Serial Killings and Rapes

Serial killings and rapes have been common phenomena in various countries across the world. Some rapists are serial killers because they kill the victims to tamper with evidence, which would be useful in determining the assailant (Linedecker, 2003). Boys and young women have a high likelihood of falling victims of rape and murder. Therefore, murder and rape are among the criminal activities that need much attention in human society to prevent their occurrences. The common rapists and serial killers are John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Robert Napper, among others. This discussion will consider an overview and in-depth view of John Wayne Gacy’s serial killings and rapes.

Between 1972 and 1978, John Wayne Gacy raped and murdered thirty-three youths, most of whom he buried in the crawl space within his building (Linedecker, 2003). He buried some of the victims on his property and discarded others in a river. Gacy promised his victim of construction works to lure them to his residential place. Eventually, he sexually assaulted, tortured, and strangled the victim with a rope. However, he killed the first victim by stabbing him. Sometimes, Gacy dressed as “Pogo the Clown”, which was the alter ego, with which he used to entertain children (Linedecker, 2003). Finally, Gacy underwent execution upon conviction and a fourteen-year death sentence.

The first victim that John Wayne Gacy assaulted sexually was Donald Voorhees, whom he lured to his residential place by promising him a show of pornographic films. This happened in 1967 when Voorhees was fifteen years old. He plied the youth with alcohol and swayed him to doing oral sex. The police arrested Gacy and charged him with oral intercourse. Gacy also attempted to sexually assault Edward Lynch, who was sixteen years old. In 1968, John Wayne Gacy persuaded Russell Schroeder to assault Voorhees physically to discourage from evidencing the sexual assault during the upcoming trial. Schroeder sprayed Mace in Voorhees face and assaulted him physically. However, the events did not discourage Voorhees from providing the necessary evidence against Gacy (Amirante & Broderick, 2012).

Gacy committed the first murder in 1972 when he killed Timothy Jack McCoy, whom he picked from Greyhound bus station. He drove the fifteen-year-old boy to his residential place after promising him to spend the whole night in his house. Gacy stabbed McCoy repeatedly in his chest and buried the dead body in the crawl space using concrete. Gacy committed another murder in 1974 by strangling a seventeen-year-old youth, whom he buried close to his backyard. In 1975, Gacy strangled another seventeen-year-old youth, who had threatened him over outstanding salary arrears. Gacy buried the body of the young man under the garage by excavating the concrete floor. In 1976, Gacy killed a number of youths including Darren Sampson, Randall, Samuel Stapleton, Michael, David Cram, William Carroll, four unidentified youths, Rick Johnston, Kenneth Parker, Michael Marino, William Bundy, and Gregory Godzik (Linedecker, 2003).

In April, Gacy murdered Darren Sampson, who was eighteen years old. He buried the dead body of Sampson under the floor of his dining hall. Few weeks later, Gacy strangled Randall, who was fifteen years old, and buried the dead body in the crawl space. Hours later, Gacy killed Samuel Stapleton and buried his dead body together with Randall’s dead body in the crawl space. In June, Gacy strangled Michael Bonnin, who was seventeen years old, and buried his body in the crawl space. Few days later, Gacy murdered William Carroll, who was 16 years old, and buried him under the floor of his kitchen. Between June and August, Gacy killed the first two unidentified boys while he killed the second two unidentified boys between August and October. Gacy continued to kill and bury more youths in 1977 and 1978, with the last victim being James Mazzara (Amirante & Broderick, 2012).

In conclusion, Gacy was both a sexual assailant and serial killer, who targeted many young men. He executed the crimes between 1972 and 1978, after which he underwent conviction, death sentence, and execution (Amirante & Broderick, 2012).