When I began this journey in 2010, I was only searching for the license plate number of Dean Corll’s Corvette. But after my first face-to-face interview with Dr. Sharon Derrick, I realized there were several issues surrounding the remaining unidentified Corll victims that didn’t make a whole lotta sense — issues that would require extensive research to fully understand. A much bigger problem was at hand.

I wrote and published Houston Mass Murders – 1973: A True Crime Narrative first so you could have a complete and comprehensive account of the police and medical examiner’s investigation as it unfolded in 1973. Now I’ve released my research findings in a serialized format, Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation, which lets me include the images that support my conclusions — otherwise Amazon’s delivery fees would be cost-prohibitive if released as one book.

Each serial is packed with images when needed and contains extensive, detailed research plus the full interviews themselves — best delivered in bite-sized pieces so you can fully grasp the errors as I re-examine this monumental case and answer lingering questions that have haunted it for decades.

In Serial Part 1 of Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation, my original research — first uncovered in 2010 and published October 2025 — is listed below:

• In 2009 Mrs. Erma Sickman still lit a candle every morning for her son Steven, missing since July 19, 1972 — she always believed he was one of Corll’s victims.

• In April 2010 a single clue pulled me into the case: a green Corvette license-plate lead from an unrelated 1973 murder that vanished in old records.

• My first in-person interview with Dr. Sharon Derrick (audio-recorded with permission) revealed she did not have the 1973 Pasadena PD files or photographs — the core records that named every boy and burial location. I brought my copies; we viewed them together on a 6-foot screen.

• She disclosed that a key witness refused to speak with her and that a Harris County agency had misplaced a boy’s body, preventing any DNA testing.

• She gave me DNA 101: mitochondrial is maternal only; nuclear is “luck of the draw, 50/50” with siblings.

• She taught me that the stage of wisdom-tooth eruption is a critical marker for aging teenage victims — knowledge I would later use.

• She showed me the High Island and Sam Rayburn victim maps and the boatshed diagram — confirming the last two boys remained unidentified despite modern DNA.

• She admitted the lower jaw used for the Sam Rayburn composite (Unknown #22) did not belong to that body — origin unknown, simply cut out of the picture.

• She celebrated David Brooks’ “help” in 2006–2007 interviews that led to the circumstantial ID of Randy Harvey as Unknown #11.

• She told me Steven Sickman had already been ruled out by DNA as one of the remaining three victims — leaving Mrs. Sickman’s 40-year search seemingly hopeless.

• She told me she had no intention of interviewing Henley (“what could he possibly add?”) — yet admitted she didn’t even have his original statements.

• When I pointed out the crime-scene photo of Corll showed no blood on the floor despite six gunshots and signs his body had been moved, she confirmed she has photos from the other direction — “and really, there is no blood.”

• Later, I emailed her Henley’s 1973 statement (which she claimed not to have) proving Michael Baulch was strangled and buried at Sam Rayburn — my research proved he was Dr. Derrick’s Unknown #22, contradicting the official ID of Michael as a gunshot victim in the boatshed.

• Dr. Derrick requested the public’s help because science had stalled — my 2010 research answered her call.

Every claim above is backed by my recorded interview, the Pasadena PD photos we viewed, key report excerpts, and the maps shown in Serial Part 1.

Source & Full Documentation
All evidence above is published in:
Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation – Serial Part 1
by Barbara Gibson
First uncovered 2010 · Published October 2025
Available exclusively on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTRVVZXQ

This is where the truth began to surface.
Barbara Gibson

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: When did Barbara Gibson begin investigating the Houston Mass Murders?
A: In April 2010 — starting with a green Corvette license-plate clue from an unrelated murder.

Q: What did Dr. Sharon Derrick admit in her 2010 interview?
A: She did not have the 1973 Pasadena PD files or Henley’s statements; a key witness refused to speak; a Harris County agency misplaced a boy’s body.

Q: Why no blood in the Dean Corll crime-scene photo?
A: Despite six gunshots, the floor was clean — Dr. Derrick confirmed it from her own photos in our interview.

Q: Was Michael Baulch misidentified in the Houston Mass Murders?
A: Yes — my 2010 research proved he was Unknown #22 at Sam Rayburn, not the boatshed victim.

Q: Where can I read Barbara Gibson’s full Serial Part 1?
A: Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation – Serial Part 1 on Amazon.

One month ago, on November 7, Elmer Wayne Henley’s parole was denied until 2035—a victory we earned together. But the deeper work continues.

That’s why, today, I’m continuing my serialized investigation with a renewed focus: letting the documented facts speak for themselves so the last boys can finally get the truth they deserve.

In the first five parts (available right now), my research has already uncovered details many never expected to see:

• During my first in-person interview with Dr. Sharon Derrick, she told me she did not have the 1973 Pasadena PD files or photographs—the very records that contain Henley’s original victim statements and burial locations. I brought my copies; we reviewed them together.

