John Wayne Gacy was known for his rather unique profession. As Pogo the Clown, he would often perform for many children, and would make sure that they were having a good time. He was always a recognizable figure, spending his days at children’s parties and charity events, just trying to bring joy to others. He was likable, friendly, and a good man, at least by his community’s standards. So it came as a shock when Gacy so happened to be the rumored serial killer everyone was looking for. 

Gacy was born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1902. He, along with his siblings, were raised as Catholics. He was quiet, but nevertheless was liked by many. Even so, he had many family problems at home, which eventually forced him to drop out. However, he still managed to graduate from business school, then proceeded to work as a salesman. He became involved in many community organizations in Springfield, and had become an upstanding member in his neighborhood. He married, had a son, and began a business as Pogo the Clown, where he would perform at children’s birthday parties. 

Even then, there were rumors regarding Gacy’s sexual orientation. Many noticed the young boys in Gacy’s presence, though these rumors would often be dismissed. This changed when Gacy was later convicted of sodomy against a boy named Mark Miller, who had accused Gacy of raping him. Though Gacy denied the charges, four months later, an 18-year old man named Dwight Anderson was indicted for assault, in which he said that he was hired by Gacy to beat up Miller. As time passed, Gacy began unraveling. His disturbing behavior escalated to the point where he even invited a young boy to his Christmas party, only to force him to have sex with him. He started having more mood swings, and became an insomniac because of the stresses of his job. During that time, Gacy would have an increasing amount of sex with young males, to the point where he would use his job to “cruise.” After divorcing his wife, Gacy would begin claiming the lives of many victims, including Darrell Sampson and Samuel Stapleton. By the time he was arrested, he was convicted of at least 33 murders, and was sentenced to death.

There have been a number of books that endeavored to document John Gacy. Whether it be John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster by Sam L. Amirante and Danny Broderick, or A Question of Doubt: The John Wayne Gacy Story by John Wayne Gacy himself, it’s clear that Gacy has served as a reminder that not all criminals are easily seen. He was haunting in a sense, so much so that when he was interviewed while on death row, he would often resort to victim blaming, even referring to them as hustlers or prostitutes. What’s more, he even denies committing the murders, despite the fact that he had confessed. One of his most famous quotes included that he didn’t remember killing anyone, and that “the dead won’t bother you, it’s the living you have to worry about.”