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John Wayne Gacy

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John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy (March 17, 1942 – May 10, 1994) was an American serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured and murdered at least thirty-three young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in Norwood Park Township, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. He became known as the "Killer Clown" due to his public performances as a clown prior to the discovery of his crimes. Gacy committed all of his known murders inside his ranch-style house. Typically, he would lure a victim to his home and dupe them into donning handcuffs on the pretext of demonstrating a magic trick. He would then rape and torture his captive before killing his victim by either asphyxiation or strangulation with a garrote. Twenty-six victims were buried in the crawl space of his home, and three were buried elsewhere on his property; four were discarded in the Des Plaines River. Gacy had previously been convicted in 1968 of the sodomy of a teenage boy in Waterloo, Iowa, and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, but served eighteen months. He murdered his first victim in 1972, had murdered twice more by the end of 1975, and murdered at least thirty victims after his divorce from his second wife in 1976. The investigation into the disappearance of Des Plaines teenager Robert Piest led to Gacy's arrest on December 21, 1978. Gacy's conviction for thirty-three murders (by one individual) then covered the most homicides in United States legal history. Gacy was sentenced to death on March 13, 1980. He was executed by lethal injection at Stateville Correctional Center on May 10, 1994.

Infobox

Born
(1942-03-17)March 17, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, U .
Died
May 10, 1994(1994-05-10) (aged 52) Stateville Correctional Center, Illinois, U .
Other name
The Killer Clown
Criminal status
Executed by lethal injection
Spouses
Marlynn Myers (m. 1964; div. 1969) Carole Hoff (m. 1972; div. 1976)
Children
2
Convictions
Iowa Sodomy Illinois Murder (33 counts) Indecent liberties with a child Deviate sexual assault
Criminal penalty
Death
Victims
33
Span of crimes
1972–1978
Country
United States
States
Illinois Iowa
Date apprehended
December 21, 1978
Imprisoned at
Anamosa State Penitentiary (Iowa) Menard Correctional Center (Illinois)

