John Wayne Gacy
1942 – 1994

John Wayne Gacy

American serial killer (1942–1994)

painterserial killerclown
Born
1942-03-17, Edgewater
Died
1994-05-10
Birthplace state
New Jersey

Biography

John Wayne Gacy was an American serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured and murdered at least thirty-three young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in Norwood Park Township, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. He became known as the "Killer Clown" due to his public performances as a clown prior to the discovery of his crimes.

Occupation

John Wayne Gacy is recorded as a painter, a serial killer and a clown, born in New Jersey (1942–1994).

Connections to New Jersey

John Wayne Gacy was born in Edgewater, New Jersey in 1942. Explore other notable figures from New Jersey, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about Edgewater

John Wayne Gacy came from Edgewater. A full Aubrey report on Edgewater pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from New Jersey

Other historical figures born in New Jersey, ranked by historical prominence.

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Grover Cleveland
President of the United States (1885–89; 1893–97)
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
American singer, actress, and film producer (1963–2012)
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
American singer and actor (1915–1998)
Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
American poet and writer (1926–1997)
James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini
American actor (1961–2013)
Philip Roth
Philip Roth
American novelist (1933–2018)
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
American writer (1789–1851)

Frequently asked about John Wayne Gacy

Who was John Wayne Gacy?
John Wayne Gacy was American serial killer (1942–1994), born in New Jersey (1942 – 1994).
When and where was John Wayne Gacy born?
John Wayne Gacy was born on 1942-03-17 in Edgewater.
When did John Wayne Gacy die?
John died on 1994-05-10.
What was John Wayne Gacy known for?
John Wayne Gacy is recorded as a painter, a serial killer and a clown.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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