“Candy Man” Killer Dean Corll’s Accomplice Breaks Silence on Murders

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The quest to understand what makes serial killers tick is a whole industry.

However, let’s consider a person such as Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. Despite being a notorious serial killer, it is hard to determine if he would have ever committed murder without the influence of Dean Corll, also known as the “Candy Man“. Corll, who is responsible for the torture and murder of at least 27 boys and young men in the Houston area between 1970 and 1973, was the person Henley met that led him down this dark path.

In an interview for the Investigation Discovery documentary, The Serial Killer’s Apprentice (airing on August 17), Henley admitted, “There may be a time in my life I can’t fully comprehend, and I regret not being given the chance to explore that aspect further.” He communicated this to Dr. Katherine Ramsland.

However, Ramsland aimed to uncover details about how Henley had joined forces with Corll in their lethal partnership, prior to the event when Henley fatally shot Corll on August 8, 1973, and subsequently led the police to the locations of over two dozen deceased victims.

According to Ramsland and journalist Tracy Ullman in their book titled similarly in 2024, he was the sole-known collaborator who took part in the murder of the individual who enticed him into a joint-killer pact with a predator.

Henley shared with Ramsland his suspicion that Corll might have initially planned to kill him as well. However, he pondered whether perhaps, “Was it a kindred psychopath he saw in me instead?

As a devoted admirer looking back, I can’t help but reflect on a chilling moment from my teenage years. I had always been troubled by something, and at seventeen, I found myself in a nightmare scenario with Dean Corll – a man I couldn’t escape.

I remember trying to confide in my mother about it multiple times, hoping she would understand the gravity of the situation. But she didn’t believe me. In desperation, I even wrote a confession once and hid it, praying that Dean would end my torment for good. With heavy heart, I shared this confession with my mother, asking her to give it to authorities if I went missing for an extended period of time.

Yet, my pleas fell on deaf ears. This haunting memory remains etched in my mind as a chilling reminder of the dark path that lay ahead.

Exploring if Henley’s journey from troubled youth to murderer could ever truly be comprehended, let’s delve into the unsettling saga of the “Candy Man” killer and his associate – a chilling account you should be aware of.

Hailing from 1939, Dean Corll had a short stint in the United States Army but eventually moved to Texas in 1965 where he took up work for the candy-making business owned by his mother and stepfather in the neighborhood of Houston Heights.

Kids affectionally called Corll “Candy Man” because he handed out sweets at the playground.

During the spring of 1973, Corll shifted his role to an electrician at the Houston Lighting and Power Company. Simultaneously, he decided to relocate into his late father’s house in Pasadena, Texas, without any prior criminal records or charges against him.

It wasn’t until after Corll’s death in August that investigators linked him to the murder of 27 teenage boys. They subsequently discovered 17 bodies in a storage shed for boats in Houston, six more in High Island, and four near Lake Sam Rayburn.

Corll’s known victims ranged in age from 13 to 19, all of them shot and/or strangled.

18-year-old Jeffrey Alan Konen, a student at the University of Texas, Austin, went missing on September 25, 1970, during a hitchhiking trip. His remains were later discovered buried on High Island, linked to Corll as one of his missing victims.

For several years, Corll took the lives of two sets of brothers. Specifically, Jerry Waldrop, aged 13, and Donald Waldrop, aged 15, went missing on January 30, 1971, and were later discovered buried together inside a boat shed.

A man named Billy Gene Baulch Jr., who previously worked for Corll Candy Co., vanished on May 21, 1972, at the age of 17. His body was later discovered at High Island Beach. Another individual, Michael Anthony Baulch, aged 15, also disappeared on July 19, 1973, and his remains were uncovered at Lake Sam Rayburn.

The most recent known victim of Corll was James Stanton Dreymala, a 13-year-old boy who went missing on August 3, 1973. Tragically, five days later, Corll passed away, and the bodies of Dreymala and 16 other victims were discovered in Storage Unit No. 11 at Southwest Boat Storage.

After the remains were unearthed, it took several years to identify all the victims involved. Unfortunately, Roy Eugene Bunton, a 19-year-old who went missing on August 21, 1972, was initially mistaken for another young man upon discovery of his body in the boat shed. His correct identification didn’t occur until 2011, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.

Based on the 2025 documentary titled “The Serial Killer’s Apprentice” on Investigation Discovery, forensic investigators are attempting to identify the possible remains of an additional victim, numbering 28 in total.

Born in 1956, Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., found himself skipping school and consuming alcohol following his parents’ divorce. Due to this, he was compelled to repeat the ninth grade, which left him feeling extremely bored, as he later shared with criminologist Dr. Katherine Ramsland during a prison interview featured in an ID documentary.

As a devoted follower, I had my initial encounter with Corll through David Owen Brooks, a classmate from middle school. Later on, it was revealed that Brooks assisted Corll in kidnapping victims and disposing of their remains. Although he claimed innocence regarding the actual killings, he was ultimately found guilty of the murder of Billy Ray Lawrence in June 1973. Consequently, Brooks served his remaining days behind bars, passing away in 2020.

In the documentary, Ramsland referred to Corll as an incredibly cruel form of vampire. He further explained, “Wayne Henley, tragically, was deeply impacted by this predator, who not only shattered his identity but also remolded and prepared him, a situation from which he had no means to protect himself.

According to Henley, he wasn’t aware of what Corll was doing until he murdered Frank Aguirre, who happened to be a friend of Henley’s, on March 24, 1972.

“I was horrified,” Henley told Ramsland. “I knew right from wrong, I should’ve gone to the police.”

But Henley then helped Corll kill 17-year-old Mark Scott, who disappeared on April 20, 1972.

On Aug. 8, 1973, Henley killed Corll at his Pasadena home.

According to what he shared with the police, the teenager had invited two friends to a party at Corll’s residence. Later on, they all became unconscious. Upon waking up, they found themselves bound. Henley managed to convince Corll to free him, promising assistance in killing the others. However, when Corll laid down his gun, Henley seized it and fired three shots instead.

That same day, he led police to the boat shed and also told them about the other two burial sites.

Henley shared with Ramsland, “I didn’t point to my own involvement straight away. At some point, though, I thought it would be more beneficial to be completely truthful about all matters.

In 1974, Henley denied guilt for six murders connected to Corll, but he was still found guilty and convicted. His sentence consisted of six consecutive 99-year prison terms.

In 1978, his initial conviction was overturned on appeal due to the court deciding that a fair trial location should have been provided to prevent a potentially prejudiced jury. However, Henley was found guilty again in 1979 and was resentenced, receiving six consecutive 99-year sentences. Now at the age of 69, he continues to serve his time at Telford Unit, a state prison located in Bowie County, Texas.

Despite being denied parole on numerous occasions, many of Henley’s victims’ surviving relatives continue to advocate for him not to be granted release, as they remain steadfast in their pursuit.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase that statement like this: “When faced with such challenging situations, it’s crucial to mentally prepare yourself. In the case of James Dreymala, whose son Stanton was the last victim, he expressed during an interview in June 2025 that when appearing before a parole board, one should express their true feelings openly.

Added his wife Elaine Dreymala, “I don’t feel he deserves to ever be free.”

The debut of “The Serial Killer’s Apprentice” is set for this coming Sunday, August 17th, at 9/8 central time on ID, with streaming options available on HBO Max.

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2025-08-17 15:17