The story of one of the most prolific and chilling serial killers in the U.S., John Wayne Gacy, has attracted extensive media coverage over the years. He was regarded as a “Killer Clown” because he disguised himself as a clown for charity events and children’s parties. Gacy was arrested in 1978 and executed through lethal injection in 1994 after allegedly raping, torturing, and murdering 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. He buried most of his victims in the crawlspace of his suburban home in Chicago.
The release of the Netflix series, ‘Conversations With a Killer: The John Gacy Tapes,’ has triggered massive public interest in his story. Shockingly, the series reveals that John Gacy had a wife and two children a daughter, Christine, and a son, Michael Gacy. This has left many concerned about the fate of his children. This article unravels the story of Michael Gacy.
Who is Micheal Gacy?
Born in 1966 in Waterloo, Iowa, Michael Gacy is the firstborn and the only son of John Wayne Gacy and Marylynn Myers. His father was successfully managing three Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants owned by his father-in-law, but he had a dark side, a secret that was only known to him.
At the time of his birth, his father had started engaging in some macabre activities. He was secretly gay and already involved in sexual abuse and violence. Michael was only two years old when his dad was arrested and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor in 1968. However, he was released after 18 months, after which his crimes worsened. Michael’s mother filed for divorce following the sentencing.
In 1969, his mother was granted her divorce and allowed full custody of her children. His mother would later admit that she was astonished by the sodomy charge against Gacy and could not believe that her husband was a homosexual. She, however, revealed that Gacy was never abusive to their children.
Michael Gacy’s Early Life with His Parents
By the time Michael Gacy was born, his father had secretly engaged in sexual violence and abuse. Even his wife, Marylynn Myers, could hardly suspect him of any evil engagement. According to Newsweek, the couple had met in Springfield, Illinois, in 1964 while working at the Dunn-Bus Shoe Company store. They started dating shortly after, and Gacy proposed marriage six months later, which was too charming for Myers to reject.
However, little did Myers know that behind the pleasant outward demeanor, Gacy suffered childhood traumas that bloomed masochistic tendencies. Born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, John Wayne Gacy had a terrible childhood experience. He had been physically assaulted and bullied by his alcoholic father and was sexually abused by a close family friend.
At the age of 11, Gacy suffered a congenital heart condition that made him grow overweight. He moved to Las Vegas as an adult and feared revealing that he was gay. There, he worked briefly as a mortuary assistant and had a chilling moment when he slept in a coffin beside a dead child. At 22, Gacy moved to Springfield, where he met Myers.
After tying the knot, the couple moved to Waterloo, where he started managing his father-in-law’s Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. They were blessed with their firstborn child Michael Gacy in 1966, followed by their daughter Christine Gacy, in 1967. Gacy was filled with the joy of becoming a father and liked his experience of “being in church all the time.” However, the unexpected happened five years later when Gacy murdered a teenager who began his grisly crimes.
Michael Gacy’s Path Out of His Father’s Crimes
John Wayne Gacy’s choice to have a family earned him an apology from his father, who felt appeased that Gacy had conformed to a heteronormative lifestyle. Sadly, Gacy was still troubled and became part of the United States Junior Council local chapter called the Waterloo Jaycees. Gacy and his peers would take drugs and invite teenagers to have merry and play pool.
In August 1967, when Michael Gacy was a year old, his father sexually abused a 15-year-old son of a fellow Jaycee. On May 10, 1968, his father was accused on one account of sodomy. He was arrested three months later, threatening the victim not to testify, but on November 7, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve 10 years imprisonment.
What followed was Michael Gacy’s parent divorce. In 1979, Marylynn Myers revealed that she had remarried. To say the least, this saved Michael Gacy from living in his father’s haunted house.
Speaking to The Daily Mail about his early marriage, Gacy revealed that he enjoyed the first years of marriage and was really wrapped in it. He recounted how he had a nice warm feeling and was so happy wife. He seemed to regret his decision, saying, “I had a wife. I had two children. I had business. I had wealth. Why the fuck did I go out and get myself involved with a kid?”
By the time Gacy was sentenced in 1970, Michael Gacy was too young to understand that he was now fatherless. The aftermath of his imprisonment was the last day Michael and his sister would set their eyes on their father. It also marked the end of Michael’s appearance in public, but the grisly murders by his father triggered renewed interest in his fate.
The horrific trail of Gacy’s gruesome crime activities started in 1971 when he moved to 8213 West Summerdale Avenue, Chicago. Gacy founded a construction business and established himself in the area. He revived his relationship with Carole Hoff and married in 1972. Before they married in June, Gacy had already enticed Timothy McCoy, a 16-year-old boy, into their house, stabbed him to death, and buried his body in the crawlspace in their home.
What Happened to Michael Gacy After His Parents’ Divorced?
