John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown

The Darkness Behind the Smile

By Victor J. Fisher

January 10, 2025

John Wayne Gacy murdered at least 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. He buried most of them beneath his own home in suburban Chicago. During those same years, he was a respected businessman, a Democratic Party precinct captain, and a volunteer who entertained children at hospitals as “Pogo the Clown.”

The Gacy case shattered the myth that killers are obvious outsiders. Here was a man embedded in his community, praised by neighbors, and trusted by families whose sons he would murder. His case forces us to confront how effectively evil can hide behind a mask of normalcy.

The Early Years

Gacy was born in 1942 in Chicago. His childhood was marked by a difficult relationship with his father, an alcoholic who was verbally and physically abusive. Despite this troubled home life, Gacy showed ambition. He worked hard, joined community organizations, and sought approval from authority figures.

In 1968, Gacy was convicted of sodomy involving a teenage employee in Iowa. He served 18 months in prison and was paroled in 1970. His wife divorced him and he lost custody of his children. Rather than derail him, this conviction seemed to teach Gacy to be more careful. He moved to the Chicago suburbs and began rebuilding his life and reputation.

By the mid-1970s, Gacy owned a successful construction company. He remarried, bought a home in Des Plaines, and became active in local politics. He hosted elaborate parties and neighborhood gatherings. He performed as Pogo the Clown at charity events and children’s hospitals. To everyone around him, he seemed like an ideal community member.

The Crimes

Gacy’s victims were primarily young men and teenage boys, many of whom he lured with promises of construction work or money. He would invite them to his home, overpower them, sexually assault them, and strangle them with a rope tourniquet he called his “rope trick.”

Most victims ended up in the crawl space beneath his house. When that space filled, he dumped bodies in the Des Plaines River. The smell from the crawl space became noticeable. Gacy blamed it on moisture and dead animals. Workers he employed sometimes commented on the odor. No one connected it to murder.

Gacy selected vulnerable targets. Some were runaways. Some were young men desperate for work. Some were hitchhikers or people he encountered in Chicago’s gay bars. He exploited their vulnerability and their trust.

The Investigation

Despite repeated contact with police over the years, Gacy evaded serious scrutiny until December 1978. That month, 15-year-old Robert Piest disappeared after telling his mother he was going to talk to a contractor about a job. That contractor was John Wayne Gacy.

The resulting investigation connected Gacy to multiple missing persons. Police obtained a search warrant for his home. The smell from the crawl space told them what they would find before they began digging.

Over the following weeks, investigators recovered the remains of 29 victims from beneath Gacy’s house. Additional victims were identified in the river. Some have never been identified. The excavation of Gacy’s crawl space became one of the most extensive forensic recoveries in American history.

The Trial

Gacy’s trial began in February 1980. His defense attempted an insanity plea, arguing that he suffered from multiple personality disorder and was not responsible for his actions. Prosecutors presented evidence that the murders were calculated and that Gacy had taken numerous steps to avoid detection.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Gacy guilty of 33 murders. He was sentenced to death. He spent 14 years on death row, during which he painted clown portraits that some collectors purchased. He maintained his innocence until his execution by lethal injection on May 10, 1994.

Lessons from the Gacy Case

The Gacy case offers several important lessons.

Community Standing Means Nothing

Gacy was a businessman, volunteer, and political organizer. He hosted block parties and entertained sick children. None of this prevented him from being a serial murderer. We cannot judge character by social status or community involvement.

Pay Attention to Warning Signs

Several people noticed concerning behavior from Gacy over the years. Employees smelled decomposition. Neighbors observed young men coming and going. Some victims escaped and reported assaults that were not fully investigated. The collective failure to take these signs seriously allowed Gacy to continue killing.

Vulnerable Populations Face Greater Risk

Gacy targeted young men who were marginalized: runaways, those in financial difficulty, young gay men who might be reluctant to involve police. Predators deliberately select victims whose disappearances will not trigger immediate alarm.

Past Behavior Predicts Future Behavior

Gacy had been convicted of sexual assault against a minor before his murder spree. He served time, was released, and went on to far worse crimes. While not everyone who commits sexual offenses becomes a murderer, a pattern of predatory behavior should never be dismissed.

Identifying the Unknown

One of the ongoing legacies of the Gacy case involves identifying his victims. For decades, several victims remained unknown. Modern DNA technology and genetic genealogy have allowed investigators to identify some of these victims, bringing closure to families who waited years to learn what happened to their sons.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) continues to work on cold cases connected to Gacy. Anyone with information about young men who went missing in the Chicago area during the 1970s is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

The Clown Image

Gacy’s clown persona has become one of the most disturbing elements of his story. The image of a serial killer entertaining children at hospitals horrifies us because it represents the complete divorce between appearance and reality.

It is important to note that clowns are not inherently threatening, and coulrophobia (fear of clowns) should not be attributed to Gacy alone. However, Gacy does illustrate how predators use trusted roles to gain access to victims and deflect suspicion.

Conclusion

John Wayne Gacy died nearly three decades ago, but his case remains relevant. It reminds us that monsters can look like anyone. They can be your neighbor, your contractor, the entertainer at your child’s birthday party. The lesson is not paranoia but awareness.

Trust your instincts. Take warning signs seriously. Remember that those who present the most polished exterior may have the most to hide.

Until next time, stay curious, stay vigilant.

Yours in darkness,

Victor J. Fisher