Leslie Mahaffy

Verified by our team
(1976)
Sat Oct 28 2023
By   Prajwol

Leslie Mahaffy was one of the victims of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka dubbed as Ken and Barbie Killers. Mahaffy was only 14 when the killer pair sexually assaulted and brutally murdered her.

Although the crime took place in 1991, it still sends shivers down the spines of those who remember the incident. What happened to Leslie? Know all about her as we explore her life details.

Leslie Mahaffy Was Murdered In 1991 

Leslie Mahaffy was only 14 years old when she died. According to the kidnappers, Mahaffy died on June 15, 1991. After the young girl's death, her body was dismembered into pieces by the abductor.

Leslie Mahaffy's memorial stone in Ontario.
Leslie Mahaffy's memorial stone in Ontario. Source: Canadian Military History

Mahaffy's body was found encased in concrete on June 29, 1991. The concrete block was in Lake Gibson near St. Catharines, Ontario, and Leslie's torso found on the block weighed over 200 pounds.

The young victim Leslie was buried at the family headstone at Burlington Memorial Gardens in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. There is also a memorial bench beside the family headstone. In her memory, M.M. Robinson High School where she studied built a heart-shaped garden with a plaque.

What Happened To Leslie Mahaffy?

As aforementioned Leslie Mahaffy was abducted and subsequently murdered. She was returning from the funeral of her friend Chris Evans and three other teens killed in a car accident on the night of the incident. 

Leslie Mahaffy's killer Paul Bernardo.
Leslie Mahaffy's killer Paul Bernardo. Source: Wikipedia

Leslie was accompanied by her friends at around 2 AM to her house when they found the door was locked. She assured her friend that the front door must be unlocked and sent her friend to their house.

But to her surprise, the front door was also locked. Mahaffy went to a nearby phone booth to call her friend for a sleepover but was denied. After a long conversation that ended at 2:30 AM, she decided to wake her own mother.

Leslie's parents locked her out to the response of her staying late outside at night. It is when Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka got their eyes on Leslie. They took her into the car and sexually assaulted her. 

Leslie Mahaffy Was Assaulted For 24 Hours

The videotape that was found on Bernardo and Homolka's house showed that they sexually assaulted Leslie Mahaffy for 24 hours. According to Homolka,  Leslie was entangled with an electrical cord in the second attempt as the first attempt left her unconscious.

As Homolka was a veterinary technician, she had access to sedative drugs. Bernardo sodomized Mahaffy and they left a teddy bear for Mahaffy to hold during break. The Ontario government later destroyed the videotape.

Leslie Mahaffy Family Contacted The Police After Her Friend Told About Being Locked

Mahaffy's friend called Leslie's house asking for her well-being. Her mother Debbie started to get worried as she could not contact her daughter.

Worried Debbie contacted the police and asked them to search for her missing daughter. Debbie was sure that Leslie was in some kind of trouble as she missed contacting home even on her birthday.

Leslie Mahaffy Was A Miracle Child

Yes, Leslie Mahaffy parents who never thought they would see their child were blessed with Leslie on July 5, 1976. Her mother Debbie was treated for a bout of ovarian cancer in her teens and doctors had told her the radiation treatments would permanently impair her ability to have kids.

Leslie Mahaffy's parents Robert and Debbie Mahaffy.
Leslie Mahaffy's parents Robert and Debbie Mahaffy. Source: Digital Archive Canada

However, Mahaffy was born as the eldest child to Debbie, a teacher, and Robert Mahaffy, an oceanographer like Jehane Marie's mother. Robert worked for the Canadian Federal Fisheries and Oceans Department. 

The smart yet stubborn as a child Leslie turned a little rebellious in her teen days and used to run away from the house often. Even so, she used to contact her home.

Leslie Mahaffy Has A Brother 

Leslie Mahaffy's brother Ryan Mahaffy was born seven years later than Leslie. i.e. in 1983. Mahaffy was close with her brother and often used to call Ryan when she ran from home.

Leslie Mahaffy with her brother Ryan.
Leslie Mahaffy with her brother Ryan. Source: Pinterest

Mahaffy loved and cared for her little brother a lot. Even when she was being assaulted, it was reported that Leslie said she wanted to see her brother.

Leslie Mahaffy Dreamt Of Being A Marine Biologist

Being influenced by her father, Leslie Mahaffy dreamt of being a marine biologist when she grew up. However, the untimely death shattered Mahaffy's dream.

If Leslie had achieved her dream, she would be living a comfortable lifestyle. The average salary of a marine biologist is $106,319 per year.

Victim Leslie Mahaffy Wore Braces 

Speaking of physical attributes, Leslie Mahaffy was a blondie and wore braces like Odessa A'zion. The braces later helped to identify her by matching the dental pattern and records.

Leslie Mahaffy was a blondie.
Leslie Mahaffy was a blondie. Source: News AU

When the two fishermen found Leslie's body it was in 10 pieces and encased in blocks of cement. Without the braces, Mahaffy's body identification process would take a little long time.  

Where Is Paul Bernardo Now?

The killer of Leslie Mahaffy, Paul Bernardo is serving in prison right now. After he was arrested, Bernardo was sentenced to life imprisonment and was kept in maximum-security Millhaven Institution in Ontario.

However, the Correctional Service of Canada announced Bernardo would be moved to medium-security La Macaza Institution in Quebec in May 2023. This announcement made quite a controversy.

Many people criticized Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. While some politicians asked for resignations. Speaking of Paul's partner, Karla Homolka was released in 2005 and is believed to be living in Chateauguay.

 

For more reads like this, Visit our site: Married Celeb.

More Biography