People never know who someone truly is inside. Everyone is raised in different ways that can ultimately lead to a troublesome or bright future. When a person has suffered at a young age, they tend to wish the same misery on others. This can create violence within them that may even turn them into a serial killer. Dean Corrl is an example of a troubled man with a sad backstory. Having to move around and wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself. Provided here is an overview on the total transformation of Dean Corrl, an average man turned to be a full-blown serial killer. December 24, 1939 is when Dean Corrl was born. He was very shy and antisocial at a young age. This is possibly due to the fact that his mother was in and out of marriages, …show more content…
relationships, and divorces. Another reason, could be because he had heart problems that caused him to not be able to attend P.E. classes, and also could have outcasted him. When his mother started dating a traveling salesman, Corll began moving around a lot more. Mainly to keep up with the family’s business, where they sold candy. He worked in the shop all throughout his schooling, both night and day. At the age of 20, he moved to Indiana and finally got out of the habit of his routine life. Later, he had to leave in order to tend to his mother while she went through her second divorce. At the age of 25, Corll joined the army. Just after ten months of service, he decided that the army just was not for him. He requested hardship discharge to move back and help with his family’s candy shop. With his return, the Corll Candy Company moved across from an elementary school, where he would give out free candy and also would meet David Brooks, an accomplice to his crimes.(“Dean Arnold Corll”, 2011) After his mother’s third divorce, they closed the shop down. His mother and half sister moved and never saw Corll again. With their departure, he took a job as an electrician, like his father had worked. While working as an electrician, Corll moved to Houston Heights, where most of his victims were taken from. His accomplices Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks (Figure 1) would assist Corll by luring in local boy's, inviting them to a party that would ultimately lead to their death. They typically used three methods of capture. They would be forced to drink until they fell unconscious, tricked into using handcuffs, and sometimes, just being grabbed(“Dean Arnold Corll”, 2011). They would be stripped, then tied to his “torture board”(Figure 2), a plywood board where he would sexually assault and (hence the name) torture them. When he was done having his “fun”, he would shoot or strangle them, tie them up, wrap their bodies in plastic sheeting (Figure 3), place them in a body box, then transport them to where they would be buried. He would place the bodies in random sites or place them in his own boat shed. He also forced some of his child victims to write letters home claiming they were fine. August 8, 1973, Henley invited his friends Tim Kerley and Rhonda Williams, to Corll's house in Pasadena for a party. This was not abnormal behavior due to the fact Corll was known to have parties and invite teens over frequently. Although Corll was receiving his victim, Kerley, he was full of rage when he saw that Henley had invited a girl. He claimed that Henley had “ruined everything”. Corll then offered the three teens alcohol and marijuana, where after two hours, they all passed out. When Henely woke up, he was surprised to see Corll handcuffing them all. Kerley and Williams were strapped onto the Torture Board. Corll described his anger toward the fact that Henley had brought a girl, he claimed he would kill all of them after he was done with Kerley. Henley told Corll that if he did not kill him he would help with his act. Corll agreed, untied him, and handed him a knife. Although Henley told Corll he was going to rape, kill, and torture Williams, he instead, grabbed the pistol and shot Corll in the shoulder, and back six times. He then called the police, explaining that he had just shot a man (Blood Lies & Alibis, 2012). Henley and Brooks claimed they never had anything to do with the killings, but later, Henley admitted to helping shoot victims. Brooks also claimed that he helped assist in the killing and burial of victims. They were paid $200 for each victim they brought to him(“Dean Arnold Corll”, 2011). They had both known Corll for a number of years, which is probably why he asked them to help with his crimes. This is what Brooks said when he found out about Corll assaulting boys, “Dean jumped up and said ‘I’m just having some fun,’ and he promised me a car if I kept quiet later he admitted he killed them, and he bought me a Corvette.” Gregory Hadley, gave a quote from Brooks’ trial here, "In all, I guess there were between 25 and 30 boys killed, and they were buried in three different places. I was present and helped bury many of them but not all of them... On the first one at Sam Rayburn I helped bury him, and then the next one we took to Sam Rayburn. When we got there, Dean and Wayne found that the first one had come to the surface and either a foot or a hand was above the ground. When they buried this one the second time, they put some type of rock sheet on top of him to keep him down." -David Brooks August 9, 1973, police began searching Corll’s boatshed (Figure 4) with the help of Henley, who recalled some of the boys that they dug up.
They found boxes full of clothes from the victims, bikes, and empty bags of lime. Eight victims were found that day, all showing signs of sexual torture, ranging from gags from cloth to the castration of some victims. A minimum of 28 boys were killed at the hands of Dean Corll. All found with the help of Books and Henely. The bodies were spread in different locations from Corll’s boat storage to Lake Sam Rayburn. All victims were sexually assaulted, tortured, and killed, not only by Corll, but sometimes by his accomplices Brooks and Henley. Corll could be directly linked to these crimes through serology, pathology, and DNA experts. These studies helped find crucial evidence that helped link who and what might have happened to each victim. He also had possession of many things found with his victims that were also found in his house. This included the plastic sheeting, handcuffs, empty lime bags, and personal possessions of the …show more content…
victims. Law enforcement’s main problems solving this case was that they had to trust Henley and Books due to the fact that Dean Corll was killed prior to the discovery of his crimes.
