15 Things Serial Killer Karla Hamolka Wants You To Forget
by Kird
in Shocking
Female serial killers are a rare breed, but that's not to say they don't exist. That's right, just like their male counterpart, female murderers are just as brutal, cruel and extremely horrific. With it suggested that female serial killers take up just 16% of all known killers, it can be shocking to see those of the fairer sex commit crimes usually seen within the male species. Slightly different, female murderers usually find themselves in a different category to men, using poison as a preferred method.
Yep, it's unusual to find women at the helm of a gun, or indeed using a knife, therefore when Karla Homolka was arrested for the rape and murder of a number of women including her own sister, the world fell silent. Attracting worldwide media attention from across the globe, Karla Homolka and her then-husband Paul Bernardo were convicted for the brutal murders of at least three women. However, with Bernardo sent away for life, Homolka somehow managed to walk away with a shorter sentence, striking a deal with the police for information on her murderous husband.
Now released, Homolka walks free, with it said that she has married again and had her own children. Wanting to start a new life, away from the public, Homolka is doing her best to make the world forget, however, it will take a lot longer for her horrific actions to be put to rest. Here are 15 things Karla Homolka wants you to forget.
15 Her Marriage To Paul Bernardo
Born in Ontario, in 1970, Karla Homolka was just any normal kid growing up. The oldest of three children, she was pretty, smart and popular at school. A huge animal lover, Homolka decided to become a vet, even going on to work at a veterinary clinic. However, things changed when Homolka met Paul Bernardo when she was just 17 years old. Unleashing an inner demon, Homolka's personality switched, with the pair immediately having sex within hours of first meeting. Quickly discovering that they shared the same sadomasochistic desires, the roles of master and servant were firmly put into place. Eager to please, Homolka willingly took up the role as slave, madly in love and sharing the same sick fantasies as her lover. Together for a number of years before their eventual marriage, the pair had already committed several sickening crimes beforehand, including the rape of her very own sister.
14 She Knew Exactly Who Paul Bernardo Was
Beginning in 1987, Bernardo committed a series of 24 rapes, if not more, throughout the following five years. Referred to as the "Scarborough Rapist," Bernardo's victims were usually teenage girls or young women. Desperate to catch their man, police created a computer composite portrait that was given wide circulation all over the country. With Bernardo now married to Homolka, as well as becoming a fully fledged serial killer, police were finally closing in on figuring out who the Scarborough Rapist really was. In fact, the police even interviewed Bernardo, managing to obtain a saliva swab from him which later tested positive. However, it wasn't until 1993 that an exact forensic match was finally matched, catching Bernardo once and for all. Knowing all about his extracurricular activities, Homolka never once went to the police about his crimes.
13 She Had An Affair With Another Woman In Prison
While inside, Homolka enjoyed a relatively quiet life throughout her short prison sentence. Obtaining a BA in psychology, Homolka also taught herself fluent French, as well as taking up a number of other hobbies. Regularly evaluated in terms of her psychological health, Homolka was said to be a mystery with regards to who she really was. However, rumors started circulating that Homolka's time in prison was actually rather enjoyable, as pictures surfaced of the serial killer partying with other prisoners as well as sunbathing. Plus, Homolka was also reported to have taken a lesbian lover, citing bank robber Lynda Véronneau as the woman in question. Telling psychiatrists that she did not consider the relationship to be homosexual due to Véronneau's upcoming gender reassignment, Homolka still hid the affair from her family. Now, out of prison and married to her lawyer's brother, Homolka has three children and refuses to acknowledge her prison relationship at all.
12 She Helped With The Assault Of Her Own Sister
Happy in the knowledge that her partner was also a serial rapist, Homolka was still desperate to please him, even offering up her own sister. From the very beginning, Bernardo had often made numerous comments towards Homolka's young sister, Tammy, despite her being only 15 years old. In fact, Bernardo was so obsessed, that he would often ask Homolka to act as her sister during sex. And, if that wasn't enough, Bernardo was also said to have watched Tammy undress a number of times secretly, peeking in through her window unnoticed. Wanting to take it that bit further, Bernardo began asking Homolka if she would allow him to have sex with her sister. Invited over for dinner, Tammy was then drugged with Valium, however, she awoke before Bernardo could get a chance.
