Who is Swimsuit boy?
It’s a mystery that’s gone unsolved for more than half a century. Swimsuit boy or John Houston Doe 1973 is the last known victim of Houston’s Candy Man killer to be identified.
He was found with a long-sleeved khaki shirt with a blue peace symbol on the back containing the letters ‘USA’ with ‘L84MF’ written by hand below the symbol. Red, white and blue swimming trunks. Dark-blue corduroys, a leather ankle bracelet and these cowboy boots.
Investigators believe he was between the ages of 15 and 18, with brown hair. A reconstruction image released by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children last summer – 50 years after the gruesome discovery. Candy Man Victim: New Clues in Serial Killer Mystery (missingkids.org)
The early 70s was a dark period for Houston, a string of murders eventually confirmed to be curated by none other than the city’s Candy Man. The terror ended and answers surfaced on August 8, 1973, when accused serial killer Dean Corll was killed by one of his teen accomplices Elmer Wayne Henley.
“Mama, I killed Dean.” In handcuffs, using a KPRC 2 News radio telephone to call his mom, Henley confesses to shooting and killing Corll.
The video captured on KPRC 2 tape in the archives.
“I’m with the police mama.” Cried Henley.
The teenager explained to investigators he killed Corll at a house party at Corll’s residence. Henley said Corll threatened him with a pistol and knife as he tried to force him into sexual acts.
Before this Corll, with help from Henley and David Owen Brooks lured at least 28 boys and young men between 1970 and 1973.
KPRC 2 Reporter Jack Cato followed Henley and police to a boat shed in Southwest Houston where 17 of those victims were buried. Henley and Brooks then led investigators to burial sites in Jasper County and Galveston County. The grave of one victim, remains unknown at this time. Brooks was convicted of one murder and sentenced to life in prison. He died in 2020 due to COVID 19-complications. Henley was convicted of six murders and sentenced to six consecutive life terms. He’s up for parole in October 2025.
KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway requested an interview with Henley to attempt to learn more about the identity of Swimsuit Boy. Initially, Texas Department of Criminal Justice approved the interview; however, loved ones of victims protested the interview and it was cancelled.
RELATED: The Evidence Room, Episode 9 – The Candy Man’s Henchmen
As for Swimsuit Boy, he remains the last of the Lost Boys to be identified.
Carol Schweitzer, program manager with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children explained, “There’s always somebody that’s still looking for these children and we need to find them.”
Schweitzer said she believes this case is Solvable. “If the technology isn’t capable of this today, it could be in a month or a year from now.”
The remains of Swimsuit Boy have been exhumed on two occasions in 2014 and 2019. To date, genealogical research results have not led to an identification. If you have information that can help investigators, put a name to this face, reach out to Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
If you have a cold case you want us to reexamine, email us at solvable@kprc.com.
