The Killer Clown: John Wayne Gacy (Born To Kill) by Our Life is a chilling feature from the Born To Kill series, which aired on February 27, 2011, and examines the life and crimes of one of America’s most infamous serial killers. John Wayne Gacy, often referred to as “The Killer Clown,” embodied the darkest contradictions of human nature. On the surface, he appeared to be a respected member of his suburban Chicago community, entertaining children at parties dressed as “Pogo the Clown,” running a successful contracting business, and participating in local politics. Beneath this façade, however, lay a monster who preyed on young men and boys, many of them vulnerable runaways or drifters. Between 1972 and 1978, Gacy brutally assaulted, tortured, and murdered at least 33 victims, most of whom he buried in the crawl space beneath his Norwood Park home. The documentary explores not just the horrifying details of his crimes but also asks the disturbing question central to the series: was Gacy born to kill, or shaped into a killer by the traumas of his past? Delving into his abusive childhood, controlling father, and his struggles with sexuality, the film presents a layered portrait of a man whose outward charm masked unimaginable violence.

What makes this documentary compelling is its psychological approach. Rather than simply recounting the timeline of murders, Born To Kill seeks to analyze the forces that may have contributed to Gacy’s development into a predator. Interviews with criminologists, law enforcement officers, and those who knew him help to build a psychological profile, examining how Gacy’s need for control and dominance was expressed in his crimes. The film recounts how he would lure victims with promises of work, money, or companionship, sometimes using his clown persona to disarm them before subjecting them to torture and strangulation. Investigators describe the painstaking process of uncovering the bodies from beneath his home in December 1978, a task that horrified even seasoned officers as one body after another was pulled from the earth. By the time his trial began in 1980, Gacy’s name had already become synonymous with evil, his dual life as community volunteer and sadistic killer cementing his legacy as one of the most disturbing figures in criminal history. The documentary captures the public’s shock at learning that the “friendly clown” who posed for photographs with children was, in reality, one of the deadliest serial killers in American history.

The film also examines the aftermath of his conviction, in which Gacy was found guilty of 33 murders and sentenced to death. He spent 14 years on death row before being executed by lethal injection in May 1994. During that time, he continued to maintain a chilling mix of denial and bravado, creating macabre paintings including self-portraits of himself as Pogo that would later become infamous in their own right. The documentary doesn’t sensationalise these details but uses them to illustrate how Gacy relished notoriety even after his capture, never showing genuine remorse for his victims. The broadcast provoked a strong reaction from viewers, many of whom were struck by the juxtaposition of Gacy’s public persona and private monstrosity.

One viewer commented;

• “This documentary left me horrified. Gacy’s ability to live a double life makes you wonder how many people like him could be hiding in plain sight.”
• Another wrote, “The psychological analysis was fascinating. It really makes you think about whether monsters like Gacy are made or born.”
• A third viewer expressed the sadness at the heart of the case: “Beyond the horror, what breaks me is that so many vulnerable young men slipped through the cracks, and Gacy exploited that. Their families never truly recovered.”

The documentary ultimately leaves audiences unsettled but deeply engaged, combining true crime storytelling with probing questions about the origins of human evil.