11 She Drugged And Assaulted Several Other Women
Usually only credited with the murders of three young women, the sadistic criminals were also to blame for a number of joint rapes together. Much in the same way as Tammy, Homolka decided to offer Bernardo another 'gift' in the form of a teenage girl. Befriending a teenager who worked at a pet shop, Homolka invited the girl round to her house for what she called a "girls' night out." When the girl arrived, Homolka laced her drinks with Halcion, a sedative that knocked her out instantly. Homolka then rang Bernardo and told him she had a prepared a wedding gift for him. The pair then proceeded to rape the victim, as well as videotape the whole experience. The next morning, the girl awoke to find that she had vomited. Believing herself to be sick from the alcohol, she had no idea that she had been sexually assaulted by Homolka and Bernardo the previous night. With a number of other rapes linked to the pair, authorities have no real idea how many victims there might actually be.
10 She Stole Drugs From Work
Desperately trying to play down her role in the rapes and murders, Homolka has often led people to believe that she had no choice with regards to her actions. However, with it later revealed that she had stolen the drugs used in the rapes and murders herself, people began to suspect she had a much bigger role. That's right, stealing large amounts of drugs from her work, Homolka used the stolen items to drug a number of women throughout the course of the murders and rapes. From Valium to Halcion, Homolka also managed to get her hands on several anesthetic agents which she took from her clinic. In fact, Homolka was so dedicated that she took up a job as a veterinary assistant at a nearby clinic in order to get access to better and more potent drugs.
9 She Killed Her Own Sister
On December 23rd 1990, Homolka administered her little sister with a heavy dose of Halothane that she had stolen from the clinic that she had worked at. Well aware of the implications that could occur from using Halothane, Homolka's veterinary training had taught her that the receiver of such drugs should avoid eating and drinking for 24 hours beforehand. With Tammy's parents sleeping upstairs, the pair then videotaped themselves raping her in the basement, with Homolka an active participant. However, Tammy soon began vomiting, causing the sick sadists to try and revive her. Panicking, the two called 911, hiding the evidence before the authorities arrived. Yet, despite a huge chemical burn displayed on her cheek, due to the drug being administered on a doused rag, Police still declared the cause of death accidental, leaving Bernardo and Homolka to roam free.
8 She Played The Victim Card
With Bernardo mainly held responsible for the killings, Homolka decided to play the only card she had left, that of the battered wife. Telling investigators that Bernardo had abused her on a daily basis throughout their marriage, she also claimed that she had been an unwilling accomplice to the murders, implying that Bernardo had either forced her or manipulated her. And it wasn't all a lie. That's right, with Bernardo becoming more and more abusive towards Homolka, he would often beat her until near death, with the picture above showing some of her injuries as a result of the beatings. However, although she was regularly beaten, it doesn't mean she didn't play an active role in the killings, with the videotapes displaying a different story to how Homolka had originally told it.
7 The Videotapes
To prove her guilt even more, disturbing evidence came through the form of several videotapes that were recorded throughout the murders. Hidden in an upstairs bathroom, the tapes went unnoticed for 71 days until Bernardo pointed the Police in the right direction. Said to be truly vile, the tapes not only proved that Homolka was a willing participant, but also suggested she may have been the actual sole murderer. Reporting that Homolka actively engaged in the molestation and torture of their victims, those who have seen the tapes have often remarked on the gleeful appearance of Homolka herself, a far cry from the manipulated and battered spouse she so often claimed to be. However, managing to somehow get away with it, Homolka made a deal with authorities, something that was later dubbed, "the deal with the devil."
