Episode Summary: The Most Disturbing Case I've Ever Covered – Ken & Barbie Killers Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka

Podcast: Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Host: Ashleigh Banfield
Date: November 29, 2025

Overview

In this gripping episode, veteran crime reporter Ashleigh Banfield delivers a chilling deep dive into the notorious case of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, dubbed the "Ken & Barbie Killers." Drawing on her own experiences covering the case from its beginnings in late 1980s Canada, Ashleigh narrates the rise, horror, and aftermath of one of the most disturbing serial crimes in modern Canadian history. With raw, personal reflections, she explores the complexities of evil, complicity, and justice—revealing how this young, seemingly perfect couple committed unthinkable acts of sadism, violence, and betrayal.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Connection and Historical Context

Timestamp: 00:30–03:30

• Ashleigh recounts how the disappearance of Leslie Mahaffey and Kristen French in the late ‘80s/early ’90s drew her into the world of true crime reporting soon after graduating university.
• The case was uniquely shocking for Canadians, especially given the victims' ages and affluence, and the seeming safety of their neighborhoods.
• As the case progressed, Canadians faced a media blackout, which led journalists like Ashleigh to cross-border sources and “fax machines” for updates.

“There are killers who act alone, and then there are killers who find each other. And when they do, it's a whole new level of evil.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [05:15]

2. Origins of the Ken & Barbie Killers

Timestamp: 03:30–12:30

• Karla Homolka met Paul Bernardo in 1987 when she was 17, he 23.
• Both were well-presented, charismatic, and came from respectable backgrounds, but Paul was secretly already terrorizing Toronto as the “Scarborough Rapist.”
• Their relationship quickly became one of domination and submission, with Carla bending to Paul’s increasingly dark sexual fantasies.

3. The Atrocity Within the Family: The Murder of Tammy Homolka

Timestamp: 12:30–20:00

• Paul’s desire for a “virgin” led to Karla orchestrating the sexual assault—with veterinary tranquilizers—of her own 15-year-old sister, Tammy, as a “gift” to Paul.
• Tammy died during the assault on Christmas Eve, 1990; Paul and Karla staged her death as an accident and grieved alongside the family.

“…Carla killed her sister with the help of her future husband during a rape of her sister on video. Just let that sink in.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [18:15]

4. Escalation: The Killings of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French

Timestamp: 20:00–32:00

Leslie Mahaffy (May–June 1991)

• Abducted, repeatedly raped and tortured over two days. All of it was filmed.
• Body dismembered and encased in concrete blocks, dumped in Lake Gibson—found on the same day as Paul and Karla’s wedding.

Kristen French (April 1992)

• Kidnapped in broad daylight by the couple posing as a lost pair.
• Endured three days of torture, psychological abuse (including being shown footage of Leslie’s torture), and filmed assaults. Ultimately killed by strangulation with an electrical cord.
• Body was found in a ditch; identified by a pre-existing pinky injury.

“Paul tied a noose made from electrical cord around Kristen's neck … and Paul slowly strangled Kristen until she was dead.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [28:03]

• Both crimes stunned Canadian society, dubbed “the schoolgirl murders.”

Disturbing Details

• Paul preferred to record their crimes, referring to recordings as “trophies.”
• Carla's involvement was not passive; on tape, she often appeared as a willing participant.

5. Failings and Breakthroughs in the Police Investigation

Timestamp: 32:00–35:00

• Police had Paul’s DNA on file since 1990 but didn’t process it for two and a half years.
• Delays allowed the couple to kill Tammy, Leslie, Kristen, and assault others before being apprehended.
• Ashleigh highlights how sluggish policing and technology of the era contributed to prolonged horror.

6. The Arrests, Plea Deal, and Infamous Tapes

Timestamp: 35:00–38:00

• After a severe domestic assault landed Carla in the hospital, police connected Paul to the Scarborough Rapist DNA.
• Carla positioned herself as Paul’s abused victim, claiming coercion in the murders.
• With no tapes yet found, prosecutors struck a controversial plea deal: 12 years for Carla in exchange for testimony against Paul, later called “a deal with the devil."
• The murder/rape tapes, hidden in ceiling light fixtures, surfaced too late—showing Carla not as a captive but an eager participant. The deal, however, stood.

“There was no going back. Carla would serve only 12 years, and the entire country was apoplectic.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [38:40]

7. Trials, Sentencing, and Media Blackout

Timestamp: 38:00–41:00

• Judge sealed all records and banned Canadian reporting to avoid prejudicing Paul’s trial.
• Canadians learned case details through American press and word-of-mouth.
• At Bernardo’s trial, only the jury, judge, attorneys, and victims' families could view the tapes; the rest could only listen.

“It was the first time in my career I'd heard that police and journalists … were being offered counseling.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [41:10]

• Paul was convicted and declared a “dangerous offender,” ensuring little hope for parole.

8. Aftermath – Where Are They Now?

Timestamp: 41:00–42:30

• Paul Bernardo remains in maximum-security prison, now at Macaza Institution in Quebec after transfers.
• Carla Homolka was released in 2005, changed her name, moved to Quebec, remarried, and has children—though she is forced to relocate whenever discovered.

“Across Canada and for many who follow this case in the US, they agree with Paul Bernardo's father that Carla got away with murder.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [42:44]

9. Reflections on Evil and Justice

Timestamp: 42:30–43:50

• Ashleigh contemplates the “happy couple” illusion: pure evil can wear the face of normality.
• The case remains seared in her memory as the most disturbing in her career.

“It's easy to think of evil as something obvious, a monster lurking in the dark. But sometimes evil looks like a happy couple smiling in white tie and tails and a princess bride dress.”
— Ashleigh Banfield [43:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Behind their fake plastic facade, they were more twisted than the worst of the worst.” [04:30]
• “She made her own sister the victim … served up to Paul in a sinister plan they would execute on Christmas Eve.” [16:40]
• “While they went about their diabolical plan, Leslie's family was desperate. She'd vanished from their front porch, leaving behind her bike and her glasses.” [23:45]
• “In the press, this became known as a deal with the devil.” [37:40]
• “I would not hear about concern for the mental health of reporters or police for another few decades.” [41:12]

Section Timestamps

• Personal account and context: 00:30–05:30
• Background of Paul and Karla: 05:30–12:30
• Tammy Homolka’s murder: 12:30–20:00
• Leslie Mahaffy’s kidnap/murder: 20:00–25:30
• Kristen French’s kidnap/murder: 25:30–32:00
• Police investigation delays: 32:00–35:00
• Carla’s plea and aftermath: 35:00–38:40
• Trial and sentencing details: 38:40–41:30
• Reflections and aftermath: 41:30–43:50

Tone and Style

Ashleigh Banfield retains her signature blend of journalistic rigor and irreverent candor, pulling no punches as she revisits graphic and emotional details. She moves from personal reflection to vivid reporting, making listeners feel both the horror of the crimes and the failings—and limitations—of justice. The episode is immersive, haunting, and unflinchingly serious throughout.

For those new to the case or to Ashleigh Banfield’s coverage, this episode provides a thorough, deeply personal, and emotionally charged retelling of one of modern true crime’s darkest sagas.