Offender Record · OFF-2026-136
Dean Corll (photo from the Radford University biography)
Dean Arnold Corll
Also known as The Candy Man, The Pied Piper
Sex
Male
Race
White
Height
5'11"
Weight
190 lbs
Hair
Dark brown
Born
1939
Custody
Deceased
States
IN, TX, GA, LA
Distinguishing featuresMuscular build; graying at temples; described as above average in appearance for the time
Custody
Killed August 8, 1973 at his residence in Pasadena, Texas by accomplice Elmer Wayne Henley Jr.; Henley confessed to police and disclosed location of burial sites.
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Where a record says named by police, no charge was ever filed: the record rests on a law enforcement agency's public identification of the deceased person, cited below. Not guilty by reason of insanity means the court found the act proven but the person not criminally responsible. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Dean Corll, known as the Candy Man, abducted, raped, tortured, and murdered at least 29 teenage boys and young men between September 1970 and August 1973 in Houston and Pasadena, Texas. He was aided by two teenaged accomplices, David Owen Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley. Corll died on August 8, 1973, when Henley shot him at Corll's residence in Pasadena during an altercation. The Pasadena Police Department investigated the crimes after Henley's confession led to the discovery of 27 victims' remains at three burial sites.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Sep 25, 1970, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
Jeffrey Konen, 18, hitchhiking from University of Texas to Houston on September 25, 1970, was offered a ride by Corll. Konen was bound, gagged, sexually assaulted, and strangled to death. Body buried at High Island Beach under a large boulder, wrapped in plastic, covered with lime, with hands and feet bound with nylon cord.
SourcesIn Memory of the Lost Boys: Houston Mass Murders Victims List; Dean Corll; Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man
Offense date Dec 13, 1970, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
Two 14-year-old boys (James Glass and Danny Yates) were lured away from a religious rally in Houston Heights by David Brooks on December 13, 1970, to Corll's Yorktown apartment. Both boys were tied to opposite sides of a plywood torture board, raped, strangled, and buried in a boat shed Corll had rented.
SourcesDean Corll; Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man; Radford University serial killer biography: Corll, Dean
Offense date 1971, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
A 13-year-old boy (David Hilligiest) and a 16-year-old (Gregory Malley) were murdered in 1971. Both were lured, raped, tortured, and strangled. Bodies buried at disposal sites used by Corll.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Corll, Dean; Dean Corll
Offense date Jan 30, 1971, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
Two teenage brothers (Donald and Jerry Waldrop) were encountered walking to a bowling alley on January 30, 1971. They were lured into Corll's van and driven to his Mangum Road apartment where they were raped, tortured, and strangled. Bodies buried in the boat shed.
SourcesDean Corll; Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man
Offense date Aug 17, 1971, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
A 17-year-old acquaintance of Brooks (Ruben Watson) was walking home from a movie theater when he encountered Brooks and Corll. Brooks persuaded him to attend a party at Corll's address. Watson was raped, tortured, and strangled on August 17, 1971.
SourcesDean Corll; Radford University serial killer biography: Corll, Dean
Offense date 1972, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
In 1972, Corll killed Johnny Delome (16 years old) and Billy Baulch (17 years old). Billy Baulch was later located at High Island Beach; Corll strangled him and buried him near High Island in Chambers County. Both victims were subjected to torture and sexual abuse before being killed.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Corll, Dean; Dean Corll; Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man
Offense date Mar 11, 1972, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
A 15-year-old boy (Randell Lee Harvey) was riding his bike to work at a gas station when Brooks convinced him to get a ride. Instead, he was taken to Corll's apartment on Magnum Road, raped, tortured, and shot in the head by Brooks. Body remained unidentified until 2008 via DNA testing.
SourcesDean Corll; Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man
Offense date Mar 1973, Houston, Texas
Murder
Pasadena Police Department · Harris County · Arrested Aug 08, 1973 · Named by police; died before charges Named by police; died before charges
A 17-year-old boy (Joseph Lyles) was murdered in March 1973 at Corll's Wirt Road apartment. He was abducted, raped, tortured, strangled, and buried. This was approximately two weeks after Corll moved into the Wirt Road address on January 20, 1973.
SourcesDean Corll
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
0
Victims convicted
29
Victims confessed
0
Victims suspected
Active years
1970–1973
Stated motive
Sexual, Power or control
Range from home
local
Accomplice
Yes
Education
high school
Marital history
Never married
Children
0
Military discharge
honorable
Died
1973-08-08 · homicide
Agencies
Law enforcement, prosecutors and corrections agencies the records show dealing with this person. An investigator working a case with a possible connection can start here.
Houston Police Department · TX
Investigated murders and coordinated body recovery operations at storage shed and burial sites
Texas EquuSearch · TX
Launched search operations in 2021 for additional unidentified victims in cooperation with law enforcement
Harris County Medical Examiner's Office · TX
Conducted autopsies and maintained remains; ongoing victim identification work led by forensic anthropologist Dr. Sharon Derrick
Texas Department of Criminal Justice · TX
Held accomplice David Brooks in custody at Polunsky Unit until his death in 2020
Harris County Grand Jury · TX
Convened August 13, 1973 to issue indictments against Henley and Brooks
Harris County District Attorney's Office · TX
Prosecuted accomplices Henley and Brooks; District Attorney Carol Vance prosecuted the cases
Pasadena Police Department · TX
Responded to Henley's call on August 8, 1973; led initial investigation and ongoing cold case work with Texas EquuSearch
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
GA
Fort Benning, Georgia
approx. Oct 1964 – Mar 1965 · U.S. Army training as radio repairman · army
IN
Indianapolis, Indiana
approx. 1960 – 1962 · Lived with widowed grandmother (referred to as Yoder, Indiana in some sources) to care for her
LA
Fort Polk, Louisiana
Aug 10, 1964 – Oct 1964 · U.S. Army basic training · army
TX
Houston, Texas
approx. 1950 – 1958 · Houston Heights area; parents divorced in 1945, reunited 1950, re-separated 1953; lived with mother and remarried father
Houston, Texas
approx. 1958 – 1960 · Corll Candy Factory; worked in candy factory after graduating high school
Houston, Texas
approx. 1962 – 1964 · Apartment above Corll Candy Company garage in Houston Heights; vice president of family business
Houston, Texas
approx. 1965 – 1968 · Corll Candy Company vice president; company relocated to West 22nd Street across from Helms Elementary School in 1965
Fort Hood, Texas
Mar 1965 – Jun 11, 1965 · Permanent assignment; discharged June 11, 1965 on hardship grounds; mother needed him for family business · army
Houston, Texas
approx. 1968 – 1973 · Houston Lighting and Power Company (HL&P); electrician testing electrical relay systems; worked here until death on August 8, 1973
Houston, Texas
approx. Sep 1970 – Dec 1970 · Yorktown Street apartment near Westheimer Road intersection; first known victim abducted September 25, 1970 from near this address
Houston, Texas
approx. Jan 1971 – Aug 1971 · 3200 Mangum Road apartment (Place One Apartments); multiple murders committed at this location
Houston, Texas
Jan 20, 1973 – Mar 07, 1973 · 1855 Wirt Road apartment in Spring Branch district; Joseph Lyles murdered here in March 1973
Pasadena, Texas
Mar 07, 1973 – Aug 08, 1973 · 2020 Lamar Drive; father's former home; at least eight victims murdered at this location between June and August 1973; shot and killed here by Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. on August 8, 1973
Known Vehicles
Vehicles and approximate dates of ownership or use, as reported in the cited records. A photo next to a vehicle is the vehicle itself as published.
1970 Ford Econoline – Van with sealed rear windows and blue opaque curtains; contained rope, stained rug, wooden crates with air holes, pegboard walls rigged with rings and hooks
approx. 1970 – 1973
Police found evidence in van including coil of rope, beige rug with soil stains, crate with air holes, and multiple items for restraint and torture
1970 Green Chevrolet Corvette – Given to David Brooks by Corll as payment for silence; used to transport victims
approx. 1970 – 1973
Brooks drove this vehicle to lure victims to Corll; vehicle used in multiple abductions
Timeline
Dec 24, 1939
Dean Arnold Corll born in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
1950
Corll family moved to Houston, Texas; parents reunited after 1945 divorce.
1958
Corll graduated from Vidor High School and began working in his family's candy factory.