• A Harris County agency misplaced a victim’s body, preventing DNA testing.

• Multiple confirmed misidentifications among the original 27 victims—including Michael Baulch, listed for 40 years as Unknown #2 from the boatshed when he was actually Unknown #22 in Sam Rayburn forest.

• Research in Serial Part 3 also shows two additional Sam Rayburn victims were misidentified—errors that remain uncorrected to this day.

• “Extra bones” and mismatched measurements in a High Island grave that point to a possible 29th victim—and questions about why the search stopped despite credible leads to more burials (now lost beneath floodwaters).

• In my two-part prison interview with Henley—the first in-depth one in decades—he revealed a 1987 immunity agreement from the Harris County DA tied to six hours of hypnotically refreshed confessions, confirming misidentifications he had argued about since the 1970s.

These findings come straight from recorded interviews, documents, and photographs included in the serials.

If you haven’t started yet, or if it’s time for a re-read with fresh eyes, here’s the complete set so far:

Serial Parts 1–5 – Available Now
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT75NBP9

(Latest: Serial Part 5 – the explosive second half of the Henley interview)

Thank you for walking this road with me. The boys deserve every bit of light we can shine.

With gratitude,
Barbara Gibson

P.S. Reply anytime—your thoughts and questions keep this moving forward.

Source & Full Documentation
All evidence in this post is from my original research in:
Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation (Serial Parts 1–5)
by Barbara Gibson
Published October 2025
Available exclusively on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT75NBP9

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many Houston Mass Murders victims remain unidentified?

A: As of 2025, one boy still waits for his name — my research in Serial Parts 1–5 documents two lingering misidentifications from Sam Rayburn and “extra bones” from High Island that point to an additional victim.

Q: What did Dr. Sharon Derrick admit about the 1973 files?

A: In my 2010 interview, she said she did not have the Pasadena PD files or Henley’s statements — I brought my copies.

Q: Were Dean Corll victims misidentified in 1973?

A: Yes — my research proved multiple errors, including Michael Baulch (Unknown #22, Sam Rayburn) and Mark Scott (Unknown #15) and two others recovered from Sam Rayburn that remain uncorrected.

Q: What are the “extra bones” in the Houston Mass Murders case?

A: Discovered in 1973 during autopsy of the Delome/Baulch High Island grave — a second pelvis, sacrum, extra forearms, and more — clear evidence of a 29th victim as of May, 2010.

Elmer Wayne Henley’s next parole review is scheduled for 2035.

This chapter closes for now, but the full story—and the fight for lasting justice—continues. Stay tuned for updates on the ongoing Serial series.

Henley’s hypnosis session was confirmed by a source in the DA’s office, but the videotape and transcript could not be located.

The decision to grant Henley immunity is beyond baffling, especially when the DA’s office already knew he had confessed to killing—and named—at least nine of the victims and led police to their bodies in 1973. They also knew that David Brooks told investigators that Henley had killed at least four more boys, raising Henley’s body count to thirteen (fourteen if you include the killing of Dean Corll).

Other than saving investigators gas money from not having to question Henley again, there was absolutely no benefit for the victims’ family members or the public. In fact, the immunity agreement condemned the family members of twenty-nine victims to endless parole hearings until Henley is released or dies in prison—and even worse, the Baulch brothers’ family will never find justice, despite Henley’s 1973 confession that he killed both boys and the fact that DNA has confirmed their identities.

What’s Next:

Serial Part 1 launches an ongoing investigation into the Houston Mass Murders, with five parts released so far, each blending forensic science, archival research, and raw human stories. Join me in this journey to uncover the truth behind this haunting case.

Source & Full Documentation
All evidence above is published in:
Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation – Serial Part 5
by Barbara Gibson
Published October 2025
Available exclusively on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FWYK4P5C
Full series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT75NBP9

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Elmer Wayne Henley’s 1987 immunity deal?
A: The Harris County DA granted immunity for a two-day hypnosis session with further confessions — blocking prosecution for additional murders, including the Baulch brothers.

Q: Why no justice for the Baulch brothers in Houston Mass Murders?
A: Henley confessed in 1973 to killing both, but the 1987 immunity deal prevented charges despite later DNA confirmation.

Q: Did Henley reveal new details in the 1987 hypnosis?
A: Yes — so thorough no officials questioned him again; videotape and transcript now missing.

Q: Where can I read Barbara Gibson’s full Henley interview?
A: Complete details in Serial Parts 4-5 of Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation on Amazon.

What’s Next:

Serial Part 1 launches an ongoing investigation into the Houston Mass Murders, with five parts released so far, each blending forensic science, archival research, and raw human stories. Read Serial Part 5 and decide if Henley should be released on parole.

What’s Next:

Serial Part 1 launches an ongoing investigation into the Houston Mass Murders, with five parts released so far, each blending forensic science, archival research, and raw human stories. Join me in this journey to uncover the truth behind this haunting case.

