Police Hunt For Accomplice In Mass Murder (Press, 3 January 1979)

The Chicago police are intensifying their investigation into John Gacy, a suspect in one of the most shocking mass murder cases in US history. Gacy, a 36-year-old twice-divorced man and self-proclaimed homosexual, has confessed to strangling 32 boys and young men over the past four years after sexually assaulting them. The authorities have uncovered 27 bodies buried in Gacy's suburban home in Norridge, Illinois, and two additional corpses found in the Des Plaines River during the past three months. Concerns arise among investigators about Gacy being able to carry out these murders alone. They suspect the involvement of possible accomplices—likely individuals from the homosexual community—or reluctant witnesses who may have seen the crimes. Consequently, police are focusing their inquiries around Chicago's north-side bars, where Gacy previously frequented to meet young men. They have already interrogated several male prostitutes and are particularly eager to speak with a former employee of Gacy's construction business. In a disturbing testimony, a survivor named Jeff Rignall recounted his horrific experience with Gacy. Rignall claimed that Gacy had abducted him under the pretext of smoking marijuana, then chloroformed him and took him to his home. There, he was subjected to sexual violence while constrained on a rack. Rignall noted that he observed lights in other rooms during his ordeal, leading him to believe that someone else may have been present. He has successfully pursued an out-of-court settlement from Gacy for the trauma he suffered. The police have broadened their investigation to neighbouring states—Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin—where they are examining potential additional victims. They are looking into a murder case from December 1977 involving a 13-year-old boy who was sexually assaulted and murdered near Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, a location where Gacy was reportedly active at that time. One of the first bodies unearthed at Gacy's residence has been positively identified as that of John Butkovich, an 18-year-old who disappeared in 1975 after visiting Gacy about money he was owed. Authorities anticipate charging Gacy with Butkovich's murder in the near future. Currently, Gacy faces only one formal murder charge related to the disappearance of 15-year-old Robert Piest, who vanished on 15 December 1978 after telling others he was going to meet Gacy regarding a summer job. As of now, Piest's body has yet to be discovered, with Gacy alleging he disposed of it in a river. Gacy was scheduled to appear in court for an initial murder charge on the previous Friday, but authorities opted against moving him from his isolated cell in a prison hospital due to concerns for his safety. The investigation continues, aiming to bring clarity to the multiple unexplained disappearances linked to Gacy's unsettling history.

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