JOHN WAYNE GACYTHE KILLER CLOWN

Background

Born March 17, 1942 in Chicago Middle child Father was a drunk Father would abuse his family Gacy never cried during his father’s tantrums Heart condition kept him from playing with

other kids at school Enjoyed gardening, cooking, and baking,

which upset his father Father saw heart condition as a failure Confused about his sexuality

Background

Fast-food chain manager in the 60s Self-made building contractor in 70s Dressed as a clown for community events Married and divorced twice, had

biological and step children

Crimes

Crime Year Victims Punishment

Sexual assault 1968 2 teenage boys 10 years in prison, released in 1970 for good behavior

Sexual Assault 1971 Teenage boy Charges dropped

Murder 1972 Timothy McCoy

Murder 1974 Unidentified teenage boy

Murder 1976 Darrel Sampson

Murder 1976 Michael Bonnin

Murder 1976 William Carrol

Crimes

Crime Year Victim Punishment

Murder 1976 4 undidentified males

Murder 1976 2 teenage boys

Murder 1976 Gregory Godzik

Kidnapped and murder

1976 Kenneth Parker and Michael Marino

Murder 1977 John Szyc

Murder 1977 2 unidentified teenage boys

Murder 1977 Jon Prestidge

Crimes

Crime Year Victim Punishment

Murder 1977 Matthew Bowman

Murder 1977 Robert Gilroy

Murder 1977 John Mowery

Murder 1977 Russel Nelson

Murder 1977 Robert Winch

Murder 1977 Tommy Boling

Murder 1977 David Talsma

Crimes

Crime Year Victim Punishment

Rape, torture 1977 Robert Donnelly No charges, convinced police it was consensual

Murder 1978 William Kindred

Battery 1978 Jeffrey Rignall arrested

Murder 1978 Timothy O’Rourke

Murder 1978 Frank Landingin

Murder 1978 James Mazzara

Last Crime

Des Plaines, Illinois 1978 15 year old Robert Piest goes missing Mother tells police he was last seen going to Gacy’s house

for a job interview December 21, 1978: Police search Gacy’s house and find

evidence of many crimes (class ring, clothing too small for Gacy, various drivers licenses, handcuffs, books on homosexuality)

Police also found a photo receipt from the pharmacy where Piest worked

Arrest

December 22, 1978: Gacy confesses to committing 25-30 murders

Majority of victims buried in a crawlspace beneath the house, others thrown into the Des Plaines River

Brought to trial February 6, 1980, charged with 33 murders

Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic at Menard Correctional Center

Pled not guilty by reason of insanity Sentenced to 12 death sentences and 21 natural life

sentences Also convicted of sexual assault and taking indecent

liberties with a child

May 9, 1994

Moved to Statesville Correctional Center Final words spoken were “Kiss my ass” Lethal injection Confirmed dead at 12:58 AM on May 10

Art Work

Cultural References

To Catch a Killer (movie 1992) Gacy (movie 2003) 8213:Gacy House (movie 2010) American Horror Story: Freak Show Twisty

the Clown (tv show 2014)

Labeling Theory/ Social Control Theory

Growing up, Gacy’s dad labeled him as a failure. Because of his sexual preferences and heart condition, he ade Gacy feel like he was different from everyone else. Gacy collapsed under the pressure of trying to live up to his father’s expectations. This caused his to just believe what his dad said was true; he was a failure. The psychological damage caused by his father led him to commit these terrible crimes. Gacy wanted to seem normal to his community and he wanted people to like him, so he could also fall under the social control theory. He was involved in the community, so everyone liked him. However he could not escape the shadow of shame his father put on him for being different as a child. This led him to become the sick serial killer he was. If his father wouldn’t have been so hard on him as a child, maybe his life would have turned out differently and he would still be around today.