In the early 1970s, Houston was rocked by one of the most chilling serial killing sprees in American history, orchestrated by Dean Corll with the complicity of Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., and David Brooks. Known as the Houston Mass Murders, this case left dozens of young boys dead and a city haunted. Decades later, in 2010, three victims remained unidentified, their stories buried in a maze of missing evidence and conflicting records.

In Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation, Serial Part 1, available now on Amazon, I share the results of my years-long quest to uncover the truth, revealing new clues that could help give these boys their names.

A Glimpse into the Investigation:

The Houston Mass Murders case is a labyrinth of horror and heartbreak, with over 27 confirmed victims and countless questions still unanswered. Dr. Sharon Derrick, a forensic anthropologist, has spent years conducting DNA tests and combing through skeletal remains, and archival records to identify the final three victims, but the gaps in evidence are troubling. A mismatched jawbone could hold the key to one boy’s identity, while the misplaced headless body of a teenage boy, found near NASA in 1971, defies easy answers. Adding to the mystery, Elmer Wayne Henley’s own statements—detailing his victims and their burial sites—offer a haunting roadmap, yet they’ve been overlooked until now. In Serial Part 1, I reveal how my research uncovered these statements and a critical misidentification that could change this case forever.

What’s Next:

Serial Part 1 is just the beginning of this ongoing investigation. With five parts released so far, each chapter peels back another layer of the Houston Mass Murders, blending forensic science, archival research, and raw human stories. Get Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation, Serial Part 1 on Amazon now to follow my journey and uncover the truth behind this chilling case.

Delve into a riveting, bite-sized serialized investigation of one of Houston’s most notorious cases. In Houston Mass Murders - A Serial Investigation, true crime author Barbara Gibson picks up where her first book, Houston Mass Murders - 1973, left off, seeking answers to the enduring mystery surrounding the unidentified teenage boys killed by Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., and David Brooks between 1970 and 1973.

Written in a gripping first-person narrative, this serial invites you to sit beside the author as she interviews forensic anthropologist Dr. Sharon Derrick, victims’ families, and later, even Henley himself, uncovering new clues and heart-wrenching insights. From a breakthrough in 2010 that revealed the misidentification of two victims to the persistent mystery of the last unnamed boy, Gibson’s relentless pursuit of truth shines a light on hidden details some would rather keep buried.

This serial builds on the foundation of her first book, which is essential for understanding the full scope of these horrors. Join Gibson on this emotional journey to honor the lost boys and help lay the final victim to rest.

In Serial Part 1, a quest is launched by a mother’s prayer, Gibson discovers a haunting clue, and an in-depth interview with Dr. Sharon Derrick reveals challenges and triumphs, along with disturbing truths that threaten to prevent future identifications of the lost boys. Could a killer’s confession hold the key?

In Serial Part 2, Gibson uncovers forgotten files, chilling evidence, and overlooked stories that expose cracks in the 1973 investigation. Could “extra bones” found on High Island be the twenty-ninth victim? Each clue draws us closer to the victims’ truths as we await DNA results for the lost boy known only as Unknown #22 for forty years.

In Serial Part 3, Gibson dives deeper into the shadows of Houston’s darkest case, unearthing haunting clues in the Sam Rayburn forest that challenge the identities of two lost boys. A second interview with Dr. Sharon Derrick unveils long-awaited DNA and CODIS-MP results, as she shears through red tape to exhume a coffin containing two brothers. A victim’s sister shares a gut-wrenching story of her brother’s murder, her fierce resolve driving Gibson toward a daunting confrontation. As a KHOU interview thrusts the case into the local spotlight, could these revelations finally unmask the last unknown boys—or tear this decades-old case apart?

In Serial Part 4, Gibson braces for a tense three-hour drive to a high-security prison to confront Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. Guided by Skip Hollandsworth’s insights on navigating Henley’s volatile nature, she prepares to question the killer about Unknown #2 and Unknown #16, the boys still nameless from the boatshed. With just one hour to uncover truths that could name the lost boys, Gibson faces a chilling question: can she coax a serial killer, eyeing parole, to reveal secrets that crack this decades-old case, or will his words deepen the mystery?

In Serial Part 5 (Henley Interview, Pt. 2 of 2), Gibson’s prison interview with Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. intensifies, shattering myths about Dean Corll and laying bare why Henley chose to kill, forsaking the chance to save eighteen boys. A new misidentified victim and a decades-old promise from the Harris County DA raise troubling questions. Can Gibson’s probing questions to Henley upend decades of flawed DNA evidence, or will justice for the lost boys and others remain buried?

Explore the available parts and stay tuned as the investigation continues to unfold with more revelations to come.