They could only give information on victims they knew about. Corll was the only one that would have known where exactly every victim was and who they were. From what police know, Corll’s first victim was apprehended September 25, 1970, and his final known victim was August 3rd, 1973. Corll could have had more victims from earlier times, but no one will ever know because he was killed and only caught for that reason. Some bodies were never identified and never will be because of his
death. The crime was solved only because Brooks and Henley helped locate and explain what Corll did. Even though these two people helped solve the crime, they were convicted because they admitted to helping in some of the killings. David Brooks received 99 years while Elmer Wayne Henley received six concurrent 99 year terms. They are considered serial killers due to their part in many of the murders, which involved helping kill and dispose of bodies. In many ways, this case helped refrain similar cases from happening. It showed people in the area that they should be more careful, not to trust everyone (not even those who seem to be friendly and trustworthy), and it also showed police not to just let runaways be left unattended (Blood Lies & Alibis, 2012). Before the case, there had been over forty runaway cases, none were truly looked into or further investigated. Most of these runaways end up being victims of Corll’s crimes. It also helped the growth and reliance of forensic reconstruction, a process where they take skull shape and size to help see what the victim might have looked like, which helped identify most unknown victims. Dean Corll seems to everyone as a nice, average, and trustworthy man. No one ever suspected he was behind the disappearances of many of their own children. Many people would have considered him a good man, but after hearing about what he did to so many teenaged boys, their opinions of him were altered. His sinister, sick, and twisted crimes made people more cautious and helped police look closer into runaway cases. This paper provided the overview of his crimes. In conclusion, no one knows what another person is truly capable of.
The discovery of this crime began as a fishing trip for Chris Henkle, Dee Connors and his two children Sam and Claire on May 5, 2004. While relocating the boat to find better fishing, Connor spotted a suitcase floating in the water. As young Sam opened the suitcase hoping it contained pirate’s treasure, he found its contents to be wrapped in black plastic trash bags. Upon opening the trash bags, Sam exposed two human legs. Shocked at what they had found, Henkle immediately contacted the police. After Master Officer John Runge of Virginia Beach’s Marine Patrol Unit took possession of the suitcase from Henkle and Connors, he looked inside and called his superior asking for a homicide detective. Virginia Beach Homicide Detective Janine Hall joined by senior technician of the Forensics Unit, Steve Stockman, and Dr. Turner Gray, Virginia Beach Medical Examiner, arrived at the scene. The suitcase was photographed, then the body parts were taken back to Dr. Gray’s office for an autopsy. Detective Hall took the Kenneth Cole suitcase to the Virginia Beach police headquarters for forensic examination after the legs were removed for autopsy. Forensic unit supervisor Beth Dunton and Steve Stockman then tested the suitcase for trace evidence. To test for fingerprints, the bags were hung in a cyanoacrylate chamber in which fume...
An analysis of the most famous murderers and serial killers in the Chicago area shows varying degrees of psychopathy or mental illnesses, which ultimately contribute to homicidal conduct. Analysis also shows that the paths of serial killers have a tendency to converge.... ... middle of paper ... ...
He proposes that it is the trauma in conjunction with outside factors such as social or environmental, which exacerbate the problem and leads to the criminal activity (Hickey, 2016, p149). Hickey says that the most common trauma experienced by serial killers is childhood traumatisation caused by rejection and that this rejection can be in the form of rejection by family members or an unstable/abusive home life (Hickey, 2016, p148). Hickey says that rejection by family members, e.g. relatives or parents, is the most common cause of childhood traumatisation and that an unstable, abusive home has been proposed as a major form of rejection (Hickey, 2016, p149). Holmes, Tewksbury and Holmes (1999), in their ‘fractured identity syndrome’ theory of serial murder, suggest that serial killers are similar to everyone else in the early years of personality development and lead normal lives. They argue that an event or series of events that often take place in the serial murderer’s adolescent years, causes a fracturing of the personality and that this fracturing, following subsequent incidents, causes the fracture to explode into a
July 15, 1999, was an ordinary night for Kristopher Lohrmeyer as he left work at the Colorado City Creamer, a popular ice cream parlor. Kristopher had no idea that his life was about to end. When Michael Brown, 17, Derrick Miller and Andrew (Andy) Medina, 15, approached Kristopher and demanded his money and his car keys. Before the boys knew it shots had been fired and Kristopher was dead. About an hour after the fatal shooting of Kristopher Lohrmeyer, all three men were in custody and telling their version of the night’s events. Michael and Derrick who had run away after the shooting confessed to police and named Andy as the shooter. According to the three boy’s testimony, they had only recently met and needed away to get some quick cash, so they developed a carjacking scheme and headed to Andy’s house to pick up 2 stolen handguns. The three boys were uneducated and had spent most of their time on the streets in search of drugs. The judge ruled that they would be held without bail and there was probable cause to charge them all with first-degree murder (Thrown Away, 2005).
