Russell Llyod Nelson (21)
Born
Duluth, Minnesota
Death
17 Oct 1977, Norwood Park Township, Illinois
Tragically, Russell Nelson was one of the victims of Illinois serial killer and sex offender John Wayne Gacy who raped, tortured, and murdered at least 33 young men and boys between 1962 and 1977. His conviction for thirty-three murders (by one individual) then covered the most homicides in United States legal history. Gacy was sentenced to death and was executed by lethal injection at Statesville Correctional Center on May 10, 1994. He became known as “The Killer Clown” due to his public performances as a clown prior to the discovery of his crimes and is one of the most prolific serial murderers in Chicago history.
On October 17, 1977, 21-year-old Russell Nelson calls his mother to wish her a happy birthday. He is not heard from again. Nelson’s mother says her son came to Chicago with another young man to work for a contractor. It is unknown if that contractor is Gacy. He is “Body #16” and was buried under the crawl space.
Nelson is finally identified through dental records on January 6, 1979.
Nelson is finally identified through dental records on January 6, 1979.