Welcome, truth-seekers, I’m Barbara Gibson, and this my first Substack newsletter. If you’re here, you know the Houston Mass Murders—a 1970s horror that claimed 28 teenage boys, left one nameless, and broke families forever. I’ve spent years digging into the case of Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., and David Brooks, and with Henley’s parole hearing this October, I rushed to publish my five-part serial, Houston Mass Murders – A Serial Investigation, to arm you with the facts before it’s too late. Thank you for joining me—your support keeps the urgent search for justice alive.

The Houston Mass Murders aren’t history; they’re a living wound. Families relive the grief with every parole hearing, and one boy still waits for a name. My first book, Houston Mass Murders – 1973: A True Crime Narrative, sets the stage, but the serials pull you deeper: from a grieving mother’s faith sparking a cold-case chase, to forensic breakthroughs and buried clues in Texas soil, to the gut-wrenching confrontation with Henley himself. Each part is a quick, urgent read packed with my hard-won research—no fluff, just revelations that demand attention. With the parole board deciding Henley’s fate this month, there’s no better time to dive in and join the fight.

Act Now: Submit a Protest to Henley’s Parole Board

Henley’s hearing is this October, and your voice matters. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Victim Services is accepting public comments to influence the board. Send an email to victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov with the subject line: Re: Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. TDCJ #00241618 SID #01924387.

Include the offender’s full name and TDCJ or State ID (SID) number so they can file it correctly. Share how the case has impacted you, your concerns for community safety, or why parole would reopen old wounds—personal stories carry more weight than form letters. There’s still time to submit before the hearing, so act today. Your words could tip the scales.

Join the Mission

The serials are your toolkit—read them on Amazon to understand the case’s urgent flaws and why parole can’t happen. Start with the book: Houston Mass Murders – 1973. Then binge the serials: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

This newsletter is my way to connect and amplify—reply with your thoughts on the case or why you’re here. With a small but growing community, every share counts. Later, paid subscribers will get exclusives like case reflections and reader Q&As, but for now, it’s all about the mission: truth, justice, and no parole.

Let’s make a difference. Share this, read the serials, and protest today. Together, we honor the boys and protect the future.

Sincerely,

Barbara Gibson, Author, Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation

P.S. New subscriber? Hit reply with a quick note about what drew you to this case—I’m all ears and grateful. Houston Mass Murders - 1973: A True Crime Narrative, and Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation - All 5 Serials.

This page honors the boys murdered by Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henley, and David Brooks between 1970 and 1973. The details below come from my original research in Houston Mass Murders – 1973: A True Crime Narrative and the ongoing Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation.

In memory of the Lost Boys of Houston. May they never be forgotten:

Frank Aguirre

Frank Aguirre, 18, was reported missing in March 1972. His place of employment told his mother he left in his car when they closed at 10pm. Elmer Wayne Henley confessed to killing Frank and led police to a stretch of beach in High Island to recover his body.

To learn more, read Chapter 34: Frank Aguirre

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Billy Baulch, Jr.

Billy Baulch, Jr., 17, was reported missing in May 1972, along with his best friend, Johnny Delome, 16. Elmer Wayney Henley confessed to killing both boys, but has not been prosecuted for killing Billy ... even though his identity was confirmed by DNA back in 2010.

To learn more, read: Chapter 16: Mrs. Maggie Baulch

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Michael Baulch

Michael Baulch, 15, was last seen by his mother in July 1973. She had given him money to get his hair cut before his father got home and to purchase a pack of cigarettes. When he didn't return she thought he'd taken off to Louisiana to work on a shrimp boat. Michael's brother, Billy, 17, had been missing since May 1972, along with Johnny Delome, 16. Elmer Wayne Henley confessed to killing all three boys, but has yet to be prosecuted for the murders of Michael and Billy, despite DNA tests being performed in 2010 confirming their identities.

To learn more, read: Chapters 16 & 40 for more details about what the Baulch family endured

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Raymond Blackburn

On Father’s Day weekend 1973, Elmer Wayne Henley, David Brooks, and Dean Corll picked up Raymond Blackburn, 20, when he was hitchhiking home to Baton Rouge to see his wife and hold his newborn son. After the trio buried Blackburn's body near Lake Sam Rayburn, they stopped in Beaumont and mailed his last paycheck to his wife along with a letter telling her he would be home in a week or two.

To learn more, read: Chapter 25: Raymond Blackburn

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Willard "Rusty" Branch, Jr.

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Roy Bunton

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Charles Cobble

Charles Cobble, 17, was last seen in July 1973, along with his best friend, Marty Ray Jones. The following day, both parents received a phone call from their sons demanding a sum of $1,000 be paid, but provided no further details. Both boys lived across the street from Elmer Wayne Henley in the Ben Hur Apartments. Henley confessed to shooting Cobble in the right temple and led police to his body buried in the boatshed.

