John Wayne Gacy Research Paper

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. was born on March 17, 1942. He was also know as the Killer Clown, one of America’s most notorious serial killers and rapists. He was a ruthless, sadistic individual who lived to rape and murder over thirty-three teenage boys and young men over six years in Cook County, Illinois (Brown, 2002).

FACTS

At an early age, Gacy was exposed to an alcoholic, abusive prone father who continuously would belittle him. The persistent psychological abuse wore Gacy out; as a result, he would strive to gain his father’s approval. In August 1967, Gacy executed his first known sexual assault towards a teenage boy. Throughout the next few months, he would pay young men up to fifty dollars to carry out homosexual acts, for the purpose of

McCoy allegedly woke Gacy whilst holding a knife; following this, Gacy tackled the teen to the ground and repeated stabbed him. McCoy was buried in Gacy’s crawl space. According to Gacy, his next victim of murder was two years later, an unidentified teen, who he strangled and buried in his backyard. Over the next few years, Gacy’s desire to rape and kill young males grew rapidly. His construction business employed young men, producing a vast amount of options for Gacy’s future prey. After an attempted assault on seventeen year old John Butkovitch: Butkovitch disappeared. Gacy later admitted to strangling him to death. Gacy persuaded many young men to return to his home with him under false pretences: whether it was alcohol, outstanding pay, or offering to show them pornography. Gacy abducted and murdered eighteen year old Darrell Sampson, fifteen year old Randall Refett, fourteen year old Samuel Stapleton, seventeen year old Michael Bonnin, sixteen year old William Carroll, and many other unidentified men. His victims often were strangled and buried in his crawl space. Gacy became worried of the excessive bodies and choose to dispose of his future victims into the Des Plaines River (McCormick, 1998).

DECISION

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, found John Wayne Gacy, Jr. guilty of thirty three murders. Gacy later appealed to the Court of Appeals, Easterbrook, where the judge decided that

Gacy was unable to fit into the conventional ideals for a young boys growing up: he was overweight, extremely unathletic, and an immigrant. Relentless bullies along with an alcoholic and physically and emotionally abusive father left him feeling alone, unwanted, yet determined to get his fathers validation. Doctors discovered a blood clot in his brain, which caused him to experience black outs and seizures (Bell and Bardsley). Modern biological studies have shown that seventy percent of patients who endured trauma to the brain, became more aggressive and irritable (Babic, 2016). In light of Gacy’s numerous strikes to the head, performed by his father, it is fair to conclude that he probably was injured. Therefore, contributing to his irritability and instability. Gacy was diagnosed with Antisocial personality disorder, and it was deemed unlikely that any sort of treatment would help. The American Psychiatric Association describes antisocial personality disorder as a chronic mental illness, which an individuals mindset is dysfunctional. No consideration on deeming things right or wrong, and no regard for the emotions of others (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Gacy, among other people diagnosed with this condition, prove this to be true, as even in his final moments Gacy felt no empathy towards his victims. Gacy declared “Kick my ass” as his final words