Video: 'Monster In My Family: Full Episode - Killer Clown: John Wayne Gacy (Season 1, Episode 6) | LMN' (verdict at 34:35)

(Wednesday, March 12, 1980) — A Chicago jury found John Wayne Gacy, 37, guilty today of the murders of 33 men and boys, more than any other mass killer in the history of the nation.

The next day, Gacy was sentenced to death; he was executed in May 1994.

Gacy raped, tortured and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Cook County, Illinois.

All of Gacy’s known murders were committed inside his Norwood Park ranch house. His victims were typically induced to his address by force or deception, and all except one of his victims were murdered by either asphyxiation or strangulation with a makeshift garrote, as his first victim was stabbed to death.

Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawl space of his home. Three other victims were buried elsewhere on his property, while the bodies of his last four known victims were discarded in the Des Plaines River.

Gacy became known as the “Killer Clown” because of his charitable services at fund-raising events, parades and children’s parties where he dressed as “Pogo the Clown” or “Patches the Clown,” characters that he had created.