To learn more, read: Chapter 3: The Boatshed

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Johnny Delome

Johnny Delome, 16, vanished with his best friend, Billy Baulch, Jr., 17, in May 1972. According to David Brooks, Johnny was shot in the head by Elmer Wayne Henley with a .25 automatic. He said when the bullet came out of Johnny's ear, the boy begged Henley to stop, but he got a strand of rope and strangled him instead. Henley also strangled Billy, but has yet to be prosecuted for his murder, despite having a DNA test that confirmed his identity back in 2010. Henley's parole hearing is next year in October 2025.

To learn more, read: Chapter 9: Brooks’ Second Statement

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James "Stanton" Dreymala

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Homer Garcia

Homer Garcia, 15, was last seen in July 1973 when he completed his drivers' education class at Coaches Driving School in Bellaire. He had called home saying he was going to a party at a friend's house and would be home in the morning, but he never arrived. Elmer Wayne Henley confessed to killing Homer and led police into a dense forest near Lake Sam Rayburn to recover his body.

To learn more, read: Chapter 30: Homer Garcia

---

James Glass

James Glass, 14, and his friend Danny Yates, also 14, were last seen in December 1970. They disappeared after attending a special service at the Evangelist Temple on W 11th St., near the Heights.

According to David Brooks, he made a surprise visit to Dean Corll’s apartment while Corll was living on Yorktown (October 1970 - December 1970). Brooks claimed he saw two boys strapped to Corll's bed and was promised a car in exchange for his silence. He said he hitchhiked back home and was given a Corvette about a year later.

Glass and Yates were the first known victims Corll buried in the boatshed.

To learn more, read: Chapter 5: David Brooks

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Ruben Watson Haney

Ruben Watston Haney, 17, was last seen by his mother in August 1971. She reported that he visited her at her office, saying he was going to the Galleria, a new shopping center in Southwest Houston that had opened the previous year.

She gave him some spending money, but later that evening, around 9 p.m., he called his grandmother and told her he was going to Brenham with some friends to play in a band and would be home in a few days.

When he failed to return, his mother traveled to Brenham but was unable to locate him.

David Brooks initially claimed that he left when Ruben arrived at Corll's apartment but later admitted in a second statement that he was present when Ruben was killed. Although Brooks was charged with Ruben's murder, he was never prosecuted.

To learn more, read: Chapters 5, 9 & 33

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Randell Harvey

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Richard Hembree

Richard “Ricky” Hembree, 13, and Wally “Jay” Simoneaux, 14, were last seen in October 1972 after they were let out from school at Hamilton Junior High.

According to David Brooks, the boys were killed the following day at Corll's apartment on Westcott. He said Elmer Wayne Henley "accidentally" shot Ricky in jaw with a .22 caliber pistol that morning, but it didn't kill him right then. Little Ricky lingered in agony with a bullet fractured jaw until Henley and Corll strangled the boys later that day. Henley has not been prosecuted for the murder of either boy.

To learn more, read: Chapter 28: Richard Hembree

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David Hilligiest

David Hilligiest, 13, and Malley Winkle, 16, disappeared Memorial Day weekend in 1971. They were last seen walking to their neighborhood swimming pool. The Hilligiests hired a PI, printed up posters, and their friendly neighborhood, Elmer Wayne Henley, helped hand them out. Mrs. Hilligiest said Henley always inquired about David and reassured her that the boy would come back.

To learn more, read: Chapter 36: The Hilligiests

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Richard Kepner

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Jeffrey Konen

Jeffrey Konen, 18, was a scholarship student at the University of Texas in Austin who hitched a ride home to Houston in September 1970. He vanished after being dropped off at the corner of Westheimer and Voss in Southwest Houston. He told the driver he was going to catch another ride to see his girlfriend, who lived in West University. He never arrived.

Although Konen's case received media and police attention, none of the tips helped to locate him.

Konen was the first known victim of Dean Corll and the first victim recovered from the beach in High Island.

To learn more, read: Chapter 23: Dr. Joe - Case Update

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Marty Ray Jones

Marty Ray Jones, 18, was last seen in July 1973, along with his best friend, Charles Cobble. The following day, both parents received a phone call from their sons demanding a sum of $1,000 be paid, but provided no further details.

Elmer Wayne Henley confessed to strangling Marty with Corll's help, and said "it's a lot harder to choke someone than what they show on TV." Marty's body was recovered from the boatshed buried beside Charles Cobble, 17.

To learn more, read: Chapter 3 : The Boatshed

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William "Billy" Lawrence

Billy Lawrence, 15, vanished near the Houston Heights neighborhood in June 1973. His father didn't report him missing because he had received a letter from his son postmarked June 6 that said he had gotten a job in Austin and would be back home sometime mid-August.

Elmer Wayne Henley confessed to his murder and led police into a dense forest near Lake Sam Rayburn to recover his body.