1960
Corll moved to Indianapolis (Yoder), Indiana, to live with and care for his widowed grandmother.
1962
Corll returned to Houston to work as vice president of Corll Candy Company.
Aug 10, 1964
Corll drafted into United States Army, assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana for basic training.
Jun 11, 1965
Corll honorably discharged from Army after ten months of service; returned to Houston to work in family candy business.
1968
Corll Candy Company closed; Corll began working as electrician for Houston Lighting and Power Company.
Sep 25, 1970
Jeffrey Konen, 18-year-old hitchhiker, abducted and murdered; identified as Corll's first known victim.
Dec 1970
David Brooks discovered Corll sexually assaulting two teenage boys; Corll promised Brooks a car for silence, then killed the boys; offered $200 for each boy Brooks could lure.
Dec 13, 1970
James Glass and Danny Yates, both 14 years old, lured away from religious rally and murdered at Corll's Yorktown apartment.
Jan 30, 1971
Donald and Jerry Waldrop, teenage brothers, murdered at Corll's Mangum Road apartment and buried in boat shed.
Aug 17, 1971
Ruben Watson, 17-year-old acquaintance of Brooks, murdered after being lured to Corll's apartment.
1972
Johnny Delome (16 years old) and Billy Baulch (17 years old) murdered; Baulch's body later found at High Island Beach.
1972
Frank Aguirre murdered; multiple other teenage boys killed during this period.
Mar 11, 1972
Randell Lee Harvey, 15-year-old, abducted while biking to work; raped, tortured, and shot in head by Brooks at Corll's apartment; body not identified until 2008.
Jan 20, 1973
Corll moved to 1855 Wirt Road apartment in Spring Branch district of Houston.
Mar 1973
Joseph Lyles, 17-year-old, murdered at Wirt Road apartment shortly after Corll's move.
Mar 07, 1973
Corll moved to 2020 Lamar Drive in Pasadena, Texas (his father's former home); Joseph Lyles murdered within two weeks of this move.
Jun 1973
Multiple victims murdered at Corll's Pasadena residence between June and August 1973.
Aug 07, 1973
Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. and his friend Timothy Kerley visited Corll's residence after inhaling spray paint fumes with 15-year-old Rhonda Williams.
Aug 08, 1973
Early morning: Corll attempted to handcuff, assault, and kill Henley, Kerley, and Williams. Henley shot Corll multiple times with a .22 caliber pistol, killing him. At 8:24 a.m., Henley called Pasadena Police to report the shooting as self-defense.
Aug 09, 1973
Police began excavating boat shed and burial sites; discovered bodies of 27 victims in stages over several days.
Aug 13, 1973
Grand jury convened to hear evidence against Henley and Brooks; Henley and Brooks led authorities to burial sites.
Sep 18, 1973
Prosecutors ruled Henley's shooting of Corll was committed in self-defense; Henley not charged with Corll's death.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Wikipedia ·
Dean Corll“Dean Arnold Corll abducted, raped, tortured and murdered at least 29 teenage boys and young men between 1970 and 1973 in Houston and Pasadena, Texas”
News report · Wikipedia ·
Elmer Wayne Henley“Henley shot Corll to death on August 8, 1973, before divulging his knowledge of and participation in the crimes to authorities”
News report · Crime Library ·
Dean Corll- The Sex, Sadism and Slaughter of Houston's Candy Man“Dean Corll was an electrician for Houston Lighting and Power; Henley placed a call to the Pasadena Police on August 8, 1973, to report that he had shot and killed Dean Corll in self-defense”
News report · Houston Mass Murders Historical Record ·
In Memory of the Lost Boys: Houston Mass Murders Victims List“Jeffrey Konen, 18, was a scholarship student at the University of Texas who hitched a ride home to Houston in September 1970 and vanished; he was the first known victim recovered from High Island Beach”
News report · Military History Wiki ·
Dean Corll“Corll was drafted into the United States Army on August 10, 1964, and assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana; he was given an honorable discharge on June 11, 1965, after ten months of service”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Corll, Dean“Dean Arnold Corll born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on December 24, 1939; killed by Wayne Henley on August 8, 1973; 27 victims identified”
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