Childhood and Education Journey of John Wayne Gacy in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of John Wayne Gacy, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

John Wayne Gacy was an American serial killer, known as the "Killer Clown," who murdered at least 33 young men and boys in the Chicago area. He committed heinous acts of rape and torture before killing his victims, many of whom were buried in the crawl space of his home. Gacy's public persona as a clown contrasted sharply with his horrific crimes, adding to the notoriety of the case. His trial and conviction were highly publicized, making him one of the most infamous serial killers in American history.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

March 17, 1942: John Wayne Gacy's birth

On March 17, 1942, John Wayne Gacy was born. He would later become known as an American serial killer and sex offender.

Others born on this day/year

1949: Whipped by Father

In 1949, Gacy's father whipped him after he and another boy were caught sexually fondling a young girl. The same year, a family friend began to occasionally molest Gacy.

1957: Hospitalization for burst appendix

In 1957, Gacy was hospitalized for a burst appendix.

1960: Involvement in politics and receiving a car

In 1960, at age 18, Gacy became involved in politics and his father bought him a car, though he retained the title until Gacy paid for it.

April 1962: Gacy Leaves Home

In April 1962, after his father removed the distributor cap from his car, Gacy left home and drove to Las Vegas.

1963: Graduation from Northwestern Business College

In 1963, Gacy graduated from Northwestern Business College and took a management trainee position with the Nunn-Bush Shoe Company.

February 1966: Birth of Gacy's son

In February 1966, Gacy's wife gave birth to a son.

July 1966: Visit from Gacy's parents

In July 1966, Gacy's parents visited, and his father apologized for his past abuse.

March 1967: Birth of Gacy's daughter

In March 1967, Gacy's wife gave birth to a daughter.

August 1967: Sexual assault of Donald Voorhees Jr.

In August 1967, Gacy sexually assaulted 15-year-old Donald Voorhees Jr., luring him with the promise of showing him stag films.

March 1968: Voorhees informs the police

In March 1968, Donald Voorhees Sr. informed the police that Gacy had sexually assaulted his son. Gacy was then arrested.

May 10, 1968: Indictment on sodomy charge

On May 10, 1968, Gacy was indicted on the sodomy charge.

November 7, 1968: Gacy's guilty plea

On November 7, 1968, Gacy pleaded guilty to one count of sodomy in relation to Voorhees, but not guilty to the charges related to other youths.

1968: Conviction of sodomy

In 1968, Gacy was convicted of sodomy of a teenage boy in Waterloo, Iowa, and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

1968: Doctor Diagnoses Gacy with Antisocial Personality

In 1968, a doctor who examined Gacy concluded he was an antisocial personality. During the 1980 trial, the prosecution argued that if the doctor's recommendations had been heeded, Gacy would not have been freed.

June 1969: Parole Denied

In June 1969, Gacy was denied parole.

September 18, 1969: Divorce finalized

On September 18, 1969, Gacy's divorce was finalized, and he never saw his first wife or children again.

November 1969: High school diploma

In November 1969, Gacy obtained his high school diploma.

May 1970: Scheduled parole hearing

In May 1970, Gacy had a scheduled parole hearing.

June 18, 1970: Gacy Granted Parole

On June 18, 1970, Gacy was granted parole with twelve months' probation after serving eighteen months of his ten-year sentence.

February 12, 1971: Charge of sexual assault

On February 12, 1971, Gacy was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy at Chicago's Greyhound bus terminal.

August 1971: Engagement to Carole Hoff

In August 1971, Gacy became engaged to Carole Hoff.

October 18, 1971: Parole ended

On October 18, 1971, Gacy's parole ended, and a month later, the records of his criminal convictions in Iowa were sealed.

July 1, 1972: Marriage to Carole Hoff

On July 1, 1972, Gacy married Carole Hoff, whom he had briefly dated in high school.

1972: First murder

In 1972, Gacy murdered his first victim.

1974: Hosted annual summer parties

From 1974 to 1978, Gacy hosted themed annual summer parties with up to 400 people attending, including politicians and business associates.

October 1975: Carole Asks Gacy for a Divorce

In October 1975, after a heated argument, Carole asked Gacy for a divorce, and he agreed. By mutual consent, she continued to live at his house until February 1976.

1975: Multiple murders

By the end of 1975, Gacy had murdered at least two more victims.

1975: Gacy Appointed Director of Chicago's Polish Constitution Day Parade

In 1975, Gacy was appointed director of Chicago's annual Polish Constitution Day Parade. Through this work, he met and was photographed with First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

1975: Gacy Tells Wife He's Bisexual and Begins Secretive Behavior

In 1975, John Wayne Gacy told his wife he was bisexual after they had sex on Mother's Day, stating it would be their "last time". He then began spending evenings away from home, returning in the early morning, claiming to be working late or attending business meetings. Carole, his wife, observed him bringing teenage boys into their garage and found gay pornography, men's wallets, and identification inside the house.

