James Mazzara (20)
Born
28 May 1958
Death
4 Nov 1978, Norwood Park Township, Illinois
Tragically, James Mazzara 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 November 04, 1978, 20-year-old James Mazzara. an Elmwood Park resident disappeared after Thanksgiving dinner with his family. He had informed his sister the day before that he was working in construction. He was last seen walking in the direction of Bughouse Square. A cause of death could not be determined for Mazzara. He was “Body #33” and found in the Des Plaines River at Channahon on December 28, 1978.
He is identified through his fingerprints.
