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John Wayne Gacy Research Paper

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The case of American serial killer John Wayne Gacy stands out as one of the most notorious serial killer investigations in American history. Gacy rose to infamy for assaulting and murdering at least 33 adolescent boys and men between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. Gacy was well known for his charming public appearance. He would sometimes dress up as a clown to entertain kids at parties and charity functions. He was able to avoid being discovered for years while carrying out his horrific acts because of this illusion of normalcy, which made it difficult for investigators on the case to catch him. The use of criminal profiling played an enormous role in catching ‘the killer clown’, by unraveling his methods and offering a glimpse into his …show more content…

John Wayne Gacy was born in Chicago, Illinois, in March 1942. He grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood in a seemingly ordinary family environment, which turned into a traumatic childhood for John Gacy. Beginning with bullying in school and an abusive father at home, this led to the multiple criminal activities John would perpetuate throughout his childhood and early adult years. After being released from jail for the sexual assault of an adolescent boy, he wanted to do better and try to get more involved in society. He became the manager of clothing stores, vice president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, hosted neighborhood parties, and eventually created his own successful company, PDM Contractor Inc., for painting, decoration, and maintenance (Pieterse). Criminologists started to look at his motives and commonalities in the killings. Most of his victims were from his construction company. His usual tactics were to lure the young men into his home who were seeking help and pretend to offer them jobs or financial support. After the men arrived at his house, he would attack and kill them after rendering them unconscious, routinely by …show more content…

It led to an increase in the security of missing persons cases and heightened awareness of the dangers posed by individuals like Gacy (FBI). This case also contributed to changes in law enforcement procedures, mainly regarding the investigation of missing personas and the handling of serial killer cases. Overall, from the initial investigation through the trial and post-conviction procedures, psychology interacted within the criminal justice system in a number of ways in the John Wayne Gacy case. Psychologists are essential in providing important insights into the behavior, mental state, and intentions of John Wayne Gacy. This information helped to explain his actions and guided judgments made by the justice system. Contributing to the investigation, the inquiry was directed by the useful insights obtained from behavioral profiling. Law enforcement could effectively utilize resources and give priority to particular leads by having a greater understanding of Gacy's expected actions and intentions. Profiling also aided in the development of arrest strategies by helping investigators predict possible behaviors from

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John Wayne Gacy Jr. was born on March 17, 1942, to middle-class Marion and John Gacy Senior in Chicago, Illinois. His mother was Danish and his father was Polish. His father was an abusive alcoholic with a violent temper that often led to him beating his wife and children, the beatings were usually with a razor strap. John’s beatings were usually so brutal that he ended up in the hospital most of the time and was suffering from blackouts caused by seizures. Since John’s medical condition was never diagnosed Sr. often accused Gacy of fabricating illnesses even while lying helpless on a hospital bed.

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Between the years of 1972-1978 there was a string of murders that involved over 33 young men. This man named John Wayne Gacy was also nicknamed the Clown Killer for his activities in the community. Gacy was a very different person, who lived a very hard childhood, that led him to become the monster that he was. John Wayne Gacy was born in 1942 where he lived in a working class neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. His father John Gacy Sr. was a very difficult man to deal with.

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In the year 1984 the world came to know an infamous man named John Wayne Gacy Jr. John Wayne Gacy Jr was born in March of 1942 and lived to be fifty-two years old. John ended up being well known in the state of Illinois where he was put to death by the lethal injection in 1994. John Wayne Gacy Jr who also ended up being known as the Killer Clown was indicted on charges for taking the lives and raping at least thirty-three young males (“John Wayne Gacy Biography,” 2017).

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On December 22, 1978, John Wayne Gacy confessed to killing over two dozen young men and boys and burying their bodies underneath his home in Chicago. Gacy grew up with a relatively normal life, besides his abusive alcoholic father Gacy was raised in a normal middle class home and experienced minor health issues in his youth. In 1964, Gacy would marry his wife and move to Iowa. While he lived in Iowa he would manage his father-in-laws Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).The couple would have two children, Micheal Gacy and Christine Gacy. However, in 1968, Gacy's wife would then divorce him after he was charged for sexually assaulting multiple of his male employees.

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John Wayne Gacy was born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois as the middle child. His mother was a stay-at-home wife while his father was constantly working. When his father wasn’t working, he would drink and become aggressive toward his daughter and wife. As the only male in the household, Gacy would take beatings to defend his mother and sisters. At 7 years old, he was sexually abused by his dad's friend for months.

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As a young adult, the outgoing and sociable John Gacy became a successful building contractor and a married man and father. He was well known and respected in his suburban Chicago community. He became heavily involved in local politics and was named Jaycee (Junior Chamber of Commerce) “Man of the Year.” He even escorted President Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalyn, on one of her visits to Chicago. John Wayne Gacy’s childhood was rough.

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On March 17, 1942, John Wayne Gacy Jr. was born at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago (THE CLOWN THAT KILLED). As a child, Gacy lived an average life. He had an elder sister, Joanna, and a younger sister, Karen, that he got along with fairly well. After school young Gacy would immerse himself in activities like Boy Scouts. Sadly, Gacy did not have a very good relationship with his father.

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John Wayne Gacy’s childhood and the way he was raised contributed to his future actions and murders. John Wayne Gacy was born March 17, 1942. Gacy wasn’t born into a loving family. Much rather,

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John Wayne Gacy was prosecuted on multiple accounts of murder, an accounted serial killer and rapist. In the court of law, it does not matter what upbringing a citizen may have faced. No matter what hardship or handicaps an individual faced during their childhood, crime is definite. He was accused of multiple charges with various evidence. Eventually, Gacy had given up and knew his sentence was inevitable.

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