The Serial Killers Apprentice, Tracy Ullman
The Serial Killers Apprentice, Tracy Ullman
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The Serial Killer's Apprentice
The True Story of How Houston's Deadliest Murderer Turned a Kid into a Killing Machine

Author: Tracy Ullman, Katherine Ramsland

Narrator: Christina Delaine

Unabridged: 10 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/16/2024


Synopsis

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.

About Tracy Ullman

Tracy Ullman is a documentary producer, director, and writer living in Chicago. She has produced dozens of nonfiction television programs for Discovery Networks, Oxygen, AETN Networks, and PBS. Her most recent production is a six-part limited documentary series about serial murderer John Wayne Gacy and the new discoveries made in his case for NBC's Peacock streaming service.


Reviews

I had no idea what I was in for when I picked up this book. It was disturbing on so many levels that I felt like throwing up. The authors don't shy away from describing exactly what these poor boys went through and it was really hard to listen to at times. I've never heard of this case before, which......more

4⭐️ If you like true crime this is an absolute MUST read! This is my second favorite true crime I’ve ever read and everyone needs to read it. Please check trigger warnings because this book does not beat around the bush and describes horrendous things in detail. I love that the second half of the boo......more

Goodreads review by Jenny

Rating: 3.5 Stars "The Serial Killer's Apprentice" delves into one of the most unsettling cases in true crime history with an intriguing perspective. Ramsland and Ullman present a professionally written narrative that intricately weaves together the experiences of victims, their families, the communi......more

To nie jest zwykła książka, nie przeczytacie jej w jeden dzień. Nie będziecie się uśmiechać i czekać z wytchnieniem na zakończenie. Jest to historia jak najbardziej realna i na faktach. Ujawniająca jednego z najgorszych m0rdercow w Stanach Zjednoczonych. Po nazwisku może i nie skojarzycie kto to..je......more

Goodreads review by Sheila

I received a free copy of, The Serial Killer's Apprentice, by Katherine Ramsland; Tracy Ullman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Elmer Henley was 14 when he met Dean Corll, a truly horrible man. Elmer helped the serial killer lure in boys. This book was so hard to r......more