John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy was an American serial killer who murdered at least 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. He earned the nickname "Killer Clown" because he entertained at children's parties and charitable events. Gacy was executed in 1994, making him one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54517673)

Born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Gacy grew up in a troubled home with an alcoholic father. He married twice, had children, and built a successful contracting business. On the surface he appeared to be a model citizen — a Democrat precinct captain who had his photo taken with First Lady Rosalynn Carter in 1978, a community organizer, and a man who painted clown portraits.

Gacy's first known murder occurred in January 1972 when he killed Timothy McCoy, a 16-year-old from Michigan who had come to Chicago. Between 1972 and 1978, Gacy murdered at least 33 young men and boys, burying most of their bodies in the crawl space beneath his house in Norwood Park Township. Many of his victims were young men he had lured with promises of construction work or money. He would later claim some of his victims deserved to die because they were "male prostitutes."

The investigation began in December 1978 after 15-year-old Robert Piest disappeared after going to meet Gacy about a construction job. When police searched Gacy's home, they detected the smell of decomposition, which led to the discovery of bodies in the crawl space. Gacy was arrested on December 21, 1978. Twenty-nine bodies were eventually found at his property; four more victims had been dumped in the Des Plaines River. [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/john-wayne-gacy-executed-illinois-1994)

Gacy confessed to the killings and assisted investigators in locating bodies. He claimed his second personality, "Jack Hanley," was responsible for the murders. Despite subsequent efforts to identify all victims, some remained unidentified for decades. In 2021, investigators announced the identification of additional victims using advanced DNA technology. [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2021/10/14/1046090547/john-wayne-gacy-victims-identified)

Gacy's trial began on February 6, 1980, in Chicago. His defense attorneys argued insanity, presenting testimony from psychiatrists who claimed he had multiple personality disorder. Prosecutors countered with their own experts and evidence of Gacy's methodical behavior — he had buried victims in his crawl space, hired employees to dig trenches, and carefully disposed of evidence. [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/us/john-wayne-gacy-fast-facts/index.html)

On March 13, 1980, after just two hours of deliberation, the jury convicted Gacy of all 33 counts of murder — the most murder convictions in U.S. history at that time. He was sentenced to death for 12 of the murders and received additional life sentences for the remaining counts.

Gacy spent 14 years on death row, filing numerous appeals that were all denied. During his incarceration, he became a prolific painter, selling clown portraits and other artwork. He maintained until his death that he was innocent or that his victims deserved their fate.

On May 10, 1994, John Wayne Gacy was executed by lethal injection at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois. His last meal consisted of fried chicken, French fries, and fresh strawberries. His final words were "kiss my ass." [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/john-wayne-gacy-executed-illinois-1994)

Following his execution, Gacy's brain was removed and given to Helen Morrison, a psychiatrist who had interviewed many serial killers. Studies found no abnormalities. As of 2021, investigators were still working to identify all of Gacy's victims using modern DNA technology. [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/10/25/gacy-victims-identified/)