John Wayne Gacy death row paintings sell for thousands at auction

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

A pair of controversial death row paintings by notorious killer clown John Wayne Gacy have sold for thousands of dollars at auction.

The sinister artwork by the American serial killer was discovered in a cupboard at a UK house, where they had been gathering dust for several decades.

One of the creepy images depicts a terrifying skull-faced clown, while the other is a portrait of Jesus Christ.

The pieces, which are signed by Gacy, provide a chilling insight into the warped mind of one of America's deadliest serial killers.

John Wayne Gacy's Skull Clown painting.( Mullocks Auctions via SWNS)

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His twisted crimes are currently subject of the Netflix series "Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes."

It has been described by some viewers as one of the most disturbing documentaries ever made, while others said they were left "sick to the stomach" watching the show.

Gacy, the inspiration for Stephen King's hit horror "It," sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered at least 33 boys and young men in Chicago between 1972 and 1978.

He began painting behind bars while awaiting execution and, in 1994, his attorney auctioned off his artwork.

Some of it was purchased and destroyed in a bonfire attended by hundreds of people, including some family members of Gacy's victims.

Other paintings have caused controversy by being exhibited in galleries across America, but it's said to be rare to find them in Britain.

The two pieces of art were bought by a private UK buyer for $2,800 when they went under the hammer at Mullock's Auctioneers in Shropshire, England, earlier this month.

A third painting by Gacy, showing a Snow White-themed image featuring the Seven Dwarfs, with a snowy backdrop failed to sell.

They had previously been uncovered at a property in the West Midlands after the owners died - leaving a stunned son to make the discovery in his parent's cupboard.

Ben Jones, consultant at Mullock's Auctioneers, said: "These particular paintings all come from the same home.

"They were purchased by the vendors parents many years ago and simply left in the house for decades.

"When the parents passed away, they were found in the cupboard, with no further details or paperwork as to where or when they were purchased.

"The vendor had no idea the parents had them so was a little surprised when they did come across them.

"He believed they could have been purchased when his parents toured the USA. Gacy's artwork can be found quit widely in America, but it is rare to find his paintings here.

"They are quite fascinating but are, of course, incredibly sinister knowing what this man did.

"We wish we knew a bit more about their origin, but it's a bit of a mystery how these paintings came over here and ended up in a cupboard for so long.

"We have had previous paintings produced by serial killers which have sold, there is a following for such items and they can often be desired.

"It is in many instances another form of investment as these items can appreciate in value over time."

Gacy was sentenced to death and was executed by lethal injection in May 1994 after confessing to 33 murders.

He worked as an entertainer at children’s birthday parties while dressed as Pogo The Clown, leading him to be dubbed the killer clown.

He often promised victims alcohol and drugs to gain their trust - but he would handcuff their hands together before killing them at his home on West Summerdale Avenue.

A total of 29 bodies were discovered by police buried underneath his property while other corpses were disposed of in the Des Plaines River.