Early Life

John Wayne Gacy was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 17, 1942, to John
Stanley Gacy and Marion Elaine Robinson. He was the middle child in a family
of three, with an older sister named Joanne and a younger sister named
Karen. Gacy's father was an abusive alcoholic who abused his wife and
children physically and emotionally. As a result, Gacy was brought up in a
dysfunctional and abusive home.

Despite his difficult childhood, Gacy was a good student who engaged in
extracurricular activities such as the Boy Scouts and Junior Achievement. He
was also known for his ability to entertain and make people laugh, which
became part of his persona as a successful businessman later in his career.

Gacy began to exhibit troubling behaviour in his teenage years, including

stealing and lying. He was arrested on several occasions for minor offences
such as disorderly conduct and indecent exposure. Despite these red flags,
Gacy graduated from high school and went on to attend business school.

Gacy became involved in community service and political activities during this
time. He was a Jaycee, a community service organisation, and worked on
multiple political campaigns. He also worked as a clown at children's parties
and fundraisers, which became an important part of his life later on.

Gacy married his first wife, Marlynn Myers, in 1964 and moved to Iowa to
operate a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. They had two children together,
but their marriage was unstable and they divorced in 1968.

Abuse, dysfunction, and troubling behaviour characterised John Wayne

Gacy's early life. Despite his difficult upbringing, Gacy was able to do well in
school and participate in a variety of activities. His troubling behaviour and
criminal record, on the other hand, foreshadowed the disturbing crimes he
would be convicted of later in life.