Elizabeth Burnell
Mr. Ippolito
Forensics (EF Odd) // Current Events 6
October 29, 2021
Taylor, Michelle. “DNA DOE Project Helps Id John Wayne Gacy Victim.” Forensic®, Forensics Magazine, 27 Oct. 2021, www.forensicmag.com/580471-DNA-Doe-Project-Helps-ID-John-Wayne-Gacy-Victim/.
On October 27, 2021, Michelle Taylor of Forensics Magazine published an insightful article surrounding the infamous serial murders of John Wayne Gacy. As she explains in the article, one of the six unknown Gacy victims has been identified through the use of genetic genealogy. 44 years ago, the body was discovered along with 25 others in Gacy’s hidden crawlspace. The 22 year old victim, now identified as Francis Wayne Alexander, was murdered between 1976 and 1977. To identify the victim, Cook County Sheriff’s Police collaborated with the DNA Doe Project (DDP) to apply new genealogical research methods to the case. Cook County Police are still hoping to identify the remaining unnamed victims.
This piece was very powerful as it illustrated the importance of applying new methods of forensic science to old criminal cases. “These unidentified young men brutally murdered by this vicious serial killer deserve dignity and that includes knowing their names,” said Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart. “As science evolves, it is important for us to continually apply these new tools to both new and old cases to help victims and their families.” It is essential that we not allow victims of past crimes to be left behind; we must continually be utilizing the science and tools of our future to better investigate and understand our past.
I really enjoyed Taylor’s article. It was succinct, informative, and well-structured. I do wish, however, that the author provided more detail about genetic genealogy and why it is valuable to criminal investigators and forensic sciences. I also wish they gave more insight on law enforcement’s next steps in terms of identifying the remaining unnamed victims.
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