Tables

· Victims
Timothy Jack McCoy
Timothy Jack McCoy
Name
Timothy Jack McCoy
Age
16
Date of murder
January 3, 1972
Date of identification
May 9, 1986
Recovery number
Body 9
Location recovered
Crawl space
John Butkovich
John Butkovich
Name
John Butkovich
Age
18
Date of murder
July 31, 1975
Date of identification
December 29, 1978
Recovery number
Body 2
Location recovered
Garage
Darrell Julius Samson
Darrell Julius Samson
Name
Darrell Julius Samson
Age
18
Date of murder
April 6, 1976
Date of identification
November 18, 1979
Recovery number
Body 29
Location recovered
Dining room
Randall Wayne Reffett
Randall Wayne Reffett
Name
Randall Wayne Reffett
Age
15
Date of murder
May 14, 1976
Date of identification
April 12, 1979
Recovery number
Body 7
Location recovered
Crawl space
Samuel G. Dodd Stapleton
Samuel G. Dodd Stapleton
Name
Samuel G. Dodd Stapleton
Age
14
Date of murder
May 14, 1976
Date of identification
November 14, 1979
Recovery number
Body 6
Location recovered
Crawl space
Michael Lawrence Bonnin
Michael Lawrence Bonnin
Name
Michael Lawrence Bonnin
Age
17
Date of murder
June 3, 1976
Date of identification
January 6, 1979
Recovery number
Body 18
Location recovered
Crawl space
William Huey Carroll Jr.
William Huey Carroll Jr.
Name
William Huey Carroll Jr.
Age
16
Date of murder
June 13, 1976
Date of identification
March 17, 1979
Recovery number
Body 22
Location recovered
Crawl space
James Byron Haakenson
James Byron Haakenson
Name
James Byron Haakenson
Age
16
Date of murder
August 5, 1976
Date of identification
July 19, 2017
Recovery number
Body 24
Location recovered
Crawl space
Rick Louis Johnston
Rick Louis Johnston
Name
Rick Louis Johnston
Age
17
Date of murder
August 6, 1976
Date of identification
January 1, 1979
Recovery number
Body 23
Location recovered
Crawl space
Kenneth Ray Parker
Kenneth Ray Parker
Name
Kenneth Ray Parker
Age
16
Date of murder
October 24, 1976
Date of identification
March 29, 1980
Recovery number
Body 15
Location recovered
Crawl space
Michael M. Marino
Michael M. Marino
Name
Michael M. Marino
Age
14
Date of murder
October 24, 1976
Date of identification
Body 14
Recovery number
Crawl space
William George Bundy
William George Bundy
Name
William George Bundy
Age
19
Date of murder
October 26, 1976
Date of identification
November 29, 2011
Recovery number
Body 19
Location recovered
Crawl space
Francis Wayne Alexander
Francis Wayne Alexander
Name
Francis Wayne Alexander
Age
21
Date of murder
c. December 1, 1976
Date of identification
October 25, 2021
Recovery number
Body 5
Location recovered
Crawl space
Gregory John Godzik
Gregory John Godzik
Name
Gregory John Godzik
Age
17
Date of murder
December 12, 1976
Date of identification
December 29, 1978
Recovery number
Body 4
Location recovered
Crawl space
John Alan Szyc
John Alan Szyc
Name
John Alan Szyc
Age
19
Date of murder
January 20, 1977
Date of identification
Body 3
Recovery number
Crawl space
Jon Steven Prestidge
Jon Steven Prestidge
Name
Jon Steven Prestidge
Age
20
Date of murder
March 15, 1977
Date of identification
January 6, 1979
Recovery number
Body 1
Location recovered
Crawl space
Matthew Walter Bowman
Matthew Walter Bowman
Name
Matthew Walter Bowman
Age
19
Date of murder
July 5, 1977
Date of identification
January 29, 1979
Recovery number
Body 8
Location recovered
Crawl space
Robert Edward Gilroy Jr.
Robert Edward Gilroy Jr.
Name
Robert Edward Gilroy Jr.
Age
18
Date of murder
September 15, 1977
Date of identification
January 6, 1979
Recovery number
Body 25
Location recovered
Crawl space
John Antheney Mowery
John Antheney Mowery
Name
John Antheney Mowery
Age
19
Date of murder
September 25, 1977
Date of identification
January 27, 1979
Recovery number
Body 20
Location recovered
Crawl space
Russell Lloyd Nelson
Russell Lloyd Nelson
Name
Russell Lloyd Nelson
Age
21
Date of murder
October 17, 1977
Date of identification
January 6, 1979
Recovery number
Body 16
Location recovered
Crawl space
Robert David Winch
Robert David Winch
Name
Robert David Winch
Age
16
Date of murder
November 10, 1977
Date of identification
September 11, 1979
Recovery number
Body 11
Location recovered
Crawl space
Tommy Joseph Boling
Tommy Joseph Boling
Name
Tommy Joseph Boling
Age
20
Date of murder
November 18, 1977
Date of identification
Body 12
Recovery number
Crawl space
David Paul Talsma
David Paul Talsma
Name
David Paul Talsma
Age
19
Date of murder
December 9, 1977
Date of identification
November 16, 1979
Recovery number
Body 17
Location recovered
Crawl space
William Wayne Kindred
William Wayne Kindred
Name
William Wayne Kindred
Age
19
Date of murder
February 16, 1978
Date of identification
May 16, 1979
Recovery number
Body 27
Location recovered
Crawl space
Timothy David O'Rourke
Timothy David O'Rourke
Name
Timothy David O'Rourke
Age
20
Date of murder
June 16–23, 1978
Date of identification
January 9, 1979
Recovery number
Body 31
Location recovered
Des Plaines River
Frank William Landingin
Frank William Landingin
Name
Frank William Landingin
Age
19
Date of murder
November 4, 1978
Date of identification
November 14, 1978
Recovery number
Body 32
Location recovered
Des Plaines River
James Mazzara
James Mazzara
Name
James Mazzara
Age
20
Date of murder
November 24, 1978
Date of identification
December 30, 1978
Recovery number
Body 33
Location recovered
Des Plaines River
Robert Jerome Piest
Robert Jerome Piest
Name
Robert Jerome Piest
Age
15
Date of murder
December 11, 1978
Date of identification
April 9, 1979
Recovery number
Body 30
Location recovered
Des Plaines River
Name
Age
Date of murder
Date of identification
Recovery number
Location recovered
Timothy Jack McCoy
16
January 3, 1972
May 9, 1986
Body 9
Crawl space
John Butkovich
18
July 31, 1975
December 29, 1978
Body 2
Garage
Darrell Julius Samson
18
April 6, 1976
November 18, 1979
Body 29
Dining room
Randall Wayne Reffett
15
May 14, 1976
April 12, 1979
Body 7
Crawl space
Samuel G. Dodd Stapleton
14
May 14, 1976
November 14, 1979
Body 6
Crawl space
Michael Lawrence Bonnin
17
June 3, 1976
January 6, 1979
Body 18
Crawl space
William Huey Carroll Jr.
16
June 13, 1976
March 17, 1979
Body 22
Crawl space
James Byron Haakenson
16
August 5, 1976
July 19, 2017
Body 24
Crawl space
Rick Louis Johnston
17
August 6, 1976
January 1, 1979
Body 23
Crawl space
Kenneth Ray Parker
16
October 24, 1976
March 29, 1980
Body 15
Crawl space
Michael M. Marino
14
October 24, 1976
Body 14
Crawl space
William George Bundy
19
October 26, 1976
November 29, 2011
Body 19
Crawl space
Francis Wayne Alexander
21
c. December 1, 1976
October 25, 2021
Body 5
Crawl space
Gregory John Godzik
17
December 12, 1976
December 29, 1978
Body 4
Crawl space
John Alan Szyc
19
January 20, 1977
Body 3
Crawl space
Jon Steven Prestidge
20
March 15, 1977
January 6, 1979
Body 1
Crawl space
Matthew Walter Bowman
19
July 5, 1977
January 29, 1979
Body 8
Crawl space
Robert Edward Gilroy Jr.
18
September 15, 1977
January 6, 1979
Body 25
Crawl space
John Antheney Mowery
19
September 25, 1977
January 27, 1979
Body 20
Crawl space
Russell Lloyd Nelson
21
October 17, 1977
January 6, 1979
Body 16
Crawl space
Robert David Winch
16
November 10, 1977
September 11, 1979
Body 11
Crawl space
Tommy Joseph Boling
20
November 18, 1977
Body 12
Crawl space
David Paul Talsma
19
December 9, 1977
November 16, 1979
Body 17
Crawl space
William Wayne Kindred
19
February 16, 1978
May 16, 1979
Body 27
Crawl space
Timothy David O'Rourke
20
June 16–23, 1978
January 9, 1979
Body 31
Des Plaines River
Frank William Landingin
19
November 4, 1978
November 14, 1978
Body 32
Des Plaines River
James Mazzara
20
November 24, 1978
December 30, 1978
Body 33
Des Plaines River
Robert Jerome Piest
15
December 11, 1978
April 9, 1979
Body 30
Des Plaines River