To learn more, read: Chapter 7: Lake Sam Rayburn

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Joseph Lyles

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John Sellars

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Mark Scott (not recovered)

Elmer Wayne Henley also confessed to strangling Mark Scott, 17, who was last seen by his parents in April 1972. According to David Brooks, Mark arrived with Henley at Corll's house on Schuler. After they tied one of Mark's hands, he fought for his life and nearly stabbed Dean with a knife (if only). While Dean grabbed the hand with the knife, Wayne ran and got the pistol, and Mark just gave up.

FYI: In October 2010, I shared my interview with Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., with KHOU. This was the second story aired within two months about my research, which demonstrated that two of Henley's victims—Michael Baulch, 15, and Mark Scott, 17—had been misidentified by the Harris County morgue. Although Henley confessed to killing both boys and DNA tests confirm Baulch's correct identity, he has yet to be prosecuted for the murders. Henley is eligible for parole next year.

To learn more, read: Chapter 39: Mark Scott

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Steve Sickman

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Wally "Jay" Simoneaux

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Donald Waldrop

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Jerry Waldop

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Gregory "Malley" Winkle

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Danny Yates

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Unknown #16 aka "Swimsuit Boy"

Source & Full Documentation
All victim details from my original research:
Houston Mass Murders – 1973: A True Crime Narrative
by Barbara Gibson
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C76GDYV8
Ongoing findings in Houston Mass Murders: A Serial Investigation (Serial Parts 1–5)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many victims were there in the Houston Mass Murders?
A: 29+ confirmed — my research documents evidence in May 2010, of a 29th victim from extra bones at High Island (Serial Part 2).

Q: Who are the unidentified Houston Mass Murders victims?
A: Unknown #16 (“Swimsuit Boy”) and two lingering misidentifications — details in Serial Part 3.

Q: Was Michael Baulch misidentified?
A: Yes — my 2010 research proved he was Unknown #22 at Sam Rayburn (Serial Part 2).

Q: Where can I read Barbara Gibson’s full victim stories?
A: Complete bios in Houston Mass Murders – 1973 and the Serial Investigation on Amazon.

The Houston Mass Murders: What really happened?

The Houston Mass Murders came to light on August, 8, 1973, when Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., shot and killed his mentor, Dean Corll, and then led police to several grave sites to recover the bodies of twenty-seven teenage boys. Henley initially claimed the killings were the work of Dean Corll, but after his accomplice, David Brooks, came forward the police learned that wasn't the whole truth.

Houston Mass Murders – 1973 is a true crime story brought to life in real time by Barbara Gibson. You'll experience the case from multiple perspectives as the investigation unfolded over the course of five months and spilled into the following year. You will ride beside Henley as he leads detectives to three different grave sites in southwest Houston, a dense forest in East Texas, and a strip of beach in High Island.

You'll be privy to all material gathered by detectives who interviewed multiple witnesses, including Henley's accomplice, David Brooks, and the sole survivor, Billy Ridinger, along with Corll's family members and his girlfriend Betty Hawkins. You'll pursue leads along with police that suggest Dean Corll may have been involved in a larger criminal operation targeting teenage boys for prostitution and pornography.

You'll witness the heartbreak and outrage of the parents as they identify their sons and question how so many boys reported missing from the Houston Heights neighborhood went undetected by police for three years.

You'll observe the work of Houston's first forensic pathologist, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Joseph Jachimczyk as he and his staff struggle to identify the victims while trying to maintain their current case load and their sanity.

Then, in the end, you will learn the true nature of Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., as the troubled teen takes the stand in his own defense and reveals who he really is.

READ NOW!

It's been five decades since 16-year-old Kimberly Pitchford vanished from the parking lot of J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston, Texas, on January 3, 1973. The shy sophomore had just finished her first driver's ed class that concluded at 6 p.m. and was supposed to call her parents for a ride home, but the call never came. Two days later, her partially clad body was found 30 miles away, floating in a canal beneath a wooden bridge in Brazoria County on County Road 65, in Iowa Colony, Texas. She'd been strangled, and her case remains unsolved.

It was also the first day of school after the Christmas holidays when Pitchford was abducted and her lifeless body was found in a rural area of Brazoria County, where bodies of other young women had been found in 1971. This raised the question - was her murder the work of a fifth killer to emerge from the shadows, or was she a victim caught in a twisted game orchestrated by a sole predator to taunt police?

Investigators from the Brazoria and Harris County sheriff's offices teamed up and divided the interviews of Pitchford's family members, classmates, teachers and other possible witnesses to help piece together what may have happened during the final days of the teen's life that would cause her to cross paths with a killer.

According to her father, Elmer Pitchford, now deceased, the family filed a missing person report when she failed to call or arrive home that evening. Kim was prompt in letting them know her whereabouts and knew to get permission before changing her plans.

After speaking with the teen's best friend, Karen Fram, the family learned that Kim had borrowed money from her for lunch that day and was upset over her boyfriend, Jimmie Maddox, being in jail.

