Essay Example about John Wayne Gacy The "Killer Clown"

Clowns, something that a lot of people do in fact fear. John Wayne Gacy also known as the “Killer Clown”, a man who was born March 17, 1994, in Chicago IL. His parents were John Stanley Gacy and his mom Marion Robinson. Gacy also had two siblings, Karen Gacy and Joanne Gacy. Gacy grew up with his father being an alcoholic, who would beat him and his siblings with a razor strap. His father also would physically assault his mom. Gacy also however suffered alienation at school. Gacy later realized that he had an attraction to men, and experienced great turmoil over his sexuality.

During the 1960s Gacy worked as a fast-food chain manager. And during the 1970’s he was a self-made building contractor, he was also active in political organizations and the Jaycees civic groups. Gacy was married twice, the first time to Marlynn Myers (married 1964-1969), his second wife was Carole Hoff (married 1972-1976). Gacy had two children Micheal Gacy, born in 1967, and a daughter Christine Gacy, born in 1968. John also had two other stepdaughters. John was also a member of “Jolly Joker”, where he would perform in clown attire and makeup at children's parties. He was under the name “Pogo the clown” or “Patches the clown.”

John Wayne Gacy would lure his victims into his house, using the promise of construction work. Then he would capture them, and sexually assault them, torture and strangle them with either his hands or rope. In the year 1968, he was convicted of sexually assaulting two teen boys for ten years in prison. However, he was released on parole in 1970. Gacy did later admit to the majority of the killings in the 1970s. Gacy would hide most of the bodies beneath his house. It was later confirmed that his first killing was in 1972, he killed a 16-year-old boy named Timothy McCoy. He killed young men/boys between 1972-1978. On December 22, 1978, Gacy admitted to killing 32 young men/boys.

Teens in the uptown neighborhood told police that a guy named “John” would cruise the area picking up men. Officers even staked Gacy’s home. A 19-year-old teen ends up telling police that the man (John) kidnapped him at gunpoint and forced him to engage in sexual acts. When police were staking out Gacy’s house, he (John) invited two police officers into his home for breakfast. Officers say when they enter his home, they could smell some type of odor like death. Police end up finding a trapdoor in Gacy’s house, where they did find the first three bodies. Gacy admits to police that he killed 32 people, and even tells the police that 27 of those bodies are on the property, however, when looking, police find 29 bodies. Gacy also told police that 5 bodies he threw into rivers south of Chicago, but police only found 4 bodies. They find one of Gacy’s victim's (Piest) jackets in his house. Gacy is charged with the murder of at least 33 young men/boys, however, there could be more. Gacy died may, 10, 1994, in Stateville correctional center.