References

  1. Gacy's father would drink alone in the family basement almost every evening before dinner, where his family would freque
  2. Gacy attended Cooley Vocational High School, but transferred to Prosser Vocational High School after one year. He droppe
  3. Gacy later claimed to have engaged in acts of necrophilia twice while he worked at Palm Mortuary. He claimed the bodies
  4. Gacy successfully hid his criminal record from friends, neighbors, business associates and political acquaintances; they
  5. Carole would later state that during their marriage, Gacy "rarely" slept more than two hours per night.
  6. Hoping to reconcile, Gacy and Carole began dating again in late 1977, but she became engaged to another man the followin
  7. In September 1978, Gacy was also appointed as vice president of RaphCo Incorporated, a contracting firm owned by a busin
  8. The same month, Gacy became engaged to a woman he had been dating for three months, who moved into his house. In June of
  9. Prior to restraining some of his later victims, Gacy cryptically referred to his ultimate intention to murder his intend
  10. Dean Corll, with two teenage accomplices, had used a board fitted with handcuffs at each corner to restrain teenage male
  11. Some investigators believe that Gacy engaged in acts of necrophilia with his victims.
  12. Gacy's fiancée and stepdaughters were visiting relatives in Kennicott Grove at the time of this first murder.
  13. Gacy had a scar on his arm to support this account.
  14. Some transcripts of the numerous confessions and statements Gacy gave to investigators immediately following his arrest
  15. Gacy's wife and stepdaughters were visiting his younger sister in Arkansas at the time.
  16. Because Haakenson and Johnston disappeared just twenty-four hours apart and their bones were commingled, they may have b
  17. Cram also informed investigators in this interview Gacy had allowed him to retain a driver's license belonging to a DeVr
  18. Schultz initially believed this odor to source from a broken sewage pipe.
  19. Recreational use of cannabis was illegal in the state of Illinois prior to 2020.
  20. Police did confiscate sophisticated movie camera equipment from Gacy's property. However, no conclusive evidence exists
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