The Gacy Murders

The John Wayne Gacy Murders (1972–1978)John Wayne Gacy – known as the “Killer Clown” – was one of America’s most prolific serial killers. Between 1972 and 1978 he sexually assaulted, tortured, and murdered at least 33 young men and boys in the Chicago area. Most victims were buried in the crawl space under his house; others were dumped in the Des Plaines River when he ran out of room.Victim Summary

Total confirmed victims	33
Known victims identified	27
Still unidentified (as of 2025)	6
Age range	14–21 (most were 16–19)
Method of killing	Almost always asphyxiation with a rope tourniquet (“rope trick”); many were stabbed as well

Key Timeline

Year	Key Events
1972	First known murder: Timothy McCoy (16), stabbed after Gacy picked him up at a bus terminal
1976	Second murder: John Butkovich (17), an employee who demanded back pay
1972–1978	Murder rate accelerated; sometimes 3–4 victims per month in 1977–1978
Dec 11, 1978	Disappearance of Robert Piest (15) – the case that finally led police to Gacy
Dec 21, 1978	Gacy arrested after police find evidence in his house
Dec 22–29, 1978	Excavation begins: 29 bodies recovered from crawl space and property
1979	4 more bodies recovered from Des Plaines River

Identified Victims (27 of 33)

Timothy McCoy (1972)
John Butkovich (1976)
Darrell Sampson (1976)
Randall Reffett (1976)
Samuel Stapleton (1976)
Michael Bonnin (1976)
William Carroll (1976)
Rick Johnston (1976)
Gregory Godzik (1976)
John Szyc (1977)
John Prestige (1977)
Matthew Bowman (1977)
Robert Gilroy (1977)
Russell Nelson (1977)
David Talsma (1977)
William Kindred (1978)
Timothy O’Rourke (1978)
Frank Landingin (1978)
James Mazzara (1978)
Robert Piest (1978)
21–27. Identified later through DNA (2009–2021):
• William Bundy (1976)
• Kenneth Parker (1977)
• Michael Marino (1976)
• Francis Alexander (1976)
• John Mowery (1977)
• James Haakenson (1976)
• Andrew Kolar (1977)

Six victims still unidentified as of November 2025 (labeled Bodies 10, 13, 21, 23, 24, 26 in the crawl space). Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart reopened the case in 2011 and has used modern DNA techniques, but these six remain John Does.Who Was John Wayne Gacy?

Born 1942 in Chicago, abusive alcoholic father.
Successful building contractor, active in Democratic politics, performed as “Pogo the Clown” at children’s parties.
Twice married, outwardly “normal” suburban life in Norwood Park Township.
Previous conviction: 1968 sodomy of a teenage boy in Iowa (served 18 months).
Used handcuffs (“handcuff trick”), torture board, and rope to kill victims after luring them with promises of construction jobs, alcohol, drugs, or money.

Arrest, Trial, and Execution

Arrested December 21, 1978; confessed within days.
Trial: February–March 1980 – pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Convicted on all 33 counts of murder.
Sentenced to death; spent 14 years on death row at Menard Correctional Center.
Executed by lethal injection on May 10, 1994 (age 52). His last words: “Kiss my ass.”

Legacy and Recent Developments (2020s)

House at 8213 W. Summerdale Ave was demolished in 1979; site is now a quiet residential lot.
Netflix’s 2022 docuseries Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes renewed public interest.
DNA efforts continue: In 2021, the Sheriff’s office identified Francis Alexander after 45 years.
As of 2025, the six unidentified victims are still the focus of ongoing genealogical work.

Gacy remains one of the most chilling examples of the “mask of sanity” – a seemingly ordinary, even respected member of society who was secretly a monster.