TX TX - Unidentified victims of Dean Corll, Houston Serial Killer, 1970-1973

[Snoods]

James Dreymala was the last boy killed and one of the first to be dug up. I don’t believe the boy in the picture is James, it would have been very easy for the police and James’ parents to identify him. Plus James was very blonde, this boy had brown hair.

The thing that annoys me the most about this case (well the second most annoying thing. The most annoying is how LE assumed multiple missing boys from the same neighborhood just decided to run away with $0.50 in their pockets and some wearing bathing suits) is how LE just stopped digging for more victims, even though Wayne specifically told them where to find more bodies. Why did they stop digging? Just cuz.

 

[Snoods]

After careful examination, I think that what is pictured is the head and part of the torso of a dead person. His right eye is dead and left eye damaged. The "back" is more like a stump covered with a dotted cloth. And it's a polaroid of part of a picture with ragged edge. Blow up the pic and you'll see what I mean.

Furthermore, his left facial side doesn't make sense. It looks like it's covered with latex or something.

Is this in reference to the boy in the Polaroid picture? If so I strongly disagree.

 

[Snoods]

These are two great articles about the case. They are both must reads.

This Texas Monthly article gives some insight about what a turd Elmer Wayne Henley was and his actual involvement in the torture murders. He loved it.
The Last Kid on the Block

This is Skip Hollandsworth’s Texas Monthly article about the murders. It is excellent and a must read if you are interested in this case.

The Lost Boys

 

[LucyOso]

The thing that annoys me the most about this case (well the second most annoying thing. The most annoying is how LE assumed multiple missing boys from the same neighborhood just decided to run away with $0.50 in their pockets and some wearing bathing suits) is how LE just stopped digging for more victims, even though Wayne specifically told them where to find more bodies. Why did they stop digging? Just cuz.

Respectfully snipped by me. Good points. I’d imagine some of it was the embarrassment to the department along with the taboo of homosexuality at the time. Unfortunately.

 

[Daphne1972]

Is this in reference to the boy in the Polaroid picture? If so I strongly disagree.

Yes that pic. Imo it's a part if a body in a box. No legs or arms. Left side of the face is covered up with something. I think Dreymala because his body was in parts, head plus part of the torso.

 

[Daphne1972]

Another possibility is that the original picture was damaged hence the strange nose. The boy appears to have a very short nose. Plus very light or no eyebrows.

 

[Daphne1972]

On a different note, Bobby French who might be the swimsuit boy is not in NAMUS!

 

[Daphne1972]

Respectfully snipped by me. Good points. I’d imagine some of it was the embarrassment to the department along with the taboo of homosexuality at the time. Unfortunately.

Back in the 70s a lot of missing kids were just seen as runaways.

 

[Terrib11]

James Dreymala was the last boy killed and one of the first to be dug up. I don’t believe the boy in the picture is James, it would have been very easy for the police and James’ parents to identify him. Plus James was very blonde, this boy had brown hair.

The thing that annoys me the most about this case (well the second most annoying thing. The most annoying is how LE assumed multiple missing boys from the same neighborhood just decided to run away with $0.50 in their pockets and some wearing bathing suits) is how LE just stopped digging for more victims, even though Wayne specifically told them where to find more bodies. Why did they stop digging? Just cuz.

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...arnold-4-aug-1972.395065/page-2#post-14924575 I sent to school with the guy in this thread. I have wondered if he couldn't have ended up down there and involved in that mess. It isn't in the report, but having known him since 1st grade, I have very little doubt that he was gay. There hasn't been anything on him and I always wonder...

 

[Snoods]

MO - MO - Earl Joggerst, 15, Arnold, 4 Aug 1972 I sent to school with the guy in this thread. I have wondered if he couldn't have ended up down there and involved in that mess. It isn't in the report, but having known him since 1st grade, I have very little doubt that he was gay. There hasn't been anything on him and I always wonder...

I’m sorry about your friend, I hope you find out what happened to him.

They didn’t really care if a boy was homosexual or not. Remember most of these boys were friends with one if not all of the murder trio.

They would ask their friends to come over and party, or just chill, hang out and play pool. Some they snatched off the street while hitchhiking or bike riding.

