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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
David Struett

William J. Kunkle Jr. dies at 81; prosecutor in John Wayne Gacy case

John Wayne Gacy Bill Del Valle Death Penalty Cook County Illinois Gaming Board
William J. Kunkle Jr. was an assistant state’s attorney when he was chosen to prosecute John Wayne Gacy. Kunkle was later chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board and a Cook County judge. (Sun-Times file photo/ Kevin Horhan)

As the prosecutor who secured the death penalty for serial killer John Wayne Gacy, William J. Kunkle Jr. could have coasted on the celebrity of the case for the rest of his career.

But he instead used the experience to travel the country and teach others about the infamous trial and some of its legal peculiarities.

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