The Serial Killer's Apprentice

The True Story of How Houston's Deadliest Murderer Turned a Kid into a Killing Machine

By: Katherine Ramsland, Tracy Ullman

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. was only fourteen when he first became entangled with serial rapist and murderer Dean Corll in 1971. Fellow Houston, Texas, teenager David Brooks had already been ensnared by the charming older man, bribed with cash to help lure boys to Corll's home. Corll baited Henley with the same deal he'd given Brooks: $200 for each boy they could bring him.

Henley didn't understand the full extent of what he had signed up for at first. But once he started, Corll convinced him that he had crossed the line of no return and had to not only procure boys but help kill them and dispose of the bodies, as well. When Henley first took a life, he felt doomed. By the time he was seventeen, he'd helped with multiple murders and believed he'd be killed, too. But on August 8, 1973, he picked up a gun and shot Corll. When he turned himself in, Henley showed police where he and Brooks had buried Corll's victims in mass graves.

The Serial Killer's Apprentice tells the story of Corll and his accomplices in its fullest form to date. It also explores the concept of "mur-dar" (the predator's instinct for exploitable kids), current neuroscience about adolescent brain vulnerabilities, the role of compartmentalization, the dynamic of a murder apprenticeship, and how tales like Henley's can aid with early intervention.

©2024 Katherine Ramsland and Tracy Ullman (P)2024 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Shocking

The story seems almost unbelievable, yet it is very true. Yet another example of the depravity and evilness that surrounds us in the world.

The only "drawback" to me was that it seemed to be really long.

Well done

I’ve been fascinated by the Houston Mass Murders for years, mainly because of how relatable the case is for me. Had I lived in Houston Heights in the early 70s, with my upbringing and personality, I could have been lured into Corll’s trap quite easily. Just when I thought I knew everything that there was to know about the case, this book comes along and adds many details that I hadn’t heard before, giving more insight into Corll’s personality than any other book, podcast, or YouTube video I’ve consumed. Well done.

We fail our children

This is such a sad story and hits somehow close to home. Teenagers are so vulnerable and need someone to listen, but parents are so busy these days to make a living. All these boys dead, tortured and rapid, it's horrible. I know a lot of people will not understand, but I feel sorry for the Teenager that helped that killer. He cried out for help and nobody was there. His life and all the families lives are destroyed and we as a society and parents failed him. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be punished, just not like that. This killer groomed and influenced the most vulnerable children. Be honest, think about it, It could have happened to one of us.

Very detailed about case. Sometimes got a little dense but you can tell the authors put a lot of time into it.

How someone could get away with all those murders and the police just brushed off the disappearances of so many boys.

Great narration but a very hard story to listen to due its subject matter. Left me feeling frustrated for the families that called the police but got zero response.