Serial Killers: The Homolka Case

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Synopsis of Homolka Case

Karla Homolka is a Canadian convicted serial killer. In May of 1993, after working out a plea bargain with the Crown, she was sentenced to 12 years with 2 counts of manslaughter, to which she pleaded guilty in exchange for testifying against her husband and partner in crime, Paul Bernardo. Without her testimony, there would not have been enough evidence to convict him. In 1991, Homolka took part in the rape-murder of 14 year old Leslie Mahaffy and then the rape-murder of 15 year old Kristen French in 1992. Bernardo was convicted on 2 charges each of kidnapping, unlawful confinement, aggravated sexual assault and first degree murders and then on one count of dismemberment. He was also found to be the Scarborough Rapist, who sexually assaulted and raped more than the 11 known girls in the Scarborough area from 1987-1990. Bernardo was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Tammy Homolka (raped and murdered)
Karla had been a good girlfriend and wife to Paul for many years; she did anything he wanted for fear of losing him as she was a far cry from the innocent virgin which he desired. As their wedding was approaching in the upcoming year, Paul grew closer to the Homolka family and became obsessed with Karla’s younger sister, Tammy. December of 1990, Karla reluctantly agreed to assist Paul in deflowering Tammy by drugging her unconscious so that she wouldn’t remember it later. December 24th after a family Christmas party, Paul got Tammy very drunk and drugged her. Karla knocked her out with the anesthetics she stole from the veterinary clinic where she worked, and allowed her fiancée to rape Tammy. He then forced Karla to perform sexual acts on her own sister. Tammy however began vomiting and choked and died, mu...

... middle of paper ...

...the video tapes. He was cleared of these charges in June.

Witness Testimony

I already typed this. It’s on the school computer.

Verdict, sentence, appeals, already typed as well

ADDITION TO: sentence

Karla’s sentence began in Kingston’s Prison for Women, but when it closed in 1997, she was moved to Joliette Institution in Quebec. During her sentence, she correspondently studied psychology through Queen’s University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She paid for it herself, though she admits she had some assistance, with her fortnightly income of $69. The media was not happy about her making good of the situation because as Globe columnist, Margaret Wente, wrote “Nothing has changed. Concepts of remorse, repentance, shame, responsibility and atonement have no place in the universe of Karla. Perhaps she simply lacks the moral gene,”.

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