Dean Corll - Corll Candy Company

Corll Candy Company

Following his honorable discharge from the army, Corll returned to Houston Heights and resumed the position he had held as vice-president of his family's candy business. Corll's former stepfather had retained ownership of the family's former candy business following his mother's divorce in 1963, and competition between the two firms was fierce. As had been the case in his teenage years, Corll increased the number of hours he devoted to the candy business to satisfy an increasing demand for his family's product.

In 1965, shortly after Corll completed his military service, the Corll Candy Company relocated to 27th Street, directly across the street from Helms Elementary School. Corll was known to give free candy to local children, in particular teenage boys: as a result of this behavior, he earned himself the nicknames the Candy Man and the Pied Piper. The company also employed a small workforce, and he was seen to behave flirtatiously towards several teenage male employees. Corll is known to have installed a pool table at the rear of the candy factory where employees and local youths would congregate. In 1967, he befriended 12-year-old David Brooks, then a sixth grade student and one of the many children to whom he gave free candy.