Could you love somebody so much that you would kill for them? Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka did. Since the first time they met, they knew they were meant for each other. Once kindled, their lustful relationship grew into one that led them deeper into sexual experimentation. They both had manipulative personalities, but Paul’s would eventually overpower Karla’s. Their fantasies grew stronger, and then family and friends began dying at the hands of these two, Paul and Karla. They thought they were smart enough to get away with it, but soon enough, all their dreams of an escape came crashing down.
Karla was born in Ontario, Canada on May 4, 1970. She was the eldest of three, and grew to be smart, popular, pretty, and well-loved by her friends and family. Karla pursued a job at a veterinary clinic. She adored animals. While at a pet convention in Toronto, she met her prince charming, Paul Bernardo, at just age seventeen. And Paul was twenty-three. The relationship between the two rapidly advanced. They both clicked instantly, sharing pathological desires in their sex life, binding them closer. This led to quirky foreplay, where Paul played the master and Karla the slave.1
Paul loved the feeling of dominating women. And Karla was wrapped around so tightly on his finger that she would do anything to please him. Bernardo often complained that when he met her, she was not a virgin. Karla, willing to satisfy Paul’s needs, offered her younger sister Tammy as a sex sacrifice to him because Tammy was still a virgin. Both planned to force Tammy into being a younger and purer version of Karla. To do this, Karla stole an animal anesthetic from her workplace for later use. On December 23, 1990, at a Christmas party at their home, the couple drugged Tammy’s drink with halcyon, and soon took her down into the basement. Karla pulled out the animal anesthetic and drenched a cloth with it to cover Tammy’s mouth, and knock her unconscious. Bernardo raped her, but Tammy unexpectedly began gagging on her own vomit and suddenly died. When her death was officially declared, it was labeled as an accidental death, as the drugs in her body went undetected.2
Paul continued his killings in the Scarborough suburbs of Toronto. He raped women and then murdered them. Some women fortunately escaped with only an attempted rape. No one could pin down who was committing these crimes. So this mysterious figure became known as the Scarborough Rapist. He usually attacked females outdoors, but occasionally he would break into their homes and severely beat them along with strong verbal harassment. Soon, the Metropolitan Toronto Police created an investigation to capture and arrest the Scarborough Rapist. It was only a month later that the Forensic Science Center matched Bernardo’s DNA with the Scarborough Rapist.3
A search of Bernardo’s home revealed numerous tape recordings of the rapes upon the women. Lots of the tapes showed the women being strangled and killed by Paul by their end. Karla decided to testify against Bernardo, and in return was to be granted a reduced sentence. Karla was interrogated for four days. She blamed Paul for her sister Tammy’s death, and described many of Paul’s kidnappings and rapes that resulted in women’s deaths. Two victims during the reign of the Scarborough Rapist were two schoolgirls Mahaffy and Kristen. Karla accused Paul of committing these crimes, and her accounts were later found to be true by forensic evidence. She said she lived in terror of Paul and was forced by him to partake in his crimes. On February 17, Bernardo was arrested and brought to the Toronto detention center where he awaited trial. At his trial, he was charged with first degree murder, found guilty, and subsequently sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole in twenty-five years. Karla was sentenced to only twelve years in prison.4
Now what did the future hold for these two who eventually turned on each other? As for Paul, he will be eligible for parole in 2018 at the age of fifty. But surprising news has surfaced, Paul is planning to get married while serving his term! Apparently a woman from London, Ontario, who requested to remain anonymous, has been charmed by this “innocent” man. She has said to her friends that Bernardo was just a bystander to the rapes and murders of the two schoolgirls. She was so determined to wed this convicted killer that she tattooed one of her ankles “Paul’s girl.” On the other hand, the woman’s father rejects her plans and says he hopes she will abandon this ill-thought idea. Many other news reporters and even the lawyers who represented Kristen and Mahaffy have all commented on how appalling they found it to be for anyone wanting to wed a man after his horrific crimes.5
As for Karla Homolka, she was released in 2005 after a short twelve year sentence. She thereafter resided in Quebec and married Thierry Bordelais, gave birth to a son, and later had two other children. She was found volunteering at an elementary school in Montreal. Breakfast Television Montreal has confirmed that she often went to the elementary school where her children also attend. Many parents of other children were displeased to see this, and red flags were raised. Parents commented that they did not want her to be on the school’s property and that they believed it wasn’t right for a former serial killer to be around children, especially volunteering. Disturbed parents complained to the school, but they weren’t answered until the Quebec Conference of Seventh-day Adventists sent out a letter. They stated that their priority was to provide quality education to the students and that while they arrange the complaints from the parents, they encourage parents to communicate with the Quebec Conference Office of Education. They also say that they were aware of who Karla is and that it is the law for Canada to conduct background checks on any personnel associated with the school. Karla, tired of the social media, moved away in the year 2007. Nobody heard of her again until a journalist, Paula Todd, came across her in Guadeloupe in 2012.6
