Kriti Mehrotra
HBO Max’s/ID’s ‘The Serial Killer’s Apprentice’ explores the tale of Elmer Wayne Henley Jr. as a serial killer, an accomplice of serial killer Dean Corll, and the relationship they shared. The documentary incorporates not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews to underscore how he was groomed by the latter to help him lure and kill victims before he ultimately fatally shot Dean himself in 1973. This original production also shines a light upon his personal life, placing a significant focus on his father, Elmer Wayne Henley Sr., owing to his allegedly being an abusive alcoholic.
Elmer Henley Sr. Was Allegedly Abusive to His Whole Family
It was reportedly on October 17, 1938, that Elmer Henley Sr. was born in Lepanto, Poinsett, Arkansas, to Annie Mae Rodgers and Fred Edward Henley as one of their five children. According to records, his family relocated to Texas sometime before the mid-1950s, only for him to then come across and fall in love with Mary Pauline Weed. The duo tied the knot on September 25, 1955, when they were merely teenagers, initially residing with her parents in Houston Heights before settling down in their own home in the same neighborhood. Both their parents lived nearby, meaning they had a sound support system.
Maey and Elmer welcomed their first child into this world on May 9, 1956, whom they named Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., following which they welcomed three more sons into their world. As per Elmer Jr.’s own accounts, he had a happy early childhood, with his family being almost idyllic in terms of how close-knit they were and how his father was always involved in his life. “I have memories of (dad) walking me to school, and of Cub Scout and Boy Scout activities,” he once said. “I went to work with him, and he’d tell me about boilers and air conditioners.” However, he claimed that everything changed when he was 7 as his grandfather passed away, which allegedly led his father to spiral into severe alcoholism, physical abuse, as well as adultery.
According to the documentary, Elmer allegedly used to beat his wife and his sons with not only his hands but also belts and other objects around the house. This reportedly led Elmer Jr. to do his best to protect his mother and siblings, while Mary also sought to shield all her sons from her husband’s alleged violence. In one particular case, as detailed in the aforementioned original, Elmer Jr. hit his father over the head with a vacuum so as to stop him from hitting his mother – he was in elementary school at the time. Then, according to records, as an adolescent, he once pointed a shotgun at his father to have him stop his alleged assault. In the end, Mary filed for a divorce when Elmer Jr was 14, leading to Elmer Sr. no longer being a consistent part of his children’s lives.
Elmer Henley Sr. Passed Away at the Age of 47
It’s unclear precisely how involved Elmer Henley Sr. was in the lives of his children following his separation from Mary or what he did in the years to follow. All we know is that he used to be a proud stationary engineer at one point in time when he was just starting his family, but how his career progressed with the alleged issues in his personal life are also unclear. He always stayed well away from the public eye when his eldest son was arrested, tried, and convicted as a killer and an accomplice to serial killer Dean Corll. Ultimately, unfortunately, Elmer passed away at the age of 47 on June 18, 1986. He was still residing in Harris County, Texas, at the time and has since been laid to rest at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Houston. His cause of death has never been made public.
Read More: Mary Henley: How Did Elmer Wayne Henley’s Mother Die?
