Editing John Wayne Gacy (section)

=== Crawl space ===
[[File:Gacycrawlspace.png|thumb|upright=1.45|Gacy's sketch of burial locations in his basement (left), and investigators' later diagram (right)]]

Cook County medical examiner Robert Stein supervised the exhumations of the victims buried on Gacy's property.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mackay|first=Robert|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U6IrAAAAIBAJ&pg=7153,5590570|title=More Bodies Found in Illinois|newspaper=[[Nashua Telegraph]]|date=December 27, 1978|access-date=May 10, 2020|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006150738/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U6IrAAAAIBAJ&pg=7153%2C5590570|archive-date=October 6, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> The crawl space was marked in sections and each body was given an identifying number. The first body recovered from the crawl space was assigned a marker denoting the victim as Body 1.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}} He was identified as Jon Prestidge on January 6, 1979.<ref name=timeline/> No cause of death could be determined.

John Butkovich was labelled as Body 2; he was among the first to be identified, on December 29, 1978.<ref name=timeline/>{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=360–374}} On December 23, investigators returned to unearth the three corpses which had been buried in the same trench as Body 1.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 24, 1978|title=Three More Bodies Are Found At Home|page=1|newspaper=[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]]|agency=AP|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lYUsAAAAIBAJ&pg=3744,5182626|access-date=July 20, 2010|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004163801/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lYUsAAAAIBAJ&pg=3744%2C5182626|archive-date=October 4, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Body 3 (John Szyc) was buried in the crawl space directly above Body 4 (Gregory Godzik); both were identified December 29, 1978.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=207–223}}<ref name=timeline/> Body 5 was buried directly beneath Body 1;{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}} this victim was discovered {{convert|36|in}} below the surface of the soil, indicating he was the first to be buried in this common grave.{{sfn|Nelson|2021|p=282}}
[[File:8213 West Sumerdale exhumations Frank Hanes Chicago Tribune December 23 1978A.jpg|alt=|thumb|Medical examiners retrieve one of the first bodies exhumed from beneath Gacy's crawl space. December 23, 1978.]]
The search was postponed over Christmas. Four more bodies were unearthed on December 26.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kneeland|first=Douglas E.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/12/27/archives/4-more-bodies-found-under-house-of-contractor-bringing-total-to-9.html|title=4 More Bodies Found Under House Of Contractor, Bringing Total to 9|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 27, 1978|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004163522/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/12/27/archives/4-more-bodies-found-under-house-of-contractor-bringing-total-to-9.html|archive-date=October 4, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Body 6 (Samuel Stapleton, identified through [[Forensic dentistry|dental records]] November 14, 1979) and Body 7 (Randall Reffett, identified through [[X-ray]]s April 12, 1979) were buried in the same grave.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=68–77}}<ref name=timeline/> Reffett was found in a [[fetal position]] with a cloth gag in his mouth, leading investigators to conclude he most likely died of asphyxiation.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=301–305}}{{sfn|Amirante|2011|pp=320–326}} Body 8 (Matthew Bowman, identified January 29, 1979) was found with the tourniquet used to strangle him around his neck.<ref name=timeline/><ref>{{cite news|date=February 9, 1980|title=Youthful Victims May Have Been Buried Alive, Expert Speculates|work=Press-Courier|via=Google News|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rgtKAAAAIBAJ&pg=5006,4386127|access-date=March 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004165937/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rgtKAAAAIBAJ&pg=5006%2C4386127|archive-date=October 4, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Body 9 (Timothy McCoy, identified via dental records and a distinctive belt buckle in May 1986) was found beneath a layer of concrete and had several stab wounds to the ribs and [[sternum]], suggesting he was Gacy's first victim.