 

[Snoods]

Back in the 70s a lot of missing kids were just seen as runaways.

These were dozens of kids, many who lived within blocks of each other and attended the same middle school. Most of them “ran away” with a dime in their pocket. It was disgraceful how this case was handled, before and after, and I am very pro LE.

It would help if you read this thread, the linked thread below, the articles I linked from Texas Monthly in my post above, and in general read up on this case.

The Polaroid theory is absurd, IMO.

TX - TX - Houston, 'Swimsuit Boy' WhtMale UP4547, 15-19, Dean Corll victim, Aug'73

 

[Snoods]

Respectfully snipped by me. Good points. I’d imagine some of it was the embarrassment to the department along with the taboo of homosexuality at the time. Unfortunately.

Yup, I agree. The police wanted this swept under the rug as quickly as possible because of how abysmally they handled it, and they made sure to stop digging for bodies so we (Houston) didn’t break any mass murder records.
They also brushed aside any talk of homosexual ties to outside groups, they didn’t even look into it.

Move along media, nothing to see here. LE was tight lipped. This is why one of the most sadistic serial killers in the US is practically unknown to most people. They sadistically brutalized, tortured and murdered more than 30 boys. These guys were much worse than Gacy, in fact Dean Corll was Gary’s hero.

 

[Daphne1972]

These were dozens of kids, many who lived within blocks of each other and attended the same middle school. Most of them “ran away” with a dime in their pocket. It was disgraceful how this case was handled, before and after, and I am very pro LE.

It would help if you read this thread, the linked thread below, the articles I linked from Texas Monthly in my post above, and in general read up on this case.

The Polaroid theory is absurd, IMO.

TX - TX - Houston, 'Swimsuit Boy' WhtMale UP4547, 15-19, Dean Corll victim, Aug'73

 

[Daphne1972]

I know it was awful, yet I pointed out a mentality re missing teens.

You're entitled to your opinion re the polaroid but for now I stick to my conclusions.

 

[Daphne1972]

MO - MO - Earl Joggerst, 15, Arnold, 4 Aug 1972 I sent to school with the guy in this thread. I have wondered if he couldn't have ended up down there and involved in that mess. It isn't in the report, but having known him since 1st grade, I have very little doubt that he was gay. There hasn't been anything on him and I always wonder...

You may be totally right!! Your guy could be the unknown boy judging by eye shape. And hair. The polaroid deviates towards red, hence that redI hair.

Do you want to call it in? Otherwise I will.

 

[MadMcGoo]

While searching for something else, I came across this UID in NamUs. I noticed the reference to a serial murderer investigation and though it doesn’t state who the SK is, Dean Corll was the one I found most likely to be the one. I was going to post the MP exclusions to the WS thread, and was directed here upon searching for one. I know of but am not familiar with DC so I don’t know if this is irrelevant info or not. This seemed like the best place to post it in the case that it is.

Date Body Found: August 9, 1973
Location Found: Jefferson County, Texas
Remains: Partial skeletal parts only
Sex, Race: Male, Uncertain
Estimated Age Group: Adolescent
Estimated Age Range (Years): 13-20
Estimated Year of Death: 1970-1973
Estimated PMI: 3 Years
Circumstances of Recovery: Decedent is believed to be one of the victims of a serial murder case investigated by this office in 1973.
A. Campbell Jr, and Norman Prater have been ruled out as being this UID

I painstakingly read through only this thread to see if this UID was mentioned anywhere. I didn’t see it referenced by NamUs#, but I think it could be the 2nd set of remains mentioned along with Joseph Lyles in the article from post #72 of this thread: (I’m not sure what all this means and frankly I’m not sure I want to, but I am now curious as to whether UP9782 is among the known/suspected victims already being discussed)

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Relative-of-long-lost-murder-victim-We-pretty-1534010.php