Maddox, now 67, was just 17 when he joined the U.S. Army in 1972 and was home on leave since the Christmas holiday. According to Maddox, he and two of his buddies had met Kimberly and her friends at the Trampoline, a popular teen hangout located on Kleckley Drive across from Almeda Mall, on Dec. 31, 1972, to celebrate New Year's.

Before midnight, Maddox's friend, Ray, drove everyone to Kimberly's house in the 8500 block of Wynlea where they all hung out and visited. Maddox and his friends, Ray and Phil, began wandering down the street and were arrested by police for breaking into cars. Ray and Phil were released on January 2, but Maddox was detained for being AWOL.

"I never saw Kimberly since that night," said Maddox. "I didn't even get to go to her funeral. She was a sweetheart, and I've often wondered what might have happened between us because I was definitely going to contact her after I was discharged from the Army."

According to Maddox, Kimberly was a straight-laced young woman who spoke highly of her family and had no reason to run away. "I was the wild one and wasn't even allowed to smoke if I wanted to be around her," Maddox said.

The puppy love was mutual, and according to teachers, Kim was visibly upset during her sixth-period class as well as the D-Hall she attended prior to driver's ed. Maddox was unaware that Kim was worried about him.

Two of the last class-mates to see Kim alive were Russell Sones and Jimmy Hester. According to Sones, he was Kim's driving partner. "Mr. Arthur Clark was our instructor, and I didn't really know Kim that well, mostly just in passing. I was real shy back then and didn't notice if Kim seemed upset or not because I was focused on driving. She sat in the back seat while I drove and then we'd switch. We drove through the nearby neighborhood and parked along the side of the high school facing the baseball field. When we got out of the car, I didn't notice which way she went," said Sones.

Hester had been waiting the entire hour in the school's doorway facing the parking lot for his class to start at 6 p.m. "I remember seeing Russell get out of the car, but I didn't see Kim. I knew who she was, but I didn't know her personally," said Hester. "I don't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary."

It was as if Kimberly vanished into thin air before her body was found off a rural road in Brazoria County.

Law enforcement worked tirelessly on her case for several months and conducted dozens of interviews and ran down every lead that came their way, to no avail. Today, Brazoria County investigators continue to review the case on occasion hoping to notice a detail that might have been overlooked or receive a tip that helps solve the case.

Edward Harold Bell

In 2011, a serial flasher and former psychiatric patient named Edward Harold Bell, now deceased, claimed he was responsible for the murder of Pitchford, as well as the murders of at least 11 other young women in the early 1970s.

Bell made this claim while serving a 70-year sentence for the August 28, 1978, murder of Larry Dickens, 26, who literally caught Bell with his pants down flashing neighborhood girls in Pasadena and took away his car keys to prevent his escape. When Dickens refused to give Bell his keys, Bell put on his pants and reached for his .22 automatic pistol under the seat and fired a warning shot into the air and threatened Dickens to return his keys. Dickens refused again and was shot repeatedly and staggered to his driveway with Bell still in pursuit of his keys. After Dickens relinquished the keys, Bell went back to his truck, grabbed his rifle, and turned to fire a final fatal shot into Dickens' head.

For Bell's claim to be within the realm o f possibilities, one must ponder the likelihood of a seasoned sexual serial killer regressing seven years later to acts of exposure in front of children.

The question was posed to former FBI profiler Mark Young, who is now in private practice with YoungTex International. "It generally follows that a sexually motivated serial killer continues with that type of behavior. There may be gaps between offenses due to many factors such as incarceration, old age, police activity, availability of victims while the offender is on the prowl, employment elsewhere, family intervention, or many other variables," said Young. "We have rarely, if ever, seen a prolific offender, completely change and become a noticeably lesser offender or, as you questioned, to go from the serial killing of many young female victims to only exposure and masturbation in front of children."

Bell never provided any details on the unsolved cases that weren't already published in old newspaper reports.

Could other cases be connected?

Although Pitchford's case appears to be an isolated incident, she was in fact the 12th young woman to be murdered in the surrounding area of Houston since June of 1971 and the third victim abducted from the South Belt area. The series of murders spans four counties and are collectively known as the "Mysteries of I-45."

Colette Wilson, 13, vanished on June 17, 1971, from the intersection of County Road 99 and Highway 6 in Brazoria County. Her skeletal remains were found November 26, 1971, 40 miles away, near Highway 6 and Clay Road, at the Addicks Reservoir adjacent to the Spring Branch subdivision. A second set of remains belonging to Gloria Gonzales, 19, was also found. Gonzales, a bookkeeper, lived in the 2000 block of Jacquelyn Street in northwest Houston and had been missing since October 28, 1971. Wilson died from a blow to the head, and Gonzales had been strangled.

Brenda Jones, 14, resident of Galveston, disappeared on July 1, 1971, after she walked to the hospital to visit a relative. Her nude and bound body was found floating in Galveston Bay near Pelican Island the following day. Jones had been strangled.

