Arlene and Robert Pralle adopted Aileen Wuornos in 1991, when she was 35 and jailed after her arrest in connection with seven men's deaths. They said they wanted her to know a caring family and stood by her after her conviction and death sentence.
Arlene said she felt God prompted her to write to Wuornos in prison after learning of her arrest; she said guilt or innocence did not change her view that Wuornos deserved a friend. Arlene visited weekly and spoke with her nightly by phone. The Los Angeles Times reported the calls led to a $4,000 phone bill.
Wuornos confessed to fatally shooting seven male clients from 1989 to 1990, but was charged with first-degree murder in six men's deaths. At trial, she said she had acted in self-defense after the men raped or tried to rape her. She was executed by lethal injection in 2002.
