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GACY John Wayne

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“ A clown can get away with murder. „

Biography[]

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Find sources: "John Gacy" – news · books · scholar · JSTOR

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1942 to a Polish father and a Danish-Scottish mother, John was the second child of three, but the only boy. All of the Gacy children attended parochial school and Catholic church community. John was well liked by his teachers, held various part-time jobs, and was an active member of the Boy Scouts. Although his relationship with his father was strained because John could never gain his approval, along with the father being abusive, and some serious medical problems (a clot in the brain undiscovered from age eleven to sixteen, at seventeen unspecific heart troubles) his childhood was relatively normal.[2]

After an unhappy experience in Las Vegas, early in the peace and love generation of the 1960s he enrolled in college in Chicago and gained a degree in business. During this time he excelled at the art of selling. After promotions and accolades at his new job, Gacy settled down, got married, ending up managing a Kentucky Fried Chicken for his father in law.  In 1968, Gacy was convicted of molesting a minor working for him at Kentucky Fried Chicken.[2]

This was the beginning of what would be one of the most notorious killers in American history. He served 18 months in prison during which time his wife divorced him. After serving his time, John remarried, became heavily involved with the Jaycees, had three children, and was viewed as a fine upstanding member of society. What no one knew was that he was homosexual, and preferred violent homosexual sexual relations to heterosexual relations.[2]

Gacy went on to murder 33 boys from 1975 to 1978, hiding them in the crawlspace of his house. He hired young boys to spread lime around his basement to deal with the odor of decay. Even though there were bodies under the house, this did not stop John from having barbeques with the mayor attending among other prominent people in town. If anyone questioned the smell, it was explained away as a sewage problem.[2]

Death[]

Gacy spent his final days in an Illinois prison and was put to death by lethal injection on May 10, 1994, at the age of 52. His final meal consisted of fried chicken, french fries, fresh strawberries, and a soft drink. According to WTVR, his last words were "kiss my ass,"[3] but this was not corroborated by witnesses.[4]

His remains were cremated, and the ashes were given to the family. The Chicago-based psychiatrist Dr. Helen Morrison is currently in possession of Gacy's preserved brain. Dr. Morrison spent about 50 hours with Gacy at Cermak Hospital before his trial and was given the brain to see if there was perhaps a physical reason that could help explain what drove Gacy to murder 33 boys and young men, according to the Chicago Tribune.[5]

Victims[]

Confirmed victims[]

# Name Age Date of Death Cause of Death Recovery number Recovery location
1 Timothy McCoy 16 January 3, 1972 Stabbing Body 9 Crawlspace
2 John Doe #28 14-18 1974 Strangulation Body 28 Backyard, under BBQ pit
3 John Butkovich 18 July 31, 1975 Body 2 Garage
4 Darrell Samson 18 April 6, 1976 Body 29 Dining room
5 Randall Reffett 15 May 14, 1976 Body 7 Crawlspace
6 Sam Stapleton 14 May 14, 1976 Body 6 Crawlspace
7 Michael Bonnin 17 June 3, 1976 Strangulation Body 18 Crawlspace
8 William Carroll 16 June 13, 1976 Body 22 Crawlspace
9 John Doe #26 23-30 June–August 1976 Body 26 Crawlspace
10 James Haakenson 16 August 5, 1976 Body 24 Crawlspace
11 Rick Johnston 17 August 6, 1976 Body 23 Crawlspace
12 John Doe #13 17-22 Summer or fall 1976 Body 13 Crawlspace
13 John Doe #21 15-24 Summer or fall 1976 Body 21 Crawlspace
14 Kenneth Parker 16 October 25, 1976 Strangulation Body 15 Crawlspace
15 Michael Marino[note 3] 14 October 25, 1976 Strangulation Body 14 Crawlspace
16 William Bundy 19 October 26, 1976 Body 19 Crawlspace
17 Wayne Alexander 21 c. December 1976 Body 5 Crawlspace
18 Gregory Godzik 17 December 12, 1976 Body 4 Crawlspace
19 John Szyc 19 January 20, 1977 Body 3 Crawlspace
20 Jon Prestidge 20 March 15, 1977 Body 1 Crawlspace
21 John Doe #10 17-21 Spring or summer 1977 Body 10 Crawlspace
22 Matthew Bowman 19 July 5, 1977 Body 8 Crawlspace
23 Robert Gilroy 18 September 15, 1977 Body 25 Crawlspace
24 John Mowery 19 September 25, 1977 Body 20 Crawlspace
25 Russell Nelson 21 October 17, 1977 Body 16 Crawlspace
26 Robert Winch 16 November 10, 1977 Body 11 Crawlspace
27 Tommy Boling 20 November 18, 1977 Body 12 Crawlspace
28 David Talsma 19 December 9, 1977 Body 17 Crawlspace
29 William Kindred 19 February 16, 1978 Body 27 Crawlspace
30 Timothy O'Rourke 20 June 1978 Body 31 Des Plaines River
31 Frank Landingin 19 November 4, 1978 Body 32 Des Plaines River
32 James Mazzara 20 November 24, 1978 Body 33 Des Plaines River
33 Robert Piest 15 December 11, 1978 Body 30 Des Plaines River

Survivors[]

