Barbara Gibson | Author
Barbara Gibson is a Houston-based crime writer whose compassion for missing persons and unidentified victims led her to uncover a shocking revelation about one of the most notorious cases in Houston's history. In 2010, Gibson began delving into the murders committed by Dean Corll and his teenage accomplices, Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. and David Brooks, tirelessly combing through evidence to determine the names of the remaining unidentified boys. Her efforts paid off when she discovered that two of the twenty-seven victims recovered by police in 1973 had been misidentified by the Harris County morgue. When DNA testing confirmed her findings, the families of two missing boys finally found closure after forty long years. Gibson's work is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of uncovering the truth.
On the 50th anniversary of the worst serial murder case in Texas history, Gibson's book, Houston Mass Murders - 1973, offers a unique and comprehensive perspective on a case that shook the nation. Through multiple viewpoints, the true crime narrative takes readers on a journey of discovery, revealing an in-depth account not previously known to the public.
One of 28 victims in Houston's worst mass-murder case was misidentified
Jeremy Desel; KHOU-TV; September 15, 2010
“HOUSTON: A haunting Houston mass-murder case from the 70s is back in the headlines, thanks to a case of mistaken identity … A reporter for Police News, Barbara Gibson, discovered the mistake while writing a story about the unidentified victims. Gibson is now working on a book.”
Misidentified mass murder victim to be exhumed
ABC13/KTRK-TV; September 15, 2010
“Dr. Sharon Derrick with the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office said, "It was quite a surprise because the IDs, even with what they had to work with, were very good. We had no idea there would be one that wasn't strong. … It was an 'oh my gosh' moment.
The medical examiner got help from a reporter Barbara Gibson (who discovered the misidentification) to dig through the files. The ME hopes to exhume the bodies sometime in October.”
Writer: Houston's worst mass-murder case could have an additional victim
Jeremy Desel; KHOU-TV; October 23, 2010
“Barbara Gibson is writing a book on the Houston Mass Murders and played a key role in last month's discovery that the body of Michael Baulch had been misidentified.
Earlier this month Gibson visited Henley in prison and said she was in for a shock. She said she was quizzing him about the 17 bodies found buried in a southwest Houston boat house in 1973 and when it came to the case of Mark Scott she said Henley didn’t think the victim was buried there.”
Story link: archived at Wayback Machine
After 1972 disappearance, misidentification of body, son's ashes returned to mother
Juliana Goodwin; The Springfield News-Leader; Aug 1, 2011
“Barbara Gibson interviewed Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. (October 2010) to figure out whose body might have been misidentified. In that conversation, Henley said the report on Mark Scott did not match up either.”
