John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown

By Gisela K.

John Wayne Gacy was a prolific American serial killer who buried most of his victims in the crawlspace under his house in Cook County, Illinois. What started as an investigation to find one missing teenager ended up being one of the most disturbing true crime cases in history.

With 27 victims found buried mud under his house, 2 elsewhere on his property, and 4 recovered from the Des Plaines River, Gacy had quickly become the most frightening and least funny clown and serial killer that had ever lived. While he mostly dressed up as a police officer while he was cruising for victims, it was his work as a registered clown at children’s parties and his charming trickery that earned him the title of “The Killer Clown”. He had learned many tricks and charms to con his victims into the rope and handcuffs that would end their life, using what he called “the rope trick” to strangle them to death as he read them passages from the Bible. A sadistic sexual predator with an insatiable need to belittle, torture, and violate young boys and men- this case is hauntingly unforgettable and disturbing in every sense.

When he was caught in December 1978 following a complacent slip-up in target selection, he displayed no signs of remorse for what he had done, instead, blaming his victims for killing themselves and using his fourteen years on death row to prove his innocence. He was a businessman, politician, community leader, family man, and friend who shocked the world with the evil and depravity that nobody knew he was capable of.
What exactly did the man who holds the record for having the longest sentence ever imposed on a mass murderer get up to? Let’s investigate!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gisela K.
• Release date: Jan 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005053970

Gisela K.

Welcome to this True Crime series by Grizzly Books, where we will study the lives and minds of the world’s most prolific serial killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, Ed Kemper, Samuel Little, John Wayne Gacy, and many more.Each serial killer’s story is unique, and I look forward to discovering the details with you. The style of the series is in the classic cut-and-dry factual narrative that True Crime fans enjoy, leaving out distractions, opinions, and unnecessary embellishments. You can find me on anchor.fm/grizzly-books for Podcast discussions on each book!I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!Gisela K.

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John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown

A True Crime Case Study

The Serial Killer Series

Copyright © 2021 by Grizzly Books

Published by Grizzly Books

Cover Design by Raphael Eschmann

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

For permission requests, please contact: [e-mail]

While the author has made every effort to ensure that all content is as factual, accurate, and as up to date as possible, neither the publisher nor the author will be held responsible for any inaccuracies. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

Warning: Graphic content only suitable for adults.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE SERIES

A POEM ABOUT JOHN WAYNE GACY

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: CASE FACTS

ASSAULT OF EDWARD LYNCH

ASSAULT OF DONALD VORHEES

ANAMOSA STATE PENETENTIARY

RETURN TO CHICAGO

8213 WEST SUMMERDALE AVENUE

FIRST SEARCH WARRANT

SURVEILLANCE & CIVIL SUIT

CRAM & ROSSI INTERVIEWS

ARREST

SECOND SEARCH WARRANT

MURDER CONFESSIONS & ARREST

THE CRAWLSPACE

TRIAL

MENARD CORRECTIONAL CENTER: DEATH ROW

EXECUTION

THE RANCH HOUSE

MODUS OPERANDI

DISCARDING THE EVIDENCE

AMBER ALERT

PART 2: VICTIMS

IDENTIFIED VICTIMS

TIMOTHY JACK MCCOY

JOHN BUTKOVICH

DARRELL JULIUS SAMSON

RANDALL WAYNE REFFETT

SAMUEL G. DODD STAPLETON

MCHAEL BONNIN

WILLIAM HUEY CARROLL JR.

JAMES BYRON HAAKENSON

RICK LOUIS JOHNSTON

KENNETH RAY PARKER

MICHAEL MARINO

WILLIAM GEORGE BUNDY

GREGORY JOHN GODZIK

JOHN ALAN SZYC

JON STEVEN PRESTIDGE

MATTHEW BOWMAN

ROBERT EDWARD GILROY JR.

