True crime Friday: The Candy Man

Dean Arnold Corll was a serial killer and sex offender. He is believed to have killed over 28 boys and men during his reign of terror from 1970 through 1973. He committed his murders in Houston and Pasadena, Texas. He had two teenaged accomplices that would help him find his victims for money. They were David Owen Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr.

Dean Corll was born December 24, 1939 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was murder by one of his victims August 8, 1973. The crimes he and his accomplices committed became known as the Houston Mass Murders. Believe it or not it was considered the worst example of serial murder in the history of the United States.

Who Was Dean Corll

Dean was the first child of Mary Emma Robison and Arnold Edwin Corll. As in most serial killer cases the parents, in this instance, the father was strict with his children. The mother was very protective of her two sons. It was an unhealthy marriage so the couple divorced in 1946. A few years after their youngest son was born. Mary Corll sold the family home and relocated to a trailer home in Memphis Tennessee. Even though they were divorced Mary wanted the boys to be close to the father who was drafted tin the United States Air force after the separated.

Dean attended Vidor High School in 1954. Dean was regarded as a well-behaved student who achieved satisfactory grades. He was a loner but he was known to have dated a few girls in high school. It was said that he played the trombone.

It was said that Dean was a shy and serious child, he rarely socialized with other children. He also seem to display concerns about other people. Because of a condition he was not allowed to participate in Physical Education with the other children. The mother remarried Dean’s father, then they moved to Houston but they divorced again in 1953. Dean’s mother married a sales traveling salesman. They moved to Vidor, Texas. This is where the mother and stepfather open a store called the Corll Candy Store. The area was poor and Dean and his family use to give out free candy to the neighborhood kids. Hence the moniker of the Candy Man!

The Victims of Dean Corll

• Jeffrey Alan Konen, 18, found buried at High Island Beach.
• James Eugene Glass, 14, found buried inside the boat shed.
• Danny Michael Yates, 14, Found buried in a common grave in Corll's boat shed.
• Donald Wayne Waldrop, 15. He is his brother were murdered by Dean Corll.
• Jerry Lynn Waldrop, 13, he and his brother were buried in a common grave inside Corll's boat shed.
• Randell Lee Harvey, 15, his remains identified October 2008.
• David William Hilligiest, 13. He was swimming at a pool when he disappeared.
• Gregory Malley Winkle, 16, was a former employee of Corll Candy Company and boyfriend of Randell Harvey's sister.
• Ruben Willfard Watson Haney, 17, he was found buried in Corll's boat shed.
• Frank Anthony Aguirre, 18, found buried at High Island Beach.
• Mark Steven Scott, 17, his remains were never found.]
• Johnny Ray Delome, 16, he was murdered by Corll’s accomplice Henley.
• Billy Gene Baulch Jr., 17, a former employee of Corll Candy Company. He was found buried at High Island Beach.
• Steven Kent Sickman, 17, his remains misidentified in December 1993 and correctly identified March 2011.
• Roy Eugene Bunton, 19, his remains misidentified October 1973 and correctly identified November 2011.
• Wally Jay Simoneaux, 14, found buried in Corll's boat shed.
• Richard Edward Hembree, 13, found buried in the boat shed. Remains identified July 1985.
• Richard Alan Kepner, 19, found buried at High Island Beach. Remains identified September 1983.
• Joseph Allen Lyles, 17, Found buried at Jefferson County Beach. His remains were located August 1983 and identified November 2009.
• William Ray Lawrence, 15, found buried at Lake Sam Rayburn.
• Raymond Stanley Blackburn, 20, found buried at Lake Sam Rayburn.
• Homer Luis Garcia, 15, found buried at Lake Sam Rayburn.
• John Manning Sellars, 17, found buried at High Island Beach.
• Michael Anthony Baulch, 15, found buried at Lake Sam Rayburn. His remains identified September 2010.
• Marty Ray Jones, 18, found buried in the boat shed.
• Charles Cary Cobble, 17, found in the boat shed.
• James Stanton Dreymala, 13, found buried in the boat shed.

Additional Dean Corll Victims

Forty-two boys vanished within the Houston area between 1970 and Corll's death in 1973.  Dean Corll is thought to have murdered even more young boys and men.

Lady Justice

Dean Corll was murdered by one of his accomplices during an altercation. Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., confessed to his part in the murders and showed the police where the bodies were buried. The police were heavily criticized for curtailing the search for further victims once the public became aware of Dean Corll's crimes. As Corll's accomplice, Henley lured victims to Corll's home and participated in several murders. Henley fatally shot Corll on August 8, 1973. He then called 911 to confess. Henley remain incarcerated to this day at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. David Owen Brooks was also an accomplice of Dean Corll murder spree. Brooks died on May 28, 2020, at age 65, in a Galveston, Texas hospital while serving out his life sentence. He had other illnesses, but died from Covid, 19.

Reference

Alleged Serial Killer Dean Corll, The 'Candy Man' From Mindhunter | Serial Killers | Investigation Discovery

Dean Corll | Photos | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Dean Corll - Wikipedia