6 She Lied To The Police
Throughout her dealings with the authorities, Karla Homolka often lied to police over her role in the killings, especially with regards to the death of her younger sister Tammy. That's right, telling people that her death was accidental, Homolka and Bernardo moved the body of her dead sister and told police she had choked on her own vomit after drinking too much. Continuing to lie throughout the process, even after her arrest, Homolka also pretended to be unaware of Bernardo's crimes as the Scarborough rapist. Plus, if that wasn't enough, Homolka also claimed she was manipulated into committing the crimes, citing Bernardo as the main culprit, who forced her into raping and murdering the victims. To this day, no one really knows the exact truth but Homolka displays all the signs of a pathological liar.
5 She Had Killed The Victims Herself
Tried for the rape, torture, and murders of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy, Bernardo was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole for at least 25 years. Often pointing the finger at his ex wife, Bernardo has always claimed he was not responsible for the murders, blaming Homolka for the actual act itself. That's right, openly admitting to the sexual assaults, and being that of the Scarborough rapist, Bernardo states that Homolka was the real murderer, making point of the fact that he had never killed anyone at all before Homolka came along. Somewhat speaking the truth, Bernardo had indeed never killed before Homolka was in the picture, insisting that it was she who gained the most satisfactions from the slayings. However, it is likely we will never know what really happened, even if the videotapes are said to coincide with Bernardo's claims.
4 The Plea Bargain
Known as the worst plea bargain in Canadian history, Homolka made a deal with Police, which eventually got her a measly twelve year sentence. That's right, in exchange for her testimony and the truth of what went on, Homolka was sentenced to only twelve years as well as the possibility of parole after just three years. Obviously agreeing, Homolka was ecstatic, changing her story almost immediately with a whole new truckload of lies and enforcing the battered wife image that she had originally pursued. To her joy, the deal worked, as Bernardo was sentenced to life in prison. With the country outraged, the deal was dubbed, "the deal with the devil," as Homolka managed to get released after just 12 years inside.
3 She Was Never Charged With Killing Her Sister
One of the most heartbreaking details of such a horrific story is the fact that Tammy Homolka hasn't been given the justice she deserves. Raped and murdered less than two weeks before her 16th birthday, Tammy's official cause of death was listed as choking on her own vomit, due to Bernardo and Homolka covering up the evidence. Three weeks after the death, Homolka and Bernardo then filmed a video dubbed "The Fireside Chat," which detailed the killing of Tammy. Recorded in Tammy's room, Homolka is seen admitting that she enjoyed the rape of her younger sister, then proceeding to dress up in Tammy's clothing, as well as pretending to be her. Not initially charged for the death, Homolka confessed later in a letter addressed to her parents. It was then that Police added just two years extra onto her sentence.
2 She Lured Victims To Her Car
Proving that she had a much more active role than she had previously claimed, it was reported that Homolka was the main instigator with regards to getting the girls into the car. That's right, luring one of their victims, Kristen French, towards their car, Homolka told the girl that she was lost, using a map as a prop. Happy to help, the fifteen year old French readily assisted, taking hold of the map and pointing out directions. However, it was here when Bernardo attacked the teenager from behind, holding a knife and forcing French into the front seat of their car. Moving into the back seat, Homolka then used French's hair as a way to maneuver her in case she tried to escape. There is no doubt that Homolka was an active participant.
1 She Is A Psychopath
Despite scoring just 5/40 on the official psychopath test issued by authorities, (Bernardo scored 35), it is clear that Homolka is severely deranged. From luring young women to her car, to initiating the rape and death of her own sister, there is something clearly wrong with Homolka. In fact, Homolka even went as far as placing a photo of herself and Bernardo inside her sister's coffin, a merciless act that can only be seen as pure evil. Plus, she stayed with a man who she knew was a serial rapist, and enabled his sick fantasies by participating in his sadistic wishes. Still desperate to cling onto the battered wife image, Homolka still claims that she was manipulated by the real psychopath, Paul Bernardo.
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