- Serial killer Aileen Wuornos was legally adopted at age 35 by Arlene Pralle in 1991 while incarcerated for murder.
- Arlene, a born-again Christian, claimed that Jesus had personally instructed her to contact and support Wuornos.
- Despite the horrific crimes, Arlene and her husband Robert initially defended Wuornos and believed she was not a serial killer.
- The strange relationship is explored in multiple documentaries, including Netflix’s Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers.
The chilling saga of Aileen Wuornos, the infamous serial killer who murdered seven men in Florida, has captivated true-crime enthusiasts for decades. But one of the most bizarre and often overlooked chapters of her life is her legal adoption at age 35 by a devout Christian woman, Arlene Pralle. This shocking and complex relationship adds another layer to a story already steeped in tragedy and violence.
A Divine Calling or a Bizarre Obsession?
In 1991, while Aileen Wuornos was in jail awaiting trial, 44-year-old Arlene Pralle felt a divine calling. A born-again Christian and horse farmer, Arlene claimed she was “completely prompted by God to reach out” to the accused killer. Her conviction was so strong that her first letter to Wuornos was startlingly direct. “I told her, ‘You’re going to think I’m crazy, but Jesus himself told me to write to you,’ ” Arlene stated in the 1992 documentary Aileen: The Selling of a Serial Killer.
This message resonated deeply with Wuornos, who had reportedly prayed for God to send a “Christian woman” to help her. An intense bond formed almost instantly. Arlene made weekly visits to the jail and spoke with Aileen every night, racking up what the Los Angeles Times reported as “$4,000 in phone bills.” Despite the mounting evidence, Arlene was steadfast in her belief. “In my heart, I know that Lee is not a serial killer,” she told the paper, using the nickname she and her husband had for Aileen.
The Unlikely Adoption of ‘Lee’
Arlene and her husband, Robert, officially adopted Aileen in November 1991, convinced they were providing the family she never had. “The reason we did it is we want her to know what it feels like to have a family that really cares about her,” Arlene explained to the Tampa Bay Times. “We are her legal mother and father.”
Arlene, who was adopted herself, seemed to identify with Aileen’s traumatic past and expressed a deep desire to offer her unconditional love. The couple publicly defended Aileen, insisting she had a “heart of gold” and that her case was being mishandled.
Life Beyond the Headlines
Decades after Wuornos was executed in 2002, Arlene Pralle leads a quiet life in Florida with Robert, her husband of over 50 years. Her public Instagram profile paints a picture of a devoted animal lover, filled with posts about her cats and horses. One post celebrating her husband reads, “I cannot believe this wonderful man put up with me all these years… And not only me but every furry or feathered friend I came home with.”
The strange relationship ultimately frayed, but it remains one of the most compelling and unsettling footnotes in modern criminal history, proving that the search for human connection can lead to the most unexpected and darkest of places.