John Wayne Gacy Jr. murdered multiple people.
John Wayne Gacy Jr. ( March 17 , 1942 -- May 10 , 1994 ) was an American serial killer and rapist . His victims were typically lured to his address by force or deception , and all but one of his victims were murdered by either asphyxiation or strangulation with a makeshift tourniquet ; his first victim was stabbed to death . A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people , usually in service of abnormal psychological gratification , with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant break ( a `` cooling off period '' ) between them .