JOHN ANTHENEY MOWERY

RUSSELL LLOYD NELSON

ROBERT WINCH

TOMMY JOE BOLING

DAVID PAUL TALSMA

WILLIAM WAYNE KINDRED

TIMOTHY D. O’ROURKE

FRANK WILLIAM LANDINGIN

JAMES MAZZARA

ROBERT JEROME PIEST

UNIDENTIFIED VICTIMS

BODY 28

BODY 26

BODY 13

BODY 21

BODY 5

BODY 10

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE REMAINS

SURVIVING VICTIMS

MICHAEL REID

JACK PYSSLER

PATRICK DATI

‘ARTHUR WINZEL’

ROBERT DONNELLY

JEFFREY RIGNALL

ANTHONY ANTONUCCI

JASON MOSS

SUSPECTED VICTIMS FOUND ALIVE

POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL VICTIMS

POSSIBILITY OF ACCOMPLICES

PART 3: WORK/CAREER HISTORY

SCHOOL YEARS

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

AMBULANCE SERVICE

PALM MORTUARY

NORTH-WESTERN BUSINESS COLLEGE

NUNN BUSH SHOE COMPANY

LOCAL JAYCEES

KFC

BRUNO’S RESTAURANT

PDM CONTRACTORS

MAINTENANCE MANAGER

CLOWNING

WINSTON’S ICE-CREAM SHOP

PART 4: CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR & RECORDS

PART 5: SPOUSES & ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

MARLYNN MYERS

CAROLE HOFF

EVELYN PREBY

PART 6: FAMILY

FATHER: JOHN STANLEY GACY

MOTHER: MARION ELAINE ROBINSON GACY

SISTER: JOANNE RUTH (GACY) KASPER

SISTER: KAREN (GACY) KUZMA

PART 7: PSYCHOLOGY

DIAGNOSES

CHILDHOOD

ADOLESCENCE

ADULTHOOD & SEXUALITY

SPIRITUALITY

PART 8: QUOTATIONS BY JOHN WAYNE GACY

PART 9: MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES, BOOKS & MUSIC

MUST-SEE MOVIES

MUST-SEE DOCUMENTARIES

NOTEWORTHY BOOKS

SONGS THAT REFERENCE/MENTION JOHN WAYNE GACY

PART 10: FAQ’S

Part 11: SOURCES

OTHER BOOKS YOU MIGHT LIKE IN THIS SERIES

ABOUT THE SERIES

Welcome to the Grizzly Books True Crime series, where each serial killer will be meticulously studied and presented to you as a comprehensive book (e-book, paperback, and audiobook), and full podcast season (4+ hours of content). This is the third book in the series and follows Jeffrey Dahmer: The Milwaukee Monster and Ted Bundy: The Campus Killer.

John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown, took months of grueling research and preparation to finish, which is to be expected. His case is not one that will easily be forgotten and requires a strong stomach (and mind) to work through. The crawlspace chapter was particularly tough to process and write about because it truly was a vile, sinister, and shocking way to hide his victims right under his, his wife’s, his neighbor’s, and law enforcement’s nose. His clown persona, complete with makeup, costumes, and tricks, with his glistening shark-grin and indulgent eyes will haunt us for many years to come. Thankfully, he is no longer with us.

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please note: This is not crime fiction, a novel, or a story with twists and turns. It is a structured work of facts for you to easily access distinct sections if and when you want to. All the links to the books, podcast, artwork, and more can be found at https://grizzly-books.com

Stay Safe,

Gisela K.

A POEM ABOUT JOHN WAYNE GACY

COPYCAT, by Gisela K.

A predator in plain sight

The double-chinned beast of Illinois

Clutching pastel party balloons

With sausage hands

And grinning in delight

At boys.

To him, they were just toys

Something to play with and bury

Just like mama’s panties

Same place too,

Scary.

And undisturbed he’d sleep at night

With souls beneath his bed

And in response to what he’d done

Kiss my ass, he said.