{{sfn|Cahill|1986|pp=101–102}}<ref name=locin/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3iZTAAAAIBAJ&pg=2450,753399 |title=Gacy Victim is Identified|newspaper=[[Mohave Daily Miner]]|date=May 8, 1986|access-date=March 14, 2013|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929095805/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3iZTAAAAIBAJ&pg=2450%2C753399|archive-date=September 29, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/identified7.html|title="The Doe Network": International Center for Unidentified & Missing Persons. Identified|publisher=[[The Doe Network]]|access-date=July 7, 2010|archive-date=December 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202085931/http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/identified7.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 27, eight more bodies were discovered.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50548484/the-town-talk/|title=8 More Bodies Found Under Home|newspaper=The Town Talk|page=4|date=December 28, 1978|via=Newspapers.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004170127/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50548484/the-town-talk/|archive-date=October 4, 2020}} {{free access}}</ref> Body 10, buried beneath the entrance to Gacy's home,{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}} remains unidentified; he is estimated to have been between 17 and 21 years old and between {{nowrap|5 ft 7 in}} and {{nowrap|5 ft 11 in}} ({{convert|67|and|71|in|cm|disp=out}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/957umil.html|title=Case File 957UMIL|publisher=[[The Doe Network]]|access-date=July 5, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115195910/http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/957umil.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Both Body 11 and Body 12 were found with ligatures around their necks and buried beside each other in the center of the crawl space;{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}} on September 11, 1979, they were identified as Robert Winch and Tommy Boling, respectively.<ref name=timeline/> Body 13 (still unidentified) was found beneath the spare bedroom; he is estimated to have been between 17 and 22 years old and between {{nowrap|5 ft 9 in}} and {{nowrap|6 ft 2 in}} ({{convert|69|and|74|in|cm|disp=out}}).{{sfn|Evans|2007|pp=134–135}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://doenetwork.org/cases/955umil.html|title=Case File 955UMIL|publisher=[[The Doe Network]]|access-date=July 18, 2010|archive-date=July 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725124132/http://doenetwork.org/cases/955umil.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bodies 14 and 15 were recovered from a common grave; both were found with their head and upper torsos inside separate plastic bags.{{sfn|Evans|2007|pp=134–135}} They were identified using dental records and radiology images as Michael Marino and Kenneth Parker on March 29, 1980 (too late to include among the victims identified before Gacy's trial).{{sfn|Linedecker|1980|p=248}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L3cLAAAAIBAJ&pg=5938,2528900&sjid=bVMDAAAAIBAJ|title=Gacy Victims Identified|work=[[The Kingman Daily Miner]]|date=March 31, 1980|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929095554/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L3cLAAAAIBAJ&pg=5938%2C2528900&sjid=bVMDAAAAIBAJ|archive-date=September 29, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UO9eAAAAIBAJ&pg=5070,3504589|title=2 Apparent Victims of Gacy Identified|newspaper=St. Joseph Gazette|date=March 31, 1980|agency=AP|access-date=June 12, 2011|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928073948/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UO9eAAAAIBAJ&pg=5070%2C3504589|archive-date=September 28, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Body 16 (Russell Nelson, identified January 6, 1979) was found with a cloth rag lodged deep in his throat, causing him to die of suffocation.<ref name=timeline/>{{sfn|Evans|2007|pp=134–135}} The seventeenth victim (identified as David Talsma using [[radiology]] images on November 16, 1979) was found with a ligature around his neck.{{sfn|Evans|2007|pp=134–135}}