After the divorce, Michael and his sister Christine hardly saw their father and were raised by their mother. Ever since the arrest and sentence of their father, they moved from the public spectacle.
Despite the story of his father being in the public spectacle for a long time, Michael Gacy remained anonymous for a long time. It is suspected that he even changed his name completely after his father’s gruesome crimes were revealed.
As a result of Wayne Gacy’s conviction, most of the family members withdrew from the limelight. Michael deliberately maintained a low profile to hide from the public spotlight; thus, only scanty information about him publicly is available. It is possible that he kept a low profile to cut any connection with his father.
In her interview with Oprah, Wayne Gacy’s sister Karen revealed that most of the family did not want public attention. She went on to explain, “The name Gacy has been buried” She further revealed that she had never shared her maiden name, and several times she avoided telling anyone that she had a brother because she did not want that part of her life to be known.
One of the saddest facts Karen revealed during the Oprah interview is that she had attempted to connect with Michael Gacy and Christine Gacy, but her efforts were snubbed. She said, “I tried sending gifts to the children. Everything was returned.” However, Karen seemed to support their decision to live a private life. “I often wonder about them, but if (his first wife) wants a private life. I think she’s owed that. I think the children are owed that.”
How Were Michael Gacy’s Father’s Crimes Exposed?
Despite committing serious crimes, Gacy never showed any awkward behavior. He continued his normal life and even performed as “Pogo the Clown” for kids. Hoff came across some photos of nude men, which raised a concern, but she was relieved when Gacy revealed that he was bisexual. Nonetheless, she divorced him in 1976 after an escalated argument that turned physical.
After the Divorce, Carole Hoff never shared much about Gacy apart from commenting on his low libido and the strange stench that once came out of the crawlspace.
By 1978 dozens of young men and boys had fallen prey to Gacy, who raped, tortured, and murdered them. On December 11, 1978, Gacy lured a high school sophomore Robert Piest into his house with a promise to offer to contract him for a job in the summer. Piest’s mother reported the case of a missing person and informed the police and informed the police that his son had been communicating with the owner of PDM Contractors, John Wayne Gacy, and this led to a search of his property.
Following interrogations, Gacy eventually admitted that he had killed dozens of people on December 22, 1978. A search for the victims was initiated, leading to a horrifying discovery of 29 bodies in his crawlspace. On May 10, 1994, Gacy was executed by lethal injection after 14 years on death row. Little is still known about Michael Gacy and his sister Christine Gacy because they have maintained a low-profile lifestyle since their father was arrested.
What Happened to Wayne Gacy’s Property after His Death?
After such a terrifying unfolding, many may wonder if Gacy’s home in Chicago remains. The truth is that his house is nonexistent as it was demolished in 1979, according to Realtor.com. The property remained unoccupied until 1986 when a new three-bedroom home was built. In 1988, a woman bought a house for her elderly parents. At this time, the property had a new address to detach it from the gruesome past.
The property has since then changed ownership several times, and according to Realtor.com, the current owner of the home is a local plumbing company owner who purchased it for her wife. Although Gacy died long ago, this property is still stigmatized due to the terrible crimes there.
Where are Michael Gacy and His Sister Today?
Although Michael Gacy and Christine Gacy avoided being in the public spotlight since the revelation of their father’s chilling crimes, their lives have not remained a secret all through.
Michael and Christine are adults now living in different parts of the United States. Michael Gacy resides in Chicago, where he works as a software engineer, while Christine is a nurse in Florida. In a quest to live a normal life from the gruesome past of their father, both changed their names. Recently, they have talked publicly about the impact of their father’s crimes on their lives, but they revealed their desire for privacy.
Michael Gacy has made some steps to flee from his father’s dark past. In 2017, he published a book titled “Lost Boy: A Father’s Murder, a Son’s Search for Justice.” In his book, Michael shares his experiences and describes the agony and trauma of growing up as the son of a serial killer. He shares the challenges he has faced trying to live a normal life with such a horrid past experience.
Christine Gacy may not have documented her experiences in a book, but she has occasionally publicly talked about his father’s crimes. In her interview with the Chicago Tribune 2010, she said, “I’m not my father. I’m not a killer. I’m not a monster.” She distanced herself fully from her father’s crimes. She desires to focus on her personal and family life and doesn’t fancy being defined by her father’s crimes.
Michael Gacy and his sister Christine hope that sharing their experiences will help others who have fallen victim to crime or violence. Additionally, they expect their story will inspire others to overcome trauma and build a meaningful life, no matter how gruesome their background may seem.
Due to the trauma associated with such gruesome crimes, perhaps it was wise for Michael Gacy to live a low-profile life. This saved him from the attention, stigma, and trauma that would come from being connected to one of the most terrifying serial killers in the world.
