- ITV’s eight-part drama Devil in Disguise reopens the story of John Wayne Gacy, convicted of 33 murders.
- The series highlights police mistakes that let Gacy prey on young men across 1970s Chicago.
- Detective Rafael Tovar, played by Gabriel Luna, led the probe that finally linked Gacy to missing youths.
- Many remains found under Gacy’s home remain unidentified; DNA work continues to name victims.
ITV drama spotlights a notorious killer
Devil in Disguise, an eight-part ITV drama, revisits the crimes of John Wayne Gacy — the Chicago contractor who was convicted in 1980 of murdering at least 33 boys and young men. The series focuses on the investigation led by Detective Rafael Tovar and the investigative failures that allowed Gacy to continue killing through the 1970s.
How Gacy slipped through the net
At face value Gacy appeared an upstanding community member: he held charity events, ran a small business and performed at parties in clown makeup. Behind that façade he preyed on vulnerable young men. Despite a 1968 conviction for sodomy on a 15-year-old, and other allegations in the early 1970s, Gacy avoided close scrutiny for years. The drama portrays how assumptions about victims and ties between Gacy and local figures blunted detectives’ suspicions.
The break in the case
In December 1978, 15-year-old Robert Piest went to Gacy’s home to discuss work and never returned. Detective Rafael Tovar’s checks uncovered Gacy’s criminal history and connections to several missing men. That discovery triggered a search of Gacy’s properties and the uncovering of human remains — many later identified as victims of Gacy’s murders.
Police errors and missed chances
The series examines a string of missed opportunities: reports from families and co-workers about missing young men, inconsistent record-keeping, and investigators who initially accepted Gacy’s community persona. Some employees vanished between 1975 and 1978 without immediate searches of Gacy’s home. The drama frames these mistakes as systemic problems that cost lives.
Unidentified victims and ongoing work
Excavations under Gacy’s house recovered remains that led to his conviction, but not all victims have been named. Advances in DNA testing and renewed efforts by Cook County authorities have helped identify some victims decades later. The show underscores the continuing harm to families who still seek closure.
Legacy and public reaction
Gacy was found guilty of 33 murders in 1980 and executed in 1994. The ITV retelling is part true-crime examination, part critique of the era’s investigative shortcomings. By focusing on detectives, victims’ families and community responses, Devil in Disguise aims to humanise the victims while probing how a serial killer could operate in plain sight.
Gabriel Luna, known for roles in The Last of Us, portrays Detective Tovar in the series. Devil in Disguise invites viewers to revisit a painful chapter of American crime history and to consider the long-term consequences of policing failures.
Image Referance: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38058187/crazy-clown-killer-sickening-spree-police-blunders/