Who Were John Wayne Gacy’s Wives?

John Wayne Gacy, one of America’s most notorious serial killers, was married twice—first to Marlynn Myers and then to Carole Hoff. Both marriages took place before the full scope of his crimes was widely known.

Here’s what’s publicly known about his former wives, their lives during the marriages, and where they went afterward.

Marlynn Myers: First Wife & Mother of Two

• Marriage and children: Gacy married Marlynn Myers in 1964. They had two children together—Michael (born 1966) and Christine (born 1967).
• Life during marriage: Early on, they moved to Iowa where Gacy managed some Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises owned by Marlynn’s father. The image they presented was of a normal family life, with Gacy working, raising a family.
• Fallout and divorce: In 1968, Gacy was accused and then convicted of sexual assault of a teenage boy. On the very day of his sentencing, Marlynn filed for divorce. She was awarded custody of their children and the family property. The divorce was finalized in 1969.
• The aftermath: Marlynn remarried later in life. She has stayed out of the public eye for many years, expressing in past interviews her disbelief at the revelations about Gacy. She has publicly noted she had no contact with him after their split.

Carole Hoff: Second Wife During Gacy’s Crimes

• How they reconnected: Carole Hoff was friends with Gacy’s sister, having known him from earlier years. They reconnected after Gacy’s release from prison (following the conviction during his first marriage) and married in 1972. At the time, Hoff was a single mother with two daughters.
• Marriage under false normalcy: Hoff moved into Gacy’s Norwood Park house with her daughters. For much of their marriage, she believed Gacy was a normal, if somewhat secretive, husband. Over time, she noticed irregular behavior — Gacy disappearing for nights, disturbing items in his car, wallets of teenage boys, strange smells, pornography, and other signs that something was wrong.
• Doubts grow & divorce: As suspicions mounted, Hoff confronted Gacy about what she found. The strain became too much. She filed for divorce in 1975. Their divorce was completed in 1976, even as Gacy committed a number of murders during and after their separation.

What We Know Now

• Both Marlynn and Carole were reportedly unaware of the full extent of Gacy’s crimes during their marriages.
• Neither has been involved in Gacy’s public infamy beyond providing occasional interviews or archive quotes. They have largely retreated from public life.
• Their experiences reflect how Gacy balanced a public persona of respectability while hiding crimes, creating deceptive “normal” lives around him.

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