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Community Corner

Kozenczak to discuss Gacy case at Coffee Talk

Former Des Plaines police detective Joseph Kozenczak was the arresting officer and lead investigator in the John Wayne Gacy serial murder investigation in 1978. He will speak about the case at the Des Plaines History Center’s Coffee Talk set for Thursday, July 24, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Heritage/Brookdale Plaza Des Plaines, 800 S. River Road. Registration is required. Please call 847-391-5399. A $3 donation is suggested.

    Kozenczak said that the murder case “was the most significant in American history in that we were able to obtain 33 convictions. Our convictions were based on counting bodies, not based on speculation. We had proof.”

    Philip Mohr of the History Center contacted Kozenczak because he represents an important part of Des Plaines history. “Most of the time, the History Center brings in someone who has spent time researching bygone events and people,” said Mohr. “This time we will have one of the history makers to give us a personal retrospective on his involvement in and the impact of the Gacy case.”

    In addition to Kozenczak speaking to an audience at the Brookdale Plaza Des Plaines about Gacy, both Joseph and Karen Kozenczak, co-authors of The Chicago Killer: The Hunt for Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy, will discuss their book at the History Center’s book discussion that will take place Wednesday, July 16, from 6-7 p.m. at the History Center, 781 Pearson Street, Des Plaines.

    “Even if this book is on such a grim chapter of local history,” said Mohr, “we are glad to be able to discuss the work of local authors. We’ll take the opportunity to discuss the history of the Gacy investigation as well as how personal narratives and autobiographies fit into historical memory.”

Copies of the book are available at the Des Plaines Public Library (third floor) or for purchase at the History Center ($15, autographed copy, paperback). Join us for the book discussion and/or the Coffee Talk.

For more information, call the History Center at 847-391-5399 or visit desplaineshistory.org.

The History Center gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Des Plaines, the Des Plaines Park District, its members, and other contributors.



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