INTRODUCTION

John Wayne Gacy was America’s most prolific serial killer at the time he was caught, with 33 confirmed victims found tucked in the mud in his crawlspace or floating in the Des Plains River in Chicago, Illinois. Today, only Samuel Little, Gary Ridgway, and Ted Bundy rank higher than him, even though he still holds the record for receiving the longest sentence imposed on a mass murderer: 21 consecutive life sentences, and 12 death sentences.

He became known as The Killer Clown because while he was a charming, funny, clown that entertained children at community parties and hospitals, he also used his tricks to trap his victims into handcuffs and the rope that would eventually snuff out their life. He was obsessed with clowns and had collected memorabilia, paintings, makeup, and costumes for years before he was caught. On death row, he spent most of his time painting clowns and self-portraits depicting himself as Pogo the Clown, the persona he had created to regress into childhood. When detectives entered his home in Norridge for the first time, they took notice of the room he had assigned to what appeared to be a clown museum. In it, he also had a picture of Bobby Vinton, a singer who was known as The Polish Prince and who Gacy greatly admired. It was his own Polish heritage that helped him formulate his clown persona, where he said that Pogo meant Polish on the go, and on the go he was! He was a workaholic who liked to impress people in any way that he could: elaborate stories, bustling parties, and a resume’ filled with volunteer and community work that allowed him to get away with serial rape and murder for 6 years without detection. He cruised through Chicago late at night in his police-themed car to find his prey, blaming them for their own deaths, either because they sold their bodies for sex or were dumb enough to fall for his tricks. Before he became an active serial killer, he was an experienced predator and serial rapist who had spent 18 months in prison for sodomizing two teenage boys. When he was arrested in December of 1978, it was ironically the same time that his initial 10-year sentence would have ended, but because he was so hard-working, charming, and manipulative, he was released early the first time. All 33 of his known victims would not have died if he had been kept behind bars- this was a tough pill for anyone to swallow. Gacy truly was a terrible example of hard work paying off, even if it is undeniable that he worked harder than most at everything he set out to do.

He was a businessman through and through, even hustling his way through the grim days on death row. By creating his eerie paintings of clowns, celebrities, and other serial killers, he was able to live comfortably on the thousands of dollars that he generated from selling them, which earned him cigars, snacks, and more art supplies. Thankfully, in 1985 the Son of Sam law was passed and Gacy was more restricted with what he could negotiate with the outside world. Ever determined to win and have the last laugh, he said that he didn’t care and that he only created the art to bring joy to people’s lives.

John Wayne Gacy was executed by lethal injection on May 10th, 1994, a stark contrast to the moment that Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa, which occurred on the same day. While one man was executed for his horrific crimes, another demonstrated that it is possible to overcome trauma and suffering and to rather show how that resilience can be put to better use. Gacy’s actions have affected at least 100 people per victim, which means that 3300 people were severely impacted and devastated by what he had done. Some ended their own lives, some struggled with their mental health for decades, and even those of us who study him in the present moment have the potential to feel swallowed whole by the darkness that he brought into this world.

Let’s investigate what the most frightening and least funny clown got up to!

PART 1: CASE FACTS

ASSAULT OF EDWARD LYNCH

In the summer of 1967, 16-year-old Edward Lynch was working as a dishwasher and cook at one of the KFC’s that John Wayne Gacy was managing in Waterloo, Iowa. He consciously and unashamedly hired mostly teenage boys and justified it by saying that they worked harder for less money than anyone else. Ironically, he paid them two to three times as much as they would have earned elsewhere, which did not go unnoticed. Inspired by serial killer Dean Corll, Gacy set up a social club in his basement and invited his favorite boys to enjoy it. He stocked the refrigerator with drinks, offered them drugs, showcased his pornography collection, and challenged them to a few rounds of pool. While the community blindly trusted Gacy for his wit and managerial vibes, what they did not realize is that their sons were spending time in the basement of a sadistic sexual predator who would do anything to get in their pants. Usually, he upped the stakes of each round of pool, with the final prize being oral sex for whoever won the game. If the boys reacted negatively to the suggestion, he resorted to gaslighting them and teased them for thinking he was serious.

