Christine Gacy – The Daughter of John Wayne Gacy Was 2 Years Old When Her Parents Divorced

Christine Gacy, one of John Wayne Gacy's children, is one of the notorious serial killer's family members that cut ties with him once the details of his murders came to light. Christine is believed to have a normal life and to have changed her surname to disassociate from her father.

Christine's father was described as the perfect family man; he was considered a functioning member of society who managed three KFC chains. His neighbors believed he was a hardworking citizen and a passionate volunteer at children's hospitals.

Little did Christine and her family know that her father killed 33 boys and men between 1972 and 1978 and buried his victims under his house. Christine and her family were unaware of her father's dark side, which included alcohol and drug abuse and infidelity.

The Dad Left His Daughter's Life Early On

In 1964, before his 22nd birthday, Christine's father was transferred to Springfield to work as a manager at Roberts Brothers, a men's clothing store. He met her mother, Marlynn Myers, who also worked at the store.

Nine months after meeting, the former couple tied the knot and moved into the home Marlynn's parents had left for her. Christine's older brother was born in February 1966, and her parents welcomed her in March 1967.

Christine was two when her parents divorced. Her father was indicted, convicted, and sentenced to ten years in prison in December 1968, and he served his sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.

While Christine's father was in the state reformatory at Anamosa, her mother was granted a divorce on the ground of cruel treatment on September 18, 1969. Following Christine's mother's request for sole custody, she was awarded custody of Christine and her brother.

Although Christine's father was no longer a present figure in her life from a young age, her mother shared that he was a good father for the first two years of Christine's life and had never been violent towards their children.

Christine's father was not violent towards her mother either. Marlynn remarried and agreed to speak about her ex-husband if her new name was not disclosed. During the interview, she revealed she was shocked to hear about the murders.

Christine's aunt from her father's side, Karen, revealed during a 2010 Oprah interview that her father was a "mean drunk" who disapproved of John because he enjoyed cooking and baking. However, John grew to be the opposite of his father. Karen said:

"John felt like he never lived up to (his) dad's expectations. This went all the way into his adulthood until he married and had a son and daughter."

Her Dad Remarried after His Release from Prison

Although Christine's father was sentenced to ten years in prison, he was released after 18 months for good behavior. Following his release, he remarried a woman named Carole Hoff. She was a friend of Karen's and went on a date with John when they were teenagers.

When they rekindled their romance years later, Carole was a divorcee with two daughters. Christine's father and Carole said "I do" in 1972, and Carole and her daughters moved into his home.

Although their marriage ended, Carole said Johhny was a good provider for her and her daughters, who called him "Daddy." However, he became aggressive and would often break her furniture.

John killed his first victim during their first year of marriage and committed murder two more times by 1975. Around this time, John and Carole's marriage was hanging on by a thread as questions arose about his sexual orientation. She said:

"I was aware of what he was doing (having relationships with men). He just felt he was going more for the men and not for the women because he could not function with a woman."

Christine Gacy's Aunt Shared Her Thoughts about Him

Unlike Christine and her brother, Karen has participated in interviews over the years and shared her side of the story as the sister of a notorious serial killer.

Growing up, John and Karen were very close. They were survivors of an abusive home, and she would visit him regularly after he was sentenced to prison for the first time. She and her mother were aware of his sexual assault case but felt it was a crime he paid for.

However, during one of her interviews, Karen revealed through sobs that she was devastated to find out the number of murders John had committed without her or the rest of his family sensing a thing. When asked if she still loved her brother, Karen said:

"I hated him. I hated him so much. He took a life– many lives. I was angry (at) what he did to my family and my innocent children. How can I love somebody like that?"

Her daughter was in the eighth grade when her uncle became a well-known killer, subjecting her to years of embarrassment and shame. Karen's daughter, Sheri, recalled bowing her head in shame and avoiding eye contact with everyone when her uncle's name was mentioned.

Similar to other serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, who inspired a Netflix limited series starring Evan Peters and Niecey Nash, there was a Netflix documentary created that took a closer look at John's personal life and his crimes.

In the documentary, it was revealed that Christine, her mother, and her brother never saw John again following his prison sentencing. Christine and her brother had no contact with their father before his death in 1994 and, now in their 50s, continue to stay out of the public eye.