1975: Gacy Joins the "Jolly Joker" Clown Club and Creates "Pogo the Clown" and "Patches the Clown"

In late 1975, Gacy joined the "Jolly Joker" clown club after learning about it through his membership in a local Moose Club. He created his own clown characters named "Pogo the Clown" and "Patches the Clown", designing his own makeup and costumes. He described Pogo as a "happy clown" and Patches as a "more serious" character.

February 1976: Carole Moves Out of Gacy's House

In February 1976, Carole moved out of Gacy's house, following their agreement after she requested a divorce in October 1975.

July 26, 1976: Gacy Picks Up David Cram and Offers Him a Job

On July 26, 1976, Gacy picked up 18-year-old hitchhiker David Cram and offered him a job with PDM. Cram began working the same evening.

1976: Gacy Living Alone After Divorce

After his divorce, Gacy largely lived alone following his divorce, which was finalized in 1976.

1976: Cram's Testimony of Gacy's Attempted Rape

In 1976, Cram told investigators about Gacy's attempts to rape him. He also mentioned that after the December 13 search, Gacy became pale upon seeing mud on the carpet and checked the crawl space for digging evidence. Cram admitted to spreading lime and digging trenches for drainage pipes, which he described as grave-sized.

1976: Murders after divorce

In 1976, after his divorce from his second wife, Gacy murdered at least thirty more victims.

1976: Neighbors Notice Behavioral Changes

In 1976, after his divorce, several neighbors noticed behavioral changes in Gacy, including seeing him with young males and hearing his car arriving or departing in the early morning. One neighbor recollected hearing muffled screaming, shouting, and crying emanating from his house on West Summerdale Avenue.

April 1977: Michael Rossi Moves Out of Gacy's House

In April 1977, Michael Rossi moved out of Gacy's house, where he had been living after working for PDM since May 23, 1976.

June 1977: Illinois Statute on Capital Punishment Comes Into Effect

In June 1977, the Illinois statute on capital punishment came into effect, which would later influence John Wayne Gacy's sentencing.

December 1977: Donald Voorhees Testifies to Assault by Gacy

In December 1977, Donald Voorhees testified about his ordeal and assault at Gacy's hands, becoming visibly distressed while recounting the abuse.

1977: Rossi Spreads Lime in Gacy's Crawl Space

In the summer of 1977, Rossi informed detectives that he had spread ten bags of lime in the crawl space of Gacy's house at Gacy's request.

December 11, 1978: Gacy's Remodeling Deal Discussion and Job Offer

On December 11, 1978, John Wayne Gacy visited Nisson Pharmacy to discuss a remodeling deal and mentioned to Robert Piest, a part-time employee, about hiring teenage boys at $5 per hour, nearly double Piest's pharmacy wage.

December 13, 1978: Validity of the First Search Warrant

After his incarceration, John Wayne Gacy challenged the validity of the first search warrant granted to the Des Plaines police on December 13, 1978, as part of his appeals.

December 1978: Arrest

Gacy lived at 8213 West Summerdale Avenue until his arrest in December 1978.

December 21, 1978: Gacy's arrest

On December 21, 1978, the investigation into the disappearance of Des Plaines teenager Robert Piest led to Gacy's arrest.

December 29, 1978: Identification of John Butkovich, John Szyc, and Gregory Godzik

On December 29, 1978, John Butkovich (Body 2) was identified. John Szyc (Body 3) and Gregory Godzik (Body 4) were also identified, having been buried in the same trench as Body 1.

1978: Hosted annual summer parties

From 1974 to 1978, Gacy hosted themed annual summer parties with up to 400 people attending, including politicians and business associates.

1978: Disposal of Bodies in Des Plaines River

In 1978, John Wayne Gacy, finding no more room in his crawl space, confessed to disposing of five bodies off the I-55 bridge into the Des Plaines River, but only four were ever found. He had considered using the attic, but was concerned about "leakage".

January 6, 1979: Identification of Jon Prestidge (Body 1)

On January 6, 1979, the first body recovered from the crawl space on Gacy's property was identified as Jon Prestidge (Body 1). The cause of death could not be determined.

January 1979: Gacy Confesses to Murders and Plans to Conceal Bodies

In January 1979, after police found human remains in his crawl space on December 22 and informed him of murder charges, John Wayne Gacy confessed to murdering approximately thirty young males. He claimed they willingly entered his house, and he mostly buried them in his crawl space. He also admitted to planning to cover the crawl space with concrete to further conceal the bodies.

January 27, 1979: Identification of John Mowery (Body 20)

On January 27, 1979, John Mowery (Body 20) was identified through dental records. He was buried in the northwest corner of the crawl space.

January 29, 1979: Identification of Matthew Bowman (Body 8)

On January 29, 1979, Matthew Bowman (Body 8) was found with the tourniquet used to strangle him around his neck.