The following day, four more bodies were exhumed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20698861/chicago-tribune/|title=Four Bodies Found; Total Climbs to 22|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=December 29, 1978|access-date=May 10, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004170233/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20698861/chicago-tribune/|archive-date=October 4, 2020}} {{free access}}</ref> Body 19 was buried directly beneath Gacy's master bedroom; Body 18 (Michael Bonnin, identified January 6, 1979) was located beneath the spare bedroom, and found with a ligature around the neck.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}}<ref name=timeline/> Body 20 (John Mowery, identified through dental records January 27, 1979) was buried in the northwest corner of the crawl space.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}}<ref name=timeline/>

By December 29, six more bodies were unearthed. Bodies 22, 23, 24, and 26 were buried in a common grave beneath Gacy's kitchen and laundry room,{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=207–223}} with Body 25 (Robert Gilroy, identified January 6, 1979) located beneath Gacy's bathroom.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}}<ref name=timeline/> Body 26, still unidentified, was estimated to have been between 23 and 30 years old and approximately {{nowrap|5 ft 4 in}} ({{convert|64|in|cm|disp=out}}) in height.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://doenetwork.org/cases/956umil.html|title=Case File 956UMIL|publisher=[[The Doe Network]]|access-date=July 18, 2010|archive-date=July 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725124151/http://doenetwork.org/cases/956umil.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Body 22 (identified using dental records as William Carroll on March 17, 1979)<ref name=timeline/> was found beneath Gacy's kitchen with cloth-like material lodged in his throat. Two socks were recovered from the pelvic region.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=301–305}} He was buried directly beneath Body 21, recovered the previous day; this victim, who remains unidentified, is estimated to have been aged between 15 and 24 years old and approximately {{nowrap|5 ft 10 in}} ({{convert|70|in|cm|disp=out}}) in height.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/962umil.html|title=Case File 962UMIL|publisher=[[The Doe Network]]|access-date=July 18, 2010|archive-date=September 2, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902034746/http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/962umil.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The bones of victims 23 (identified as Rick Johnston January 1, 1979) and 24 were commingled; cloth was found inside the mouth of Bodies 24 and 26.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=207–223}}{{sfn|Linedecker|1980|pp=217–218}} Body 25 was found beneath Gacy's bathroom with cloth lodged in the throat. The final victim recovered from the crawl space (William Kindred, identified May 16, 1979) was also found beneath the bathroom, with cloth lodged deep in his throat.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}}<ref name=timeline/>

Operations were suspended due to the [[Chicago Blizzard of 1979]], but resumed in March despite Gacy's insistence that all the buried victims had been found.{{sfn|Stone|2019|pp=196–203}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Search to Continue at 'House of Horrors'|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Yk8xAAAAIBAJ&pg=5965,3354691|date=January 5, 1979|newspaper=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|page=70|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929110322/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Yk8xAAAAIBAJ&pg=5965%2C3354691|archive-date=September 29, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> On March 9, Body 28 was found wrapped in several plastic bags and buried beneath the patio in Gacy's backyard.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_IgxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6913,2124365|title=Another Skeleton Found at Gacy Home|newspaper=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|date=March 10, 1979|via=Google News|access-date=March 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002222438/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_IgxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6913%2C2124365|archive-date=October 2, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Gacy's likely second murder victim{{efn|The unidentified victim known as Body 10 may actually have been Gacy's second murder victim and first unidentified victim. According to Gacy's account, his second victim had also been buried in the crawl space close to his first. However, at Gacy's trial, prosecutor William Kunkle theorized his second murder victim must have been buried near his barbecue pit if his wife still resided with him at the time of the murder.{{sfn|Amirante|2011|p=374}}}} and still unidentified, he stood approximately {{nowrap|5 ft 9 in}} ({{convert|69|in|cm|disp=out}}) and is estimated to be aged between 14 and 18.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=241–250}} On March 16, Body 29 (Darrell Samson, identified November 18, 1979) was found beneath the dining room.<ref name=timeline/>{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=241–250}}

All the victims discovered at Gacy's house were in an advanced state of decomposition. Dental records and X-ray charts helped Stein identify the remains.{{sfn|Evans|2007|pp=134–135}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mZ8fAAAAIBAJ&pg=4650,2607923|title=Gacy Victim Identified|newspaper=[[The Gadsden Times]]|date=November 18, 1979|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006151134/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mZ8fAAAAIBAJ&pg=4650%2C2607923|archive-date=October 6, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref> Twenty-three were identified via dental records and two via skeletal trauma. These identifications were supported with personal [[Artifact (archaeology)|artifact]]s found in Gacy's home.{{sfn|Greene|2013|p=25}}

The head and upper torso of several bodies unearthed beneath Gacy's property had been placed in plastic bags.{{efn|Gacy stated in a January 1979 interview that he would cover the victim's head or upper torso with a plastic bag if he noticed bleeding from the nose or mouth.{{sfn|Sullivan|2000|pp=207–223}}}} In some cases, bodies were found with foreign objects such as prescription bottles lodged in their pelvic region, the position of which indicated the items had been thrust into the victims' anus.{{sfn|Foreman|1992|pp=80–83}} Stein concluded 12 victims recovered from Gacy's property died of asphyxiation.{{sfn|Cahill|1986|p=221}} Gacy's vacant house was demolished in April 1979.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FH4xAAAAIBAJ&pg=7078,918268|title=Neighbors Relieved as Gacy Home Demolished|newspaper=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|date=April 12, 1979|page=95|via=Google News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006152522/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FH4xAAAAIBAJ&pg=7078%2C918268|archive-date=October 6, 2020}} {{Open access}}</ref>