Name Age Date of Attack
Donald Voorhees, Jr. 15 August 1967
Tony[6] 15 1970
Anthony Antonucci 15 July 1975
David Cram 18 August 22, 1976
Robert Donnelly 19 December 30, 1977
Jeffrey Rignall 26 March 21, 1978
Jack Merrill[7] 19 1978
Steve Nemmers[8]

Suspected victims[]

Name Age Disappeared Body Found Cause of Death
Rickey Enochs 18 June 30, 1977
Charles Hattula 25 May 13, 1978 May 23, 1978 Drowning

Retired Chicago police officer Bill Dorsch also stated he had reason to believe there might be more victims buried in the grounds of the apartment building located at the 6100 block of West Miami Avenue in Chicago — a property where Gacy is known to have been the caretaker for several years before his 1978 arrest.[9]

Timeline[]

Timeline Incomplete
This article has an Incomplete Timeline. You can help Serial Killer Database Wiki by expanding it. (August 24, 2024)
Date Age Event
March 17, 1942 0 John Wayne Gacy is born.
March 4, 1968 25 Gacy is convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage boys in Waterloo, Iowa, and is sentenced to 10 years at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
June 18, 1970 28 Gacy is granted parole after serving 18 months of his 10-year sentence.
January 3, 1972 29 Gacy commits his first murder. Timothy McCoy, a 16-year-old, becomes his first victim.
July 31, 1975 33 John Butkovich, 18, disappears after an argument with Gacy over unpaid wages.
December 11, 1978 36 Robert Piest, a 15-year-old boy, disappears after last being seen with Gacy. This leads police to investigate Gacy, making him a suspect.
December 21, 1978 John Gacy is apprehended.
February 6, 1980 37 Gacy is found guilty of 33 murders and is sentenced to death.
February 15, 1983 43 John Gacy is stabbed once in the upper left arm by fellow inmate Henry Brisbon at Menard Correctional Center.[10]
May 10, 1994 52 Is executed by lethal injection.

Bibliography[]

Literature[]

  • Gacy, John Wayne (1995). A Question of Doubt: The John Wayne Gacy Story, Craig Bowley Consultants. ISBN 978-1878865038
  • Sullivan, Terry; Peter Maiken (2000). Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders, Pinnacle. ISBN 978-0786014224
  • Amirante, Sam L.; Danny Broderick (2011). John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster: The True Story of the Lawyer Who Defended One of the Most Evil Serial Killers in History,. ISBN 978-1632203632
  • Conti, Karen (March 26, 2024). Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy: Defending America's Most Evil Serial Killer on Death Row, Black Lyon Publishing. ISBN 979-8986512471

Articles[]

Documentaries[]

Television[]

YouTube Documentaries[]

Podcasts[]

In popular culture[]

Film adaptations[]

Trivia[]

  • In 1978, actor Jack Merrill claimed he was kidnapped, assaulted, and later released by John Wayne Gacy, who gave him his phone number afterward; Merrill didn't report it, unaware Gacy was a killer.[14][7]
  • Disgraced Nickelodeon dialogue/acting coach & producer Brian Peck had a pen pal relationship with John Wayne Gacy.[15][16]

Related Articles[]

See also[]

Links[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Sometimes called Carole Lofgren.
  2. ↑ Execution Chamber With Viewing Window At A Prison. Gettyimages.
  3. ↑ Identification disputed.
  4. ↑ 8213 refers to Gacy's home address, which was 8213 West Summerdale, Norwood Park Township, Illinois, United States
  5. ↑ Working title. Initial reports say it will be John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise[13]

References[]

  1. ↑ John Wayne Gacy Reveals the Infamous Rope Trick on YouTube
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 John Wayne Gacy. Clark County Prosecutor.
  3. ↑ Alix Bryan (January 17, 2013). "HOLMBERG: Killer’s final words – "Kiss my ass" – not original among executed.". WTVR. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022.
  4. ↑ Gacys last words confirmed by witnesses on YouTube
  5. ↑ Jane Fritsch (May 29, 2004). "Psychiatrist has Gacy's brain in her basement". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018.
  6. ↑ John Gacy Survivor interview-Tony, Soft White Underbelly on YouTube
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lauren McIver (October 25 2024). Hollywood Actor Reveals He Was Kidnapped and Raped by Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy Aged 19. Radar Online.
  8. ↑ Viswa Vanapalli (April 19, 2022). "Where is Steve Nemmers Now?". TheCinemaholic.
  9. ↑ Steve Mills (March 30, 2012). "Sheriff barred from digging for more Gacy victims". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Gacy stabbed by another death row inmate". United Press International Archives (February 15, 1983).
  11. ↑ John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise trailer, Peacock Youtube
  12. ↑ Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes trailer, Netflix
  13. ↑ John Squires (June 20, 2024). Michael Chernus Playing John Wayne Gacy in Peacock’s ‘Devil in Disguise’. Bloody Disgusting.
  14. ↑ I Survived the John Wayne Gacy Murders, People on YouTube
  15. ↑ Mollie Quirk (March 18, 2024). Disgraced Nickelodeon coach Brian Peck was pen pals with serial killer and boasted to little kids. The Mirror.
  16. ↑ Former Nickelodeon child star alleges connection between producer and Chicago serial killer John Wayne Gacy. NBC Chicago (March 18, 2024).
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