Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders

Terry Sullivan · Peter T. Maiken

Dec 2012 · Pinnacle Books

About this ebook

The “chilling” story of America's most notorious serial killer by the man who helped catch him—now updated with the latest DNA findings (Nashville Banner).

He was a model citizen. A hospital volunteer. And one of the most sadistic serial killers of all time. But few people could see the cruel monster beneath the colorful clown makeup that John Gacy wore to entertain children in his Chicago suburb. Few could imagine what lay buried beneath his house of horrors—until a teenaged boy disappeared before Christmas in 1978, leading prosecutor Terry Sullivan on the greatest manhunt of his career.

Reconstructing the investigation—from records of violence in Gacy's past, to the gruesome discovery of twenty-nine corpses of abused boys in Gacy's crawlspace and four others found in the nearby river—Sullivan's shocking eyewitness account takes you where few true crime books ever go: inside the heart of a serial murder investigation and trial.

This updated edition features new revelations that have emerged using DNA evidence to confirm the identities of additional victims—and sixteen pages of dramatic photos.

“An unnerving true crime story of murder, terror, and justice.” —Dallas Morning News

“As with a good mystery story, to the very end of Killer Clown we find ourselves still rooting for good to triumph over evil, yet fearing that the dice may be loaded the other way.” —Chicago Tribune

“Gripping study . . . for true crime addicts” —Publishers Weekly

“You will learn more in this book about the daily activities of a police department than you will from any number of Ed McBain novels or episodes of Hill Street Blues.” —The Charleston News & Courier

Ratings and reviews

The author did a great job in the way he presented the story. The story itself is one that you will never forget. The stories after the main story was told was a bit much but you can opt out of them at your own discretion.

It is very well written as it starts with Gacy's last victim, and how the events that led to his arrest unfolded. I enjoyed the investigation, and legal aspect of the book.

Inlighting

About the author

Terry Sullivan served as a prosecutor for the State’s Attorney in spearheading the investigation and arrest of John Wayne Gacy, Jr., and was one of the key prosecutors at Gacy’s trial. He is the president of the Sullivan Firm, a law firm with offices in Rolling Meadow and Chicago, Illinois. Presently in private practice, he has been an on-air legal analyst for Chicago’s WGN-TV (Channel 9) for ten years and has made numerous national and local radio and television appearances. He has been quoted on many high profile cases from O. J. Simpson to the William Balfour murder trial that involved the family of Jennifer Hudson. The late Peter T. Maiken was the retired arts editor for the Chicago Tribune and publications editor for Beloit College in Wisconsin. He's the author of Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders.