Sellars, was disputed as being a victim of Corll by a forensic pathologist who examined his remains. When Elmer Wayne Henley contacted authorities that August day in 1973, he initially stated that he killed only one man Dean Corll. One of them is his. Sorry for the bad video editing, I've made that quickly, I don't know much about . On more than 300 occasions,[34] Henley's attorneys raised objections to the testimony given or evidence presented against Henley which was overruled by the judge presiding at his trial. However, Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks did not become involved until later that same year when, as reported by All That's Interesting, Corll began offering Henley and Brooks money to lure other teenage boys to his home. Porras initially set out to interview "anybody on death row," she said. Bettmann/Getty ImagesElmer Wayne Henley Jr., 17, leads law enforcement agents along a grassy dune on a beach at High Island, Texas. Along with Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan and serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley, Kemper is one of the subjects interviewed in this morbid 1982 Japanese-American documentary. Corll was known throughout the community as the Candy Man, as his parents owned a candy company. According to Texas Monthly, Henley and Brooks began roaming the Houston Heights neighborhood, smoking marijuana, drinking beer, and shooting pool. Although some of the victims' families were suspicious of the postcards, authorities were reluctant to investigate the disappearance of boys who appeared to be runaways. The identity of this first victim in whose abduction Henley assisted remains unknown. Seated with us in the dentists officeit affords the only privacy in the ward, where Henley is considered safest from the two dozen people who have vowed to kill himis one of his defense attorneys, a retired army officer in owlish spectacles. Brooks accompanied Henley and the police to High Island Beach on Aug. 10, 1973, where they recovered another six bodies. Henley will shortly be sentenced to 594 years by a San Antonio court, but that is a formality. I was an ignorant, stupid child. He then took them to Sam Rayburn Lake, where four more bodies were buried. In August 1973, Henley, then 17, shirtless and jittery from a night of partying, was arrested and confessed to participating in a murder, rape, and torture ring led by Dean Corll, a Houston electrician and former candy maker with no criminal history. Katy Vine has been a staff writer since 2002. She inscribed it: From your 54-year-old mother who has just begun to live. On June 4, a 15-year-old friend of Henley's named Billy Lawrence was abducted and, after 3 days of abuse and torture at an address Corll had moved to in Pasadena, strangled with a ligature and buried at Lake Sam Rayburn. Dad just wasnt straightening out. Elmer Wayne Henley is a convicted serial killer involved in a series of murders in Houston. When asked how he felt about killing his friend and mentor, Elmer Wayne Henley told Texas Monthly he did exactly what Dean Corll trained him to do. At the end of the conversation, Henley told Porras, "You have your interview. Corlls apartment provided a place to waste time. Henley realized that the candy shop operated by Corlls motherwhere her son constructed a giant frog with red eyes that lit up when the telephone rang, for the amusement of childrenwas a store he had visited earlier. Henley unequivocally stated that since the winter of 1971, he had actively participated in the abductions and, later, the murders of the victims. By the time Richard Kepner had been killed and buried at High Island, Henley had assisted in the abduction and murder of a minimum of nine teenage boys. It was a great big knife. Hunter and prey were products of divided families that owed more allegiance to the hardscrabble farms of the past than to the pavement of the present. I mean, you see people getting strangled on television and it looks easy. At first I wondered what it was like to kill someone. At Corll's home, Aguirre was supplied with marijuana, then persuaded to handcuff himself. 15-year-old Michael Baulch was the younger brother of Billy Gene Baulch Jr., who was murdered the previous spring. She has made commercials and short films in the past. Some of those who live around what was once the home of Dean Coryll, know about the horrible things that happened here others don't. The truth is that some of the victims were traveling no further than the corner store (one on his bicycle), that for three years Houston authorities did nothing but add names to a list on a clipboard. Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks were both convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. The officers who were dispatched had no inkling that they were about to uncover the most heinous and horrifying killing spree the nation had ever seen up until that point. The assembled jury also heard the testimony of a youth named Billy Ridinger, who had been abducted by Corll, Henley and Brooks in 1972 and who testified as to his torture and abuse at the hands of the trio. He gave him money and provided him with a place to stay when he didnt want to go home. He loved his children and his grandchildren, he was sharp., We didnt get along. I stepped aside, he ran through the door, and I shot him once in the back of the shoulder, and twice in the small of the back. GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man connected with the murders of six teenagers in 1973 died Thursday in a Galveston hospital while in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice,. Her work is featured in CNN's The Wrong Man (2015) about the innocence claims of executed offender Ruben Cantu and the six-part A&E series on the victims of a 1970s serial killer, The Eleven, (2017). Following advice from his defense counsel, Henley did not take the stand to testify in his own defense, although one of his attorneys, Will Gray, did cross examine a number of witnesses. . Between August 8 and 13, 1973, a total of 27 boys between the ages of 13 and 20 were found buried at the three locations Henley (and later, Brooks) had stated they and Corll had buried the victims, with an additional victim being discovered in 1983. He does NOT deserve to have any compassion