John Stanley Gacy (1900-1969) and Marion Elaine Robison’s (1908–1989) only son, John Wayne Gacy, was born on March 17, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois.

His mother was a housewife, while his father was a machinist who worked in the auto repair industry. Gacy was a Catholic who had Polish and Danish origins.

John Wayne Gacy rose to fame as a sex offender who raped, tortured, and killed at least 33 boys and men, making him a very notorious serial killer.

At the age of 18, Gacy entered politics by serving as an assistant precinct captain for a local Democratic Party candidate in 1960. This prompted his father to criticize him even more and label his son a “patsy.” Later, Gacy theorized that the real reason he decided to get involved in politics was to look for acceptance from other people that he never received from his father.

How did John Wayne Gacy die? Here’s how serial killer was executed

On March 13, 1980, Gacy received a death penalty verdict. He spent a lot of time painting while incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center on death row. On May 10, 1994, he was put to death at Stateville Correctional Center by lethal injection.