- Charles Montaldo, “The Crimes of Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo,” ThoughtCo., (May 2017). ↵
- Charles Montaldo, “The Crimes of Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo,” ThoughtCo., (May 2017). ↵
- Historica Canada: The Canadian Encyclopedia, June 2016, s.v., “Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka Case,” by Edward Butts. ↵
- Nick Pron, Lethal Marriage: The Unspeakable Crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka (Canada: McClelland-Bantam Inc., 1995), 9-16. ↵
- Irene Ogrodnik, “Convicted killer Paul Bernardo set to marry: report.” Global News, July 4, 2014. Accessed December 6, 2017. ↵
- Fazioli, Domenic. “EXCLUSIVE: Karla Homolka occasionally volunteers at Montreal elementary school.” CityNews, May 26, 2017. ↵
139 comments
Hailey Stewart
I have never read anything about Canadian serial killers. This article, I concur with other commenters, does a great job of grabbing and maintaining your attention throughout the account. It is crazy to me that a person could sacrifice one’s family for ‘love’. The part that baffles me the most, besides the fact that the death of Karla’s sister was ruled an accident, is that Paul had plans to marry in jail. I always wonder how people marry strangers while they are incarcerated. In the end, this made me think about how almost everyone has a different definition of love.
Tyanne Pearcy
This article was an attention getter the entire read through. The most interesting part of the story is how Karla changed throughout the story but Paul remained the same. The most disturbing part of the story Karla was how blinded by “love” she was that she allowed her own sister to get raped. The fact that is took so long for Paul to be convicted of his crimes was the most concerning part of the article. In addition, the ending was left on a good note as you see Karla in a seemingly healthier relationship.
Martina Rodriguez
The first sentence really set the tone for the rest of the article. The example of the similar but battle for dominance that came with their personalities was not a surprise. I was not expecting the dark turn in the story that came with Tammy. However, I am confused as to how the death was ruled as accidental. The surprising turns in the story continued with all of his other victims and how Karla testified against him in the end.
Didier Cadena
Before reading this article, I was unaware of who both these people were. What Paul and Karla did is highly disturbing, but still extremely interesting. The fact that Paul is eligible for release this year and that Karla is still out is also disturbing. The article does a great job of putting all of the information together and still be able to keep the reader hooked.
Alexandria Zapata
What makes this article weird, is the fact that Paul found someone to marry, while he was still in jail. Like someone was willing to marry him, thinking he was “innocent” and think that he didn’t do any of these things. It’s also crazy to think that he is getting out this year. It’s crazy to think about how two people can murder someone (like a family member), and not say anything about it.
Alexandra Rodriguez
How crazy is it to think that Karla was able to just get away from what she had done by moving to Guadeloupe? While her testimony that Paul had made her do everything against her own will is possible, it shows how lenient the courts are with criminals who were victimized. However, what if it were the other way around, and Paul was the one being “forced” to commit these crimes by Karla? Would the courts have given them the same sentencing but in reverse? Or was Karla only given leeway because she was female?
Madeline Torres
This article was very interesting and chilling to read. I believe that Laura should have been sentenced a longer term for she also involved her younger sister into the situation and killed her. This story shows just how one can make their significant other change and how dangerous ‘love’ can really be. The details in the story are very interesting to hear and it’s kind of odd how a man can have such desires to their way of intimacy. Overall, this article left me with chills going down my spine and is very well written.
Antoinette Johnson
This article, “Ken And Barbie Partners In Crime: Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka” was disturbing and interesting. I honestly, feel that Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka should have gotten life in prison. On Paul’s case, those women did not deserve to be murdered and raped. They were innocent women just trying to live their life. On Karla’s case, she should be ashamed of sacrificing her sister for a man, just for him to use her sister for pleasure then her sister ends up dying. It is amazing how these two are free (Paul this year) roaming and could start these horrendous rape-murder crimes over again
Sienna Guerra
Not knowing any knowledge of this article, the title itself is what was intriguing to me. Reading this article, the expected outcome I had in mind was nothing like it actually was. It is truly amazing what most people will do for love or to be in love. Risking whatever you have, like Karla’s sister, in order to keep the one you love is dangerous. It is also horrific that the couple both had mental issues that capacitated them to act that way.
Alexandra Lujan
Terrible how blinded Karla was to the point were she let her sister get raped and murdered, but love is no excuse I just don’t understand how someone can let something so terrible happen to a family member and just be a bystander. Crazy how Paul could manipulate karla so much and made her do so many crazy things.