21st Gacy Victim Identified by X-ray

Another victim of murder suspect, John Gacy was identified Friday, the day that would have been the dead youth’s 21st birthday. David Talsma, a Chicagoan reported missing nearly two years ago, was identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. According to sheriff’s police, positive identification came through X-rays of Talsma’s left arm that were taken after an accident. The X-rays had been brought to the medical examiner by the youth’s mother, Pearl. Talsma was reported missing on December 14, 1977, by his father, Peter, of 2049 N. Kedzie Av. Friday would have been his 21st birthday, police said. Talsma’s body was found in the crawlspace beneath Gacy’s suburban home. Gacy is charged with murdering 33 young men and boys. Talsma became the 21st person identified by authorities as a suspected victim of Gacy. The 20th victim, 14-year-old Samuel Stapleton, was positively identified by the medical examiner’s office Wednesday.