The “Candy Man” and One of America’s Deadliest Killing Sprees
Dean Corll appeared ordinary.
He lived in Houston, worked in his family’s candy business, and was known to give treats to neighborhood kids earning the nickname:
“The Candy Man”
But behind that image was a predator responsible for one of the most horrific crime sprees in U.S. history.
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The Disappearances Begin
Throughout the early 1970s, teenage boys in Houston began disappearing.
Many were:
- runaways
- from troubled homes
- or last seen with friends
Police initially treated the cases separately.
No one realized a serial killer was operating in plain sight.
Corll did not act alone.
He recruited two teenage boys:
- Elmer Wayne Henley Jr
- David Owen Brooks
They lured victims with promises of:
- parties
- alcohol
- or money
In exchange, Corll paid them for each boy they brought.
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The House of Horror
Victims were taken to Corll’s home or a rented boat shed.
There, they were:
- restrained
- tortured
- assaulted
- murdered
Corll used a wooden torture board to immobilize victims.
The brutality was extreme.
And it went on for years.
After killing his victims, Corll buried them in multiple locations:
- a boat shed in Pasadena
- a beach area on the Bolivar Peninsula
- other hidden sites
For years these crimes remained undiscovered. Families were left searching, with no answers.
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On August 8, 1973, everything changed.
Henley brought two friends to Corll’s home.
But something went wrong.
Henley later claimed Corll intended to kill all three.
In a moment of panic and survival, Henley grabbed a gun and shot Corll multiple times, killing him.
The Truth Comes Out
After the shooting, Henley confessed everything.
What followed was one of the most disturbing investigations in American history.
Police began digging at the burial sites.
Body after body was uncovered.
In total:
- 28 victims were confirmed
- Many were teenagers
- Some were never identified
The Aftermath
Henley and Brooks were both arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
The case shocked the nation and exposed major failures:
- police not connecting missing persons cases
- vulnerable youth being overlooked
- lack of communication between agencies
It remains one of the deadliest serial killing cases in U.S. history.
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