Jack Merrill, an actor known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Law and Order, has opened up about a traumatic event in his past involving the infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy [pictured]. Nearly four decades after the harrowing incident, Merrill has chosen to share his experience publicly, detailing how he managed to survive an encounter with Gacy, who was later convicted of murdering 33 young men and boys.
Merrill’s story dates back to a fateful night in Chicago, his hometown, when he was just 19 years old. As he was making his way home from the YMCA, he accepted a ride from Gacy, a decision that would soon lead to a nightmarish ordeal. Initially hesitant, Merrill ultimately got into Gacy’s car, a choice that quickly turned dangerous.
In a poignant interview, Merrill described how Gacy, under the guise of friendliness, drugged him with amyl nitrite, a substance commonly referred to as ‘poppers’. “He pulled out this brown bottle, splashed some liquid on a rag, and jammed it into my face,” Merrill recalled. The next thing he remembered, he awoke in handcuffs outside Gacy’s house.
Faced with the 36-year-old Gacy’s imposing presence, the young Merrill realised that resistance might be futile. Relying on the calm demeanour instilled in him from childhood experiences, he attempted to maintain composure in hopes of staying alive. Amidst the terror, Merrill was forced to consume alcohol and drugs before being shackled and subjected to a torturous contraption designed to strangle him if he struggled.
The ordeal escalated when Gacy inserted a loaded gun into Merrill’s mouth and sexually assaulted him. Despite the immense danger, Merrill refrained from resisting out of fear for his life. Surprisingly, he noted a strange sense of pity towards Gacy, speculating that the killer might have been trapped in his compulsion.
Merrill’s ordeal lasted for hours, but eventually, Gacy declared he would take him home. Upon being released, Gacy gave him his contact number, which the young actor disposed of immediately after reaching safety. It was several months later that Gacy’s heinous crimes were uncovered, revealing dozens of bodies hidden beneath his home. The notorious “Killer Clown” was arrested in 1980 and executed by lethal injection in 1994.
For many years, Merrill kept his terrifying experience to himself, sharing it only with a few close friends. A discouraging response from a Hollywood executive further motivated him to distance himself from the ordeal publicly. He spent years attempting to bury the memory as he pursued his acting career and personal life.
Today, Merrill has been happily married to his husband for 23 years and acknowledges the gratitude he feels for surviving the encounter. He credits his recovery in part to a one-man show he created about his life, The Save, which has been instrumental in processing his past trauma.
Source: Noah Wire Services
