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KARLA HOMOLKA: Convicted Murderess

© Mary M. Alward

Karla Homolka was born on May 4, 1970 to Dorothy and Karel Homolka of Port Credit, Ontario. She was a pretty girl with blonde hair who did well in school. She had loving parents and the family grew to include two sisters and several pets. She was brought up in a nice home in a middle class neighborhood.

Karla was very popular. Her friends flocked to her house where they sat around the pool, listened to music and talked "girl talk." Karla seemed to be a normal teenager. There were never any outward signs to indicate to those that knew and loved her that she had a psychopathic personality.

In October 1987, Karla met Paul Bernardo at a pet convention in Toronto. The couple engaged in sexual intercourse the same day. From that moment on, Karla was obsessed with the handsome, young accountant. Paul quickly took control of her life, telling her what to wear, what music to listen to and what she could and could not do. What Paul said was law. Karla seemed to be happy with this arrangement and once stated that she would do ANYTHING to make Paul happy.

It has never been divulged whether or not Karla was aware that Paul was committing a series of rapes in Scarborough at the time. Karla did know that Paul wanted to claim her younger sister, Tammy's virginity. Karla stole Halothane, an anesthetic used on animals, from the veterinary clinic where she worked. She was prepared to fulfill Paul's fantasy.

On December 24, 1990, Karla administered Halothane to Tammy while their parents slept upstairs. Both Paul and Karla had intercourse with the fifteen-year-old and video taped the entire episode. But something went horribly wrong! Tammy died on her way to hospital one week before her sixteenth birthday. The official cause of death was aspiration. Tammy had choked to death on her own vomit. Karla grieved her sister for a short period of time but soon her thoughts were completely filled with her upcoming wedding.

Leslie Mahaffy was fourteen when she met Paul Bernardo prowling in her backyard in the early morning hours of July 15, 1991. She was an only child and quite rebellious. Paul lured her to his car under the ruse of giving her a cigarette. He pulled a knife, held it to her throat and drove away. He and Karla held Leslie hostage in their home in Port Dalhousie, where they raped her. The sessions were video taped. She was never seen alive again. On June 29, 1991, a couple canoeing on Lake Gibson found Leslie's body encased in cement. The braces Leslie wore on her teeth gave a positive identification.

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