The Life Journey of Wayne

Wayne was the eldest of four sons born on May 9, 1956, in Texas. On August 8, 1973, he confessed to the police for his involvement in the Houston Mass Murders. This information is available to the public from his perspective, offering facts and timelines with a compilation of documents.

In addition to writing blogs, he has become an excellent artist. He began painting and sketching as a hobby in the 90s to express emotions and his journey, which does not include the violence with which he was associated. Wayne has a red and green color deficiency, so he uses primarily black and white in his serene imagery.

For details on the biography of Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., reach out to him with your questions.

What am I currently reading?
Sitting beside me is “White Waters and Black” by Gordon MacCreagh. It is a nonfiction account of a scientific expedition through the Amazon River Valley written humorously and with the intent to contain “…nothing of any scientific value…”

What have I been, in general, reading the last couple of years?
Recently I have been reading mostly Urban Fantasy along with the occasional novel of historical fiction. Truthfully, I have been more interested in the escapism of fantasy.

What psychiatric assistance/support have I received since being in prison?
I received a little psychiatric support in the early 1980s that was mainly in the form of a mood elevator for around two years, ostensibly for a near nervous breakdown. No other support was offered, nor available, until Dr. Katherine Ramsland helped me the last couple of years to find answers and reorder my thinking. Any other work I had to do on my own through books and self-reflection. I now know I was not experiencing a nervous breakdown but was going through complex post-traumatic stress.

In early 2020, a new friend introduced herself via mail: Alexis Lehrer, who began by telling me she had no questions to ask about my past as anything anyone needed to know was available online, if one would but search. Alexis wanted to help, if she could, and explained how she saw my situation. Our views differed in that I carried much guilt and accepted full responsibility for my past. Alexis believes that some of the guilt and much of the responsibility is not mine to shoulder but belongs to Dean Corll as a predator of teenage boys, a groomer/user, and as a human trafficker. To show me her line of thinking and to educate me about my own life, Alexis sent me three things: two books and a document. These were, in order of introduction: “Trauma and Recovery” by Dr. Judith Herman, “Obedience to Authority” by Stanley Milgram, and a copy of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. These opened my mind up enough that I was able to benefit greatly from my talks with Dr. Ramsland.

How is my health?
I’m pretty sure that I’m in good health for an almost 69-year-old but my pool for comparison is not the best. There is hypertension that has been medicated and controlled for the last thirty years. There is some arthritis in my hands, shoulders, and knees…the knees being the worst. That is to be expected since I have lived, worked, and exercised my entire life on concrete. Really, I feel good.

What of my family?
The immediate family I had when I was arrested, which includes my maternal grandmother, have all passed away except for the next oldest sibling. They stuck with me while they lived and are the source of my strength. Mom was with me, and we spoke daily, until December 19th, 2023. I may never fully recover from losing Mom. The youngest brother, Vernon (Fuzzy), passed three months after Mama and is the only one of us boys who had children: a nephew and a niece, both have made me a great uncle:).

Do I know what happened to Dean’s brother Stanley?
No. I never knew Stanley and have never kept up with Dean’s family.

Did I know Dean’s mother?
No. To forestall any more such questions, let me state clearly that I never met any of Dean’s family, not once.

What am I currently reading?
Sitting beside me is “White Waters and Black” by Gordon MacCreagh. It is a nonfiction account of a scientific expedition through the Amazon River Valley written humorously and with the intent to contain “…nothing of any scientific value…”

What have I been, in general, reading the last couple of years?
Recently I have been reading mostly Urban Fantasy along with the occasional novel of historical fiction. Truthfully, I have been more interested in the escapism of fantasy.

What psychiatric assistance/support have I received since being in prison?
I received a little psychiatric support in the early 1980s that was mainly in the form of a mood elevator for around two years, ostensibly for a near nervous breakdown. No other support was offered, nor available, until Dr. Katherine Ramsland helped me the last couple of years to find answers and reorder my thinking. Any other work I had to do on my own through books and self-reflection. I now know I was not experiencing a nervous breakdown but was going through complex post-traumatic stress.

In early 2020, a new friend introduced herself via mail: Alexis Lehrer, who began by telling me she had no questions to ask about my past as anything anyone needed to know was available online, if one would but search. Alexis wanted to help, if she could, and explained how she saw my situation. Our views differed in that I carried much guilt and accepted full responsibility for my past. Alexis believes that some of the guilt and much of the responsibility is not mine to shoulder but belongs to Dean Corll as a predator of teenage boys, a groomer/user, and as a human trafficker. To show me her line of thinking and to educate me about my own life, Alexis sent me three things: two books and a document. These were, in order of introduction: “Trauma and Recovery” by Dr. Judith Herman, “Obedience to Authority” by Stanley Milgram, and a copy of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. These opened my mind up enough that I was able to benefit greatly from my talks with Dr. Ramsland.

How is my health?
I’m pretty sure that I’m in good health for an almost 69-year-old but my pool for comparison is not the best. There is hypertension that has been medicated and controlled for the last thirty years. There is some arthritis in my hands, shoulders, and knees…the knees being the worst. That is to be expected since I have lived, worked, and exercised my entire life on concrete. Really, I feel good.

What of my family?
The immediate family I had when I was arrested, which includes my maternal grandmother, have all passed away except for the next oldest sibling. They stuck with me while they lived and are the source of my strength. Mom was with me, and we spoke daily, until December 19th, 2023. I may never fully recover from losing Mom. The youngest brother, Vernon (Fuzzy), passed three months after Mama and is the only one of us boys who had children: a nephew and a niece, both have made me a great uncle:).

Do I know what happened to Dean’s brother Stanley?
No. I never knew Stanley and have never kept up with Dean’s family.

Did I know Dean’s mother?
No. To forestall any more such questions, let me state clearly that I never met any of Dean’s family, not once.

What was the dynamic between Dean Corll, David Brooks and me?
Dean was the dominant personality and everything revolved around him. Dean’s wants and moods determined how David and I reacted and we watched him carefully. David and I would try to guide Dean’s attitudes, but it was not always possible and became impossible as time passed. The dynamic becomes a bit more confused because, while Dean was in charge and David and I worked together to please him, David and Dean were a working pair that I had to satisfy on my own. I know this is simplistic, but it is the way it was. If further questions could make this dynamic a bit more clear please feel free to ask them.
Be well and stay safe, people.