For many years their identification was a thriller, however via the work of a non-profit group referred to as the DNA Doe Mission (DDP) and police within the Chicago space, genetic family tree helped resolve the case.
“DNA matches within the second cousin vary have been discovered, enabling DDP’s crew of volunteer genetic genealogists to assemble household bushes and establish Francis Wayne Alexander as a candidate for Gacy Sufferer #5,” the DNA Doe Mission mentioned.
Alexander’s stays have been discovered December 26, 1978, below Gacy’s house in Norwood Park Township northwest of Chicago. Alexander doubtless was killed between early 1976 and early 1977.
Police mentioned Alexander, who was born in North Carolina then got here to Chicago after residing in New York, was 21 or 22 when he was killed.
The sheriff’s workplace investigated whether or not Alexander was related to Gacy in any manner utilizing the DNA from Alexander’s mom and half-brother. Their DNA samples had a “a powerful genetic affiliation,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned
“Sheriff’s Police additionally combed via monetary data, public data, autopsy studies, and different information to verify that Sufferer #5 and Alexander have been the identical particular person,” the workplace mentioned within the information launch.
The sheriff’s workplace formally instructed Alexander’s household in regards to the discovery Friday.
Household says studying of dying remains to be laborious
The sheriff’s information launch included a press release from the household.
“It’s laborious, even 45 years later, to know the destiny of our beloved Wayne. He was killed by the hands of a vile and evil man. Our hearts are heavy, and our sympathies exit to the opposite victims’ households. Our solely consolation is figuring out this killer not breathes the identical air as we do,” the household mentioned.
Gacy was arrested in December 1978. Authorities mentioned he had lured his victims into his house over six years. To get them there, he had promised development jobs, medication and alcohol, or by posing as a police officer or by providing cash for intercourse. Police mentioned he usually focused hitch hikers and other people at bus stations.
Twenty-seven victims have been excavated from the crawl house. One other was below his storage, and there was yet one more in his again yard. 4 others had been thrown into the Des Plaines River after, Gacy instructed investigators, he ran out of room within the crawl house.
Gacy was convicted in 1980 of murdering 33 boys and younger males, making him, on the time, essentially the most prolific serial killer in US historical past. He was executed in 1994.
In 2011, the Cook dinner County Sheriff’s Workplace launched an effort to establish the eight unidentified victims.
William Bundy (2011) and Jimmy Haakenson (2017) have been ID’d in 2001 and 2017, respectively, utilizing DNA. 5 of Gacy’s victims have but to be recognized.
CNN’s Claudia Dominguez contributed to this report.