In order to identify serial killers before they kill repeatedly, a person needs to study the characteristics that make up this type of criminal. Most serial killers have been abandoned, by one or both parents, they are emotionally, physically, and even sexually abused by a family member, or relatives from unstable families who have criminal, psychiatric and alcoholic histories, or tend to have hate for their parents and people in general which makes them have antisocial personality disorder. They have conflicted, pained, or tortured animals at a young age and most are highly interested in gaining control over things. Even though not every serial killer posses these characteristics, most share these characteristics the same way they share the psychological need to have complete control and power over people. Dennis Rader was one normal average citizen until he shocked the public when he was caught as a serial killer who caused tragedy in their town.
Common psychological disturbances in the stages of making a serial killer are seen in childhood and are usually based upon mental and psychological abuse endured by a child.
A serial killer is traditionally defined as the separate killings of three or more people by an individual over a certain period of time, usually with breaks between the murders. (Angela Pilson, p. 2, 2011) This definition has been accepted by both the police and academics and therefore provides a useful frame of reference (Kevin Haggerty, p.1, 2009). The paper will seek to provide the readers with an explanation of how serial killers came to be and how they are portrayed in the media. Several serial killers have a definitive and common personality profile.
Serial killers have long eluded law enforcement while simultaneously grabbing the attention of the public, and now more than ever, criminal psychologists are beginning to understand what makes a serial killer. In his true-crime documentary, In Cold Blood, Truman Capote depicts the horrifying murders of four members of the Clutter family and the search to find the criminals responsible for the deaths. Eventually, two killers are caught, one being Perry Smith, a detached and emotionless man. And although his carnage of the Clutters labeled him a mass murderer, many of Perry’s personality traits are characteristic of a serial killer. In fact, if detectives had not caught him, Perry could have easily become a serial killer.
Krafft-Ebing (1886) found that the serial killer had been through cruelty of animal; enjoy the torture and the pain of their victim during his or her childhood period. Moreover, the mothers of these serial killers were most of time working or doing other things and usually the father were absent. These children experience rejection and lack of attention, therefore, this child grows up having low self-esteem. Research show that adults that gone through abuse and violent behavior during their childhood were three times more likely to become violent as adult more than the non abused adults (Dutton & Hart, 1992).
Serial killers have many frightening facets. The most frightening thing about them is that experts still do not know what makes a human become a serial killer. Many experts believe serial killers become what they are because they have a genetic disposition or brain abnormality while other experts believe that a serial killer is created by childhood abuse; and some other experts believe that it is a combination of both brain abnormalities and abusive childhood experiences that creates a serial killer. A murderer is considered a serial killer when they “murder three or more persons in at least three separate events with a “cooling off period” between kills” (Mitchell and Aamodt 40). When defining a serial killer, their background, genes, and brain are not mentioned; perhaps one day those aspects of the serial killer can be included.
Many people with antisocial personality disorder are taught to have a lack of empathy in early childhood. There is a high number of serial killers with abusive pasts. Parents who abuse their children both mentally and physically at an early age are training their child to be cold and emotionless. Many killers suffered this fate at childhood and became heartless creatures with little to no remorse for their actions. In the article “What makes Serial Killers Tick?” it is said that Serial Killer Albert Desalvo was sold into slavery by his father and was sexually and physically abused for most of his you...
'Serial murder'; has long been a term used to describe those human beings that repeatedly commit heinous crimes. It is rare that the average person probes the mind of a serial killer without bias. However, what lies behind the eyes of a serial killer deserves more than the cold hard look that society so often gives (Aaronson, Inter...
Over the past few years, the occurrence of serial killings has been evident. Such illegal events, has significantly impacted society as a whole, and has resulted in many attempts by the government to decrease the likelihood of future events from reoccurring. In doing so, psychologist must examine the factors and motives of offenders. Clifford Olson, for instance, helps comprehend the complexity of the human mind and helps researchers understand why serial killings occur. Furthermore, analyzing different psychological and sociological perspectives, will better our understanding of the mind of Clifford Olson.
So what makes a serial killer? Levin points out that contrary to popular belief, serial killers don't just 'snap'; or 'go crazy'; (Douglas, p. 137). Many of the serial killers have been the victims of childhood abuse. Jack Levin stated 'Research shows many serial killers suffered abuse, incest or neglect as children and develop poor self images'; (Douglas, p. 137). Serial killers often have a childhood marked by the absence of any nurturing relationship. 'They often come from families where the parents were absent or ineffective, where authority was not defined, and where they could engage in destructive behavior undeterred-violent play, cruelty to animals, and incidents of arson being some of the childhood behavior patterns noted among many serial killers'; (Clark, p. 206).
“According to Eric Hickey (Author of Serial Murderers and Their Victims), stress caused by childhood 'traumatizations' may be a trigger to criminal behavior in adulthood. It is important to understand that most people go through one or more of these traumatizations with no lifelong effects. However, in the future serial killer, the inability to cope with the stress involved with these trauma...