for any illness as my brother was not even treated with basic humanity.. Thats exactly what I did. Twenty-eight young boys killed in all, from 1970 to 1973. The compassionate release process, which is confidential, first requires the board to consider whether Henleys request is based on a legitimate medical condition or other hardship covered under the law. 2021 The Texas Observer. I'm an accomplice to a serial killer. He is known for his distinctive voice and his ability to convey emotion through his voice. Although he initially confessed to killing only one man, authorities soon learned Henley was one of three serial killers who abducted and killed at least 28 boys, ages 13 to 20 between 1970 and 1973. Corll moved to an address at Westcott Towers in June 1972 and within one month, a 17-year-old youth named Steven Sickman had been murdered. He lacked a male figure in his life who would treat him with dignity and respect and he would end up finding this in Dean Corll. On Aug. 8, 1973, Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. brought his friends Tim Kerley and Rhonda Williams to Corlls home. How Galvestonians used to dance until they dropped (for fun), a former figure skater turned journalist, and other Lone Star State stories. Henley was initially fascinated by Dean Corll and later said, I admired Dean because he had a steady job. He also allowed them to stay at his home when they did not have anywhere else to go. Thats something Ive tried to build in me. Wikimedia CommonsElmer Wayne Henley (left) and David Owen Brooks (right) in 1973. While he insisted it was only meant to be a night of fun, not a night of torture and murder, this seems nave on Henleys part. As fate would have it, Corll saw something promising in Henley that he hadnt seen in other boys, and he became a twisted mentor of sorts for the troubled 15-year-old. If theres a common theme among the boys it is rootlessness. In his confession given almost two years later, Henley told detectives Brooks lured him to Corll's home on the promise he could participate in "a deal where I could make some money." Henley was one of the subjects interviewed for the project. The two boys were killed by strangulation later the same day. Site made in collaboration with CMYK. David Brooks later stated Hembree was accidentally shot in the mouth by Henley who, according to Brooks' confession "just came in (the room where the two boys were bound) waving the .22 and accidentally shot one of the boys in the jaw." In 1994, at the suggestion of a Louisiana art dealer, Henley began to paint as a hobby, in part as a means of generating income for himself and his mother. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. So he started getting up and he was like, Youre not going to do anything to me,' she continued. In his opinion, Corll would have "been proud" of the way he killed him. Williams, who was jailed and hospitalized for a time, was let go and told to forget and never speak of that night again. Henley asserted that the only murder he took part in was Corll, the man who was killing . The State of Texas: Full, This page was last edited on 25 March 2023, at 06:41. Looking back, I can see he was carrying a burden he was trying to. Henley was born May 9, 1956, in Houston, Texas, the eldest of four sons born to Elmer Wayne Henley Sr. (September 21, 1938 June 18, 1986) and Mary Pauline Henley (ne Weed) (born May 4, 1937). When Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. was introduced to Dean Corll in 1971, he had no idea that he had been targeted by one of Americas most vicious serial killers. YouTubeSome of the torture devices found in the home of Dean Corll. Sex didnt become a factor until later. When Elmer woke up he was laying on his stomach and felt Dean Corll trying to handcuff him. One of Texas most famous death row exonerees died before winning compensation under a law inspired by his own story. Henley was charged with six counts of murder and Brooks with four counts. All That's Interesting reports Henley and Brooks did not simply lure the young men to Corll's home, they willingly participated in the torture and killing of the victims. Corll, on the other hand, did not make fun of Brooks. Volunteers from his Dickinson-based nonprofit, which specializes in missing persons and conducts searches nationwide, used specialized equipment to survey and excavate the yard around Corlls former home in Pasadena and in other places, but unearthed no human remains, Miller told the Texas Observer. Emily McCullar is a senior editor covering pop culture, news, and Texas history. Some say it's too much", "One of Houston's most notorious killers has Facebook page", "Real Horror: Local Filmmaker Brings the Horrific Crimes of Dean Corll to the Silver Screen", "Investigation Discovery Reveals Who Is Most Evil with Leading Forensic Psychologist Dr. Kris Mohandie On Sunday, December 7", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elmer_Wayne_Henley&oldid=1146493240, 7 (including Corll, which was ruled to be self-defense), "All I ask is that they look at my artwork firstit may be the only contribution I can give to society.". In an interview for a 2002 documentary film, Henley said, I needed Deans approval. I dont really feel about it, you know. Arkansas Online reports Brooks died on May 28, 2020, after contracting COVID-19 in prison. As he did so, Williams lifted her head and asked Henley, "Is this for real?" As Henley claimed in an interview with Texas Monthly, Corll allegedly promised him $200 for every boy he brought to him, as part of "a homosexual porn ring in California." Despite the revelations to the reality of the fate of the boys brought to Corll, Henley nonetheless continued to assist Corll and Brooks in the abductions and murders of youths, who would be lured to Corll's home either alone or in pairs. Once the teenagers passed out, Corll tied up and gagged all three of them. He then turned himself over to police, confessing his involvement in one of the country's largest murder sprees. the Texanist, is a staff writer. On October 3, Henley assisted Corll in the abduction and murder of two Heights boys named Wally Simoneaux and Richard Hembree. He is obviously pleased with his clients performance. You either enjoy what you do which I did or you go crazy. John Spong writes primarily about popular culture. The term serial killer had not yet been invented. In Atlas Shrugged, I liked the little utopia of the working people. The Texas Observer is known for its fiercely independent, uncompromising work which we are pleased to provide to the public at no charge in this space. Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. (born May 9, 1956) is a convicted American serial killer and painter incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) system. The son attempted to assume the role of surrogate provider, worked at odd jobs and gave some money to his mother, took a proprietary view of his old man. Production of a film directly based upon the Houston Mass Murders. Corll provided him inspiration, and a program, but at some point the apprentice seems to have surpassed the master. Was Texaswas the countryhoneycombed with the decomposing victims of some hidden force so demonic that it eluded ordinary perception and even memory lay buried? But Henley was subsequently convicted of six other murders in which he actively participated. Porras said she spoke with Henley for four hours, sans notebook, recorder or any journalistic accoutrements. However, he eventually confessed that he, Corll, and Brooks, worked together to kill at least 28 young men and boys. When Porras first met with Henley, according to the Houston Chronicle, she said, I thought I was looking at Hannibal Lecter., As the interview went on, she relaxed more, realizing Henley was not as terrifying as she initially thought. [46] In 1997, the Hyde Park Gallery in Houston's Neartown area hosted Henley's first art show. But through all these years, one of his victims remains unidentified. You won't do it!" No one had the energy to discover what was common knowledge among students: that any kid who wanted could turn on and pick up a few bucks by allowing a certain fat electrician to go down on himand that some who had done so were no longer around. Henley says his father also beat him and once fired a pistol at him. She sent him a box of candy. Her reports in three states over 20 years contributed to the prosecutions of a former congressman and afederal judge, inspired laws and reforms, helped solve cold cases, restored names to unidentified murder victims, and freed dozens of wrongfully-held prisoners. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on March 4. For 26 years, Henley refused to talk to anyone in the media about those crimes. In all, 49 states provide some type of compassionate release. A much more heavyset Kemper was seen in this extended interview footage with French true crime expert Stphane Bourgoin. Before Corll was able to manacle Kerley to his torture board, the pair left Corll's home to purchase sandwiches. It was a promise she kept, until now.. Elmer Wayne Henley, 17, (R), accused of 6 of 27 Houston mass murders, is escorted to District Court by Chief Bexar County Deputy Rudy Garza, (L). Eventually he calmed down and would give the two teenagers alcohol and drugs. Delivering up friends was easier, less risky, more prestigious. Maybe thats what started it, the divorce and all I trapped him over the head with the vacuum cleaner, and called the police.. On August 8, 1973, Henley brought a further potential victim, 19-year-old Timothy Kerley, to Corll's home upon the promise of a party. Elmer Wayne Henley said Corll eventually offered him and David Brooks money to commit petty crimes including theft. [16] Corll rented a boat shed on Silver Bell Street in southwest Houston (where police eventually found eight bodies) [17] Later, Corll and Brooks told Henley that his childhood friend, David Hilligiest, had also been killed and buried in that same boat shed along with his swimming companion Gregory Malley Winkle.[12]. Kahan said so far, he lacks details about the nature of Henleys request. Within the wooden box, investigators had found several strands of human hair which examiners had concluded came from Charles Cobble. He beat up my mother, he beat up my mother and my grandmother once, at the same time. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. In a 2010 interview, Henley stated: "I couldn't leave anyway. There he gave free candy to young boys, and entertained them in a back room outfitted with a pool table and the big green frog whose eyes lit up when the phone rang. To compensate, any people Henley paints are in black and white while his other works are usually in color. Brooks introduced Henley to Corll, a heavyset employee of the Houston Lighting & Power Company, who was twice their ages. Porras was reluctant to say whether she considered Henley sincere in his thoughts, saying simply, "I think (the documentary) sends a powerful message. The lawyer and his young partners want to sell Henley's life story to recover their fees, and they. Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox. Instead, he was held several days and tortured before being murdered and buried in Corlls rented boatshed. Henley is currently housed in Texas' Mark W. Michael Unit. After one hour of deliberation they reached their conclusion:[35] Henley was found guilty and sentenced to six consecutive 99-year terms of imprisonment. When that didnt kill him, Henley shot him five more times in the back and shoulder. He would later develop a minor criminal record, being arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in 1971 and burglary one year later. Elmer Wayne Henley Jr, a gray-haired 66-year-old serving six life sentences for his role in Houston's most notorious serial killings, is requesting compassionate . Henley was sent to prison. . How Teenager Elmer Wayne Henley Became The Accomplice Of One Of Americas Most Prolific Serial Killers, Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. gives an interview to. Once Henley agreed to help, he and Corll got into Corlls Plymouth GTX and began driving around looking for a boy. They came across one Corll liked the look of, so Henley asked the teen if he wanted to come and smoke pot with them. Henley Sr. was a violent and abusive alcoholic who took his rage out on his family. Henley was friends with two of the youths, David Hilligiest and Gregory Malley Winkle, who had disappeared on May 29, 1971, on their way to a local swimming pool.
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