As it so happened, Edward Lynch was not yet part of Gacy’s little boy’s club when he was invited over, so he had no idea what to expect. Marlynn, Gacy’s wife, had just given birth to their second child, Christine, and was stuck in hospital recovering for the night. Instead of supporting her and welcoming his daughter to the world, he decided that it was the perfect opportunity to have his way with a young boy and convinced Lynch to come and check out the place. He offered him bottomless drinks, played some music, and challenged him to a few rounds of pool, of course eventually putting his prize up for grabs. Whether Gacy lost or let Lynch win, only he ever knew, but when the game was over, his demeanor changed into the monster he was later known to be. Nobody was allowed to refuse an offer that he made and when Lynch did, he was infuriated. He marched him up the stairs and grabbed a carving knife as they passed the kitchen, aggressively directing him into his bedroom. He pushed him onto the bed, and the pair struggled for a while, until Gacy noticed that he had sliced the boy’s left arm open. He stopped, apologized, and fetched a bandage to mend his wound. He suggested that they return to the basement to relax and watch some pornography together, and even though Lynch said that he just wanted to get going, Gacy insisted. Fearing him, Lynch obliged, and the pair sat watching stag films in silence in the basement. Soon enough, Gacy was inspired to play a new game, where he suddenly directed him to sit down on a chair and have his hands chained behind his back, and to see if he could get them loose. This would become his standard handcuff trick in later years, which he performed on almost all his victims. When Lynch could not free his hands, Gacy slithered onto his lap and rubbed his thighs delicately, which made him flinch in disgust. The heavy-set predator dropped to the floor, got up, angrily pulled out a makeshift bed and pushed Lynch down onto it, securing his feet together with a chain. Then, he strangled him: Lynch urinated and then, feeling his life drain out of him, decided to play dead, which ended up saving his life. It stopped Gacy in his tracks and he tapped the boy’s face repeatedly and asked if he was alright. Gacy struggled with fainting spells, seizures, and blackouts throughout his life, so perhaps this triggered a fragment of concern or empathy in a rare moment? When Lynch eventually opened his eyes, Gacy apologized and offered him a ride home, instructing him to never talk about the incident with anyone. Of course, a few days later, he fired him.

DONALD VORHEES

Gacy lured 15-year-old Donald Vorhees, one of his KFC employees, to his home in August of 1967 by offering him a night of booze and pornography, something that few curious pubescent boys would be able to refuse.

Once there, Gacy gave him plenty to drink and told him that he was conducting a study on sexuality, known as the ‘Kinsey report’, twisting an actual study on sexual behavior into his own devious scheme to groom him. He told Vorhees that the study proved that most American men under the age of 35 had their first sexual experience with another male and that it was perfectly normal. He then offered to pay him $50 to assist him in his own research and that he would interview him after each experience to see how he felt about it. To some, this would seem like an easy offer to turn down, but in a developing teenager’s mind, it’s far easier to consent to something that is not fully understood for what it is yet.

Gacy was an experienced groomer, and he gently nudged his victims in the direction that he wanted them to go, abusing his power as their manager, employer, and supplier of booze and/or drugs. Vorhees followed Gacy’s instructions and ended up performing oral sex on him, and then allowed him to return the favor to see how it would feel. He answered the research questions presented to him while he was numbed with whiskey and vodka and had his boundaries pushed with each escalating occasion. As one might expect, Gacy stayed completely sober throughout the whole experience, taking his victim to a motel, his house, and various locations for several weeks, often giving Vorhees some extra cash or gifts when he felt that he really deserved it.

Eventually Gacy was pressuring Vorhees into anal sex, which the boy felt extremely uncomfortable with and verbalized. He sensed that Vorhees might expose him and threatened to unleash his organized crime contacts to deal with him if he ever told anyone about