Join us on Friday, September 4th at the Holiday Inn Dubuque for David Hachmeister’s program, Cracking the Case: What I learned as one of the lead detectives investigating the John Wayne Gacy case.

Cracking the Case
What I learned as one of the lead detectives investigating the John Wayne Gacy case

David Hachmeister began his law enforcement career in 1972 after being hired by the Des Plaines Police Department. In 1977 he was assigned to work a four-man plain clothes tactical unit. In 1978 he was assigned to assist in the missing person case of 15 year-old Des Plaines resident Robert Piest. As a result of that investigation, David arrested and took the confession of John Wayne Gacy who killed Piest and 32 other young men and boys. Gacy was executed in 1994.

During his career with the Des Plaines Police Department, David served as a supervisor of a tactical unit, supervisor of a multi-jurisdictional gang crimes unit, watch commander, and chief of detectives retiring in 2002 as deputy chief. He and his family then moved to JoDaviess County where he was hired by the JoDaviess County Sheriff’s Office as Chief Deputy. Dave retired from JoDaviess County in April 2014 after 42 years in law enforcement. He now spends his time on his motorcycle and fishing