Rhonda Johnson of Webster and Sharon Shaw of Nassau Bay, both 14, were last seen on August 4, 1971. It was reported that the pair hitchhiked to Galveston to visit a surf shop; however, their bodies were found in a ditch near the intersection of Bay Area Boulevard and Red Bluff, 10 minutes from Shaw's home in the 1500 Block of NASA Road 1. The headless body of an unidentified teen male was also found in the same area on September 1, 1971.

Adele Crabtree, 16, a runaway from Ohio living in Houston, was last seen trying to hitchhike a ride to work on November 2, 1971. Her body was found the following day in Conroe and had been shot twice by a shotgun.

Linda Faye Sutherlin, 21, a key punch operator for IBM, was last seen at 12:30 a.m., November 4, 1971, on Telephone Road. Her body was found in a ditch near the intersection of FM 518 and CR 89 in Pearland on November 7. She'd been beaten, strangled and shot multiple times by a shotgun.

Alison Craven, 13, was last seen at her apartment located on Kingspoint near Almeda Mall on November 9, 1971. Her partial remains were found on January 29, 1972, in a field near her apartment with the remaining half being found on February 25, 1972, in a field 4 miles away from Sutherlin's body in Pearland. The Craven family also owned a home on Eddyrock located a couple of blocks from Dobie High School.

Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, both 15 and students at Ball High School in Galveston, vanished after going to an area mall on November 15, 1971. Their partially nude bodies were found in Turners Bayou in Texas City on November 17-18. Both victims had been bound and shot.

Mildred JoAnn Knighten, 15, was last seen the evening of October 20, 1972, leaving her parents' home on Old Galveston Road in southeast Houston. Her partially clad body was found on October 23 dumped near a construction site in Pasadena; she had sustained more than 50 stab wounds. Until April of 1972, Knighten lived within 2 miles of Kimberly Pitchford's home.

Despite Pitchfords close proximity to the abduction and/or dumpsites of Linda Faye Sutherlin, Alison Craven and Colette Wilson, no links were publicly made since Sutherlin and Wilson's killer was dead and Craven's killer had already confessed and was in custody prior to Pitchford's death.

Did police catch the correct killer(s)?

News reports of the series of murders went nationwide and prompted Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby to contribute $8,000 toward a reward fund. Multiple law enforcement agencies joined forces and between April and June of 1972 police had arrested and obtained confessions from four different men that solved a majority of the cases.

Harry Andrew Lanham, Jr., 25, a Houston wrecker driver, confessed on April 15, 1972, that he was present when Linda Sutherlin was murdered but pointed to Anthony Michael Knoppa, as being the triggerman. Lanham made a second statement on June 9, 1972, implicating himself and was also charged with the murders of Colette Wilson and Gloria Gonzales.

Henry Doyle Shuflin, Jr., 22, a Vietnam veteran and son of a U.S. Air Force master sargent, confessed on May 2, 1972, to the murder of Alison Craven.

Anthony Michael Knoppa, Jr., 24, a Vietnam veteran, confessed on June 6, 1972, to being present when Linda Sutherlin was murdered but claimed Lanham was the trigger man.

Michael Lloyd Self, 25, a gas station attendant and a volunteer firefighter, confessed on June 9, 1972, to the murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw.

All four men claimed the statements were false and were the result of coercion by law enforcement. Shuflin was under psychiatric care and stated he was easily pressured. Self claimed that Donald Ray Morris, the Webster police chief, held a gun to his head and demanded that he confess. Morris was arrested years later moonlighting as a bank robber.

Lenham and Knoppa were tried separately, but at the same time in Brazoria County in October of 1972, which gained national media attention. Both men took the stand in their own defense with Lanham stating that Brazoria County officials had made a deal with him to protect his wife in exchange for his turning state evidence on Knoppa. It was also his understanding that the second statement he signed on June 9, which implicated himself, was just a formality that couldn't be used against him. Lanham stated that the authorities had shafted him with lies.

When Knoppa took the stand he testified that the entire statement he signed on June 6 was false, and he had written it while being coached by law enforcement after he'd been beaten. He further claimed that he'd been told that he might be shot "while trying to escape." An ominous statement that would come true, but not for Knoppa.

The jury didn't buy their stories, and on October 20, 1972, the jury came back with a guilty verdict for both defendants, with Lanham receiving 25 years and Knoppa receiving 50. Law enforcement had succeeded in getting two of the worst killers off the streets, but by that same evening, 15-year-old Knighten vanished after she left her family's home in southeast Houston. Her mutilated body was found three days later.

After the trial, Lanham was transferred to the Harris County jail to await trial for the murders of Colette Wilson and Gloria Gonzales. Montgomery County officials were also in line having dropped charges against their suspect for Adele Crabtree's murder as a result of Lanham's confession. But on December 30, 1972, Lanham was shot and killed by authorities while trying to escape with two other convicts.

Four days later on January 3, 1973, Kimberly Pitchford disappeared.

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