April 12, 1979: Identification of Randall Reffett (Body 7)

On April 12, 1979, Randall Reffett (Body 7) was identified through X-rays. He was found in a fetal position with a cloth gag in his mouth, leading investigators to conclude he died of asphyxiation.

April 1979: Gacy's vacant house was demolished

In April 1979, Gacy's vacant house was demolished.

September 11, 1979: Identification of Robert Winch and Tommy Boling

On September 11, 1979, Robert Winch (Body 11) and Tommy Boling (Body 12) were identified. They were found with ligatures around their necks and buried beside each other in the center of the crawl space.

November 14, 1979: Identification of Samuel Stapleton (Body 6)

On November 14, 1979, Samuel Stapleton (Body 6) was identified through dental records. He was buried in the same grave as Randall Reffett.

November 16, 1979: Identification of David Talsma (Victim 17)

On November 16, 1979, David Talsma (Victim 17) was identified using radiology images and found with a ligature around his neck.

1979: Gacy Initiates Contact with Journalist Russ Ewing

In 1979, John Wayne Gacy began contacting journalist Russ Ewing, granting him numerous interviews between 1979 and 1981. This information would later prove instrumental in identifying his first victim.

February 6, 1980: Gacy's Murder Trial Begins

On February 6, 1980, John Wayne Gacy's trial began in Cook County, Illinois, with Judge Louis Garippo presiding. He was charged with 33 murders, and the jury was selected from Rockford due to extensive press coverage in Cook County.

March 13, 1980: Gacy's death sentence

On March 13, 1980, Gacy was sentenced to death for thirty-three murders.

March 29, 1980: Identification of Michael Marino and Kenneth Parker

On March 29, 1980, Michael Marino (Body 14) and Kenneth Parker (Body 15) were identified using dental records and radiology images. They were found with their head and upper torsos inside separate plastic bags.

June 2, 1980: Gacy Sentenced to Death

On June 2, 1980, after deliberating for over two hours, the jury sentenced John Wayne Gacy to death for each murder committed after the Illinois statute on capital punishment came into effect in June 1977. His execution was set for that same day.

1980: Gacy's Trial in Cook County

In 1980, John Wayne Gacy faced trial in Cook County for multiple murders. His then-defense lawyer, Richard Kling, later argued that Gacy had ineffective legal counsel during this trial.

1981: Gacy Gives Interviews to Journalist Russ Ewing

Between 1979 and 1981, John Wayne Gacy gave numerous interviews to journalist Russ Ewing, divulging information that would later help identify his first victim.

February 15, 1983: Gacy Stabbed by Fellow Inmate

On February 15, 1983, Henry Brisbon, a fellow death row inmate known as the I-57 killer, stabbed John Wayne Gacy in the arm with a sharpened wire, resulting in treatment at the prison hospital.

1984: Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Gacy's Conviction

In mid-1984, the Supreme Court of Illinois upheld John Wayne Gacy's conviction and ordered his execution by lethal injection, initially set for November 14.

March 4, 1985: U.S. Supreme Court Denies Gacy's Appeal

On March 4, 1985, the Supreme Court of the United States denied John Wayne Gacy's appeal against the Illinois Supreme Court's decision.

1985: Gacy Appeals Execution Decision

In 1985, John Wayne Gacy appealed the decision that he be executed, leading to further legal proceedings.

May 1986: Identification of Timothy McCoy (Body 9)

In May 1986, Timothy McCoy (Body 9) was identified via dental records and a distinctive belt buckle. He was found beneath a layer of concrete and had several stab wounds, suggesting he was Gacy's first victim.

September 11, 1986: Gacy's Post-Conviction Petition Dismissed

On September 11, 1986, John Wayne Gacy's post-conviction petition, seeking a new trial, was dismissed after his lawyer argued he had ineffective legal counsel at his 1980 trial.

September 29, 1988: Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Gacy's Conviction Again

On September 29, 1988, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld John Wayne Gacy's conviction, setting a new execution date of January 11, 1989.

January 11, 1989: New Execution Date Set for Gacy

On January 11, 1989, a new execution date was set for John Wayne Gacy after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld his conviction on September 29, 1988.

October 1993: U.S. Supreme Court Denies Gacy's Final Appeal

In October 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court denied John Wayne Gacy's final appeal, which led to the Illinois Supreme Court formally setting an execution date for May 10, 1994.

May 9, 1994: Gacy's Last Day Before Execution

On May 9, 1994, John Wayne Gacy was transferred to Stateville Correctional Center to be executed. He had a private picnic with his family on the prison grounds. For his last meal, he ordered a bucket of KFC, french fries, a dozen fried shrimp, fresh strawberries, and a Diet Coke. He received last rites from a Catholic priest before being escorted to the execution chamber. A crowd gathered outside, mostly in favor of the execution.

2020: Prosecutor Kunkle Clarifies Gacy's Final Words

In 2020, prosecutor William Kunkle clarified that John Wayne Gacy's final words, reportedly "Kiss my ass", were spoken to a prison official and were not part of any official statement prior to his execution.