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.

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.

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!

Step inside a gripping, real-life crime story that changed the city of Houston forever. The HoustonMass Murders – 1973, by crime writer, Barbara Gibson, delves into the minds of three notorious killers – Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr., and David Brooks – who, between 1970 and 1973, lured twenty-seven unsuspecting teenage boys into a deadly trap. Gibson's book takes an unflinching look at the horrific events of 1973 and brings to life the heart-wrenching personal stories of the victims, their families and the perpetrators, through a narrative that is both powerful and haunting. Prepare to be both provoked and intrigued as you experience the Houston Mass Murders through the eyes of those who lived the horror.

READ NOW!