Parts of the skeleton, plucked from an eroded site in Jefferson County, were missing. The skull had no teeth, making dental identification impossible.
[...]
DNA testing revealed the remains were those of a Houston teenager who disappeared in 1973. Authorities believe he was a victim of serial killer Dean Corll...
[...]
Coincidentally, the identification of the remains as those of 17-year-old Joseph Lyles came just one day before Harris County Medical Examiner's Office workers planned to bury another set of unidentified remains thought to be those of a Corll victim.
[...]
If Lyles was a victim of the serial killer, his remains would be the first located in Jefferson County. Remains of Corll's other victims were recovered from San Augustine County, High Island and a Harris County boathouse. The Jefferson County remains were found scattered near an eroding sandbank in 1983.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I noticed on Corll’s Wikipedia it says that “all of his victims were males aged 13 to 20” and that his crimes spanned “between 1970 and 1973”

UP9782’s demographics include:
Estimated Age Range (Years): 13-20
Estimated Year of Death: 1970-1973

FWIW, I hope the age range & EYD is based upon more than just the assumption this is one of Corll’s victims and his “preferred type”. Surely it is. (JMO)

 

[MadMcGoo]

I didn’t notice at first, but UP9728’s NamUs profile was last modified on February 03, 2020. (for whatever that’s worth)

 

[MadMcGoo]

While searching for something else, I came across this UID in NamUs. I noticed the reference to a serial murderer investigation and though it doesn’t state who the SK is, Dean Corll was the one I found most likely to be the one. I was going to post the MP exclusions to the WS thread, and was directed here upon searching for one. I know of but am not familiar with DC so I don’t know if this is irrelevant info or not. This seemed like the best place to post it in the case that it is.I painstakingly read through only this thread to see if this UID was mentioned anywhere. I didn’t see it referenced by NamUs#, but I think it could be the 2nd set of remains mentioned along with Joseph Lyles in the article from post #72 of this thread: (I’m not sure what all this means and frankly I’m not sure I want to, but I am now curious as to whether UP9782 is among the known/suspected victims already being discussed)

I read the thread...again. Found mention of this particular UID I missed the first time (my apologies), although I’m still confused by the dates. I’ve read more into the entire case and sources mention Joseph Lyles being found scattered in Jefferson County in 1983, not 1973. I guess it could be a typo somewhere along the way. This case is more disturbing than I initially thought when reading through this thread. Very much more disturbing.

I found an UID (remains) in NamUs that I wanted to mention here. Decedent description, location found, and items found with the UID made me think of Corll and his victims (known and yet to be discovered).

NamUs UP4543
- Harris County, Texas (in drainage ditch that connects to Taylor Lake and Clear Lake)
Google Maps
- September 1, 1971 (PMI: 1 week)
- Head not recovered, One or both hands not recovered
- White, Adolescent Male
- Aged 13-15
- 5’7”
- Light brown to blond hair
- Clothing: pullover t-shirt with the words “Jericho Surf Shop - Houston Galveston” inscribed, a pair of blue jeans, a chrome pocket watch with the words “Bulls Eye” inscribed, a .22 caliber long rifle hollow point live cartridge, a key ring with 2 keys, a cigarette lighter, and lip ointment.

 

[Snoods]

While searching for something else, I came across this UID in NamUs. I noticed the reference to a serial murderer investigation and though it doesn’t state who the SK is, Dean Corll was the one I found most likely to be the one. I was going to post the MP exclusions to the WS thread, and was directed here upon searching for one. I know of but am not familiar with DC so I don’t know if this is irrelevant info or not. This seemed like the best place to post it in the case that it is.I painstakingly read through only this thread to see if this UID was mentioned anywhere. I didn’t see it referenced by NamUs#, but I think it could be the 2nd set of remains mentioned along with Joseph Lyles in the article from post #72 of this thread: (I’m not sure what all this means and frankly I’m not sure I want to, but I am now curious as to whether UP9782 is among the known/suspected victims already being discussed)

Hmm...interesting. First, thank you for taking the time to thoroughly read the thread, that isn’t always possible but it is appreciated!

LE have stated for a while that swimsuit boy is the only unidentified victim, but we all know there are more boys buried out there. The UID mentioned with Joseph Lyles who was about to be buried is confusing; who was he? The remains of Joseph Lyles were not discovered until 1983 and he was DNA identified in 2009. This boy was found in 1973.

Namus says believed to be a victim of a serial killer in 1973? Wow. So how many serial killers of young boys were there in 1973 but Dean Corll?

I can understand your concerns and confusion, this is alarming. Great find. Who were the exclusions, I can’t find any listed?