Where are the Ken and Barbie killers now? | Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka

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Ken and Barbie killers

What did Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka do? 

Paul Kenneth Bernardo is a Canadian serial killer who murdered 3 girls along with his former wife Karla Homolka, and they became collectively known as “The Ken and Barbie Killers.“

Bernardo initially committed a series of brutal rapes in Scarborough, Ontario between 1987 and 1990. After these crimes, he joined forces with Homolka to commit 3 murders, with Karla’s younger sister, Tammy Homolka, being one of the victims alongside Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French. Authorities believe the couple was responsible for many more murders, but only 3 have been confirmed. 

What happened during the trial? 

On the 1st of September 1995, Bernardo was convicted of 2 first-degree murders relating to the deaths of French and Mahaffy and 2 sexual assaults. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole for at least 25 years. However, he was designated as such a dangerous offender, meaning it was unlikely he would ever be released.

Karla Homolka was given a lighter sentence in exchange for testifying against Bernardo as part of a plea bargain, which would cause a lot of controversy. She was released from prison in 2005.

Where are the Ken and Barbie killers now? 

Bernardo was moved to La Macaza Institution, a medium-security prison northwest of Montreal in late May 2023 from the maximum-security Millhaven Institution near Kingston, Ontario. He is 58 years old now. 
 
Karla Homolka remarried upon her release and has settled in Quebec where she is part of a quiet community where she volunteers at a local elementary school. She has 3 children of her own with her husband. She is 53 years old now. 
 
Ken and Barbie Killers: The Lost Murder Tapes was a documentary series released in 2021 about the case. It is available to stream on HBO Max. 

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