GRAVEFACE MUSEUM
TRUE CRIME CON
We are thrilled to host an array of panelists including Gacy’s final appellate attorney, a former Des Plains detective who exhumed several bodies from the crawlspace on Summerdale, and speak with current leading researchers still uncovering hidden truths about Gacy today. Watch an advanced screening of Ryan Graveface’s docuseries, Question of Doubt (Episode I), witness the unveiling of never-before-seen artifacts from the Gacy case, and more!
Book signings, meet & greets, and Q&A with all our panelists will be held throughout the convention to make this experience a highly engaging and informative event for any true crime enthusiast. A curated selection of respected vendors will bring some of their most unique, genuine true crime-related items available for purchase.
CONVENTION SCHEDULE
10:00 am- VIP doors open for check-in. Personal meet & greet time with the panelists, pick up your VIP survival tote bag filled with material from the Graveface Museum’s Gacy archive, True Crime Con tee, and other goodies plus some time to grab some complimentary VIP refreshments/snacks and check out all of our vendor’s merch before general admission doors open.
11:00 am- Doors open for all other attendees. Check-in and shop our true crime vendor tables before the panels start at noon.
12:00 pm- Introduction (James Sparks MC and Ryan Graveface)
PANEL TIMES AND DETAILS BELOW (click to expand):
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Demystifying John Wayne Gacy with James Sparks & Ryan Graveface. James Sparks became well acquainted with Gacy on death row as a criminal justice student; he visited Gacy over 10 times to complete the thesis for his degree.
Ryan Graveface has amassed the largest archive of Gacy material and has made groundbreaking discoveries on the case with the ultimate goal of uncovering hidden truths and bringing justice to those who have evaded being linked to the case officially (both victims and accomplices).
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Karen Conti was one of Gacy’s final death row attorneys and published author. In this panel she will speak about her experience defending one of America’s most notorious killers. Q&A + book signing to follow.
Book signing at 3:00pm during a 30 minute intermission.
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One of the detectives who broke the Gacy case and exhumed several of the corpses from Gacy’s crawlspace, Rafael Tovar, will give a presentation that he’s only ever given to university students in the past.
Tovar is also bringing an artifact from the case that will become an exhibit on display at the Graveface Museum. Any guesses as to what it may be? Don’t miss the reveal during this presentation!
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Dean Corll was a serial killer in Texas whose crimes came to light in 1975, years before Gacy was caught and in a different part of the country. The parallels between the cases are so undeniably similar, were they somehow connected?
Researcher and documentarian Tracy Ullman unveils the links between John Wayne Gacy, Dean Corll, and nationwide pedophile rings in this panel. Find out first hand what Tracy has uncovered in her years searching for answers.
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Recap and analyze what we’ve just learned about the Gacy case with Sheryl “Mac” McCollum; an expert crime analyst and cold case investigator who has worked hundreds of cases in her 40+ years of experience.
What are her thoughts on new information that has been revealed about an infamous case decades old? As a cold case detective what is her perspective on additional victims and how can we bring justice to them? Questions will be raised and discussed amongst her and fellow panelists.
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An advanced screening of Question of Doubt Episode I. Introduction and Q&A with Ryan Graveface (researcher/producer) and Ben Petty (filmography/editor).
Ryan Graveface has been working on and researching various aspects of the Gacy case for over a decade to compile this docuseries in which he sets out to find the hidden truths about the case that have never come to light until now.
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Graveface Museum True Crime Con Panelists
For our first True Crime Convention, we are honored to bring some of the leading experts on the Gacy case with a wide range of experiences that are assured to captivate those in attendance.
No panels will overlap to ensure you get the most out of your convention and don’t miss a thing!
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Karen Conti
Gacy’s final appellate attorney; author of Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy: Defending America's Most Evil Serial Killer on Death Row. Conti will be here to discuss her compelling experience defending one of the most depraved American serial killers and reveal what she and the other appellate attorneys on her team uncovered in the process.
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Rafael Tovar
Retired Des Plaines detective Rafael Tovar; responsible for exhuming several bodies from the crawlspace of 8213 Summerdale will not only tell us about his experience but he’ll show us using his personal archive of photos from the dig compiled into a captivating presentation with plenty of time for Q&As.
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Sheryl "Mac" McCollum
Sheryl "Mac" McCollum is an American crime analyst, college professor, author, and founder and director of the non-profit Cold Case Investigative Research Institute based in Atlanta, Georgia, and a crime scene analyst for a CBS affiliate. Sheryl also hosts the podcast Zone 7 discussing cold case files.
[panel]
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Tracy Ullman
Chicago-based researcher and documentarian Tracy Ullman (Devil in Disguise, 2021) will present some of her research and findings as she discusses the links between John Wayne Gacy, serial killer Dean Corll, and nationwide pedophile rings. Ullman will be discussing how her research began, the most shocking discoveries, and what does this mean for our understanding of the Gacy case.
[virtual panel] -
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Ryan Graveface
Owner/founder of the Graveface Museum; Ryan owns the largest collection and archive of Gacy material and in turn has become the leading authority on all things John Wayne Gacy. This con will conclude with an advanced screening of the docuseries he’s been working on and researching for the better part of a decade as he discovers case-altering information about the infamous case.
[screening + panel] -
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James Sparks
Criminologist James Sparks became well acquainted with John Wayne Gacy during his time visiting the Killer Clown on death row in the 90s. Sparks has made his career in the criminal justice field and teaches a class on serial killers and juvenile justice at the University of Alabama. Sparks and Ryan Graveface will host a panel “Demystifying John Wayne Gacy” and debunking some common misconceptions about the case.
[MC + panel]
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TRUE CRIME COLLECTIVE
True Crime Collective provides true crime addicts with one-of-a-kind clothing, authentic murderabilia, collectibles, and accessories featuring the most infamous serial killers, cult leaders, and true crime icons of all time. Whether you’re a novice or established collector you’ll find something at their table
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GRAVEYARD GALLERY
Graveyard gallery is run by Adam Sotelo—a special effects artist and sculptor with 23 years of experience specializing in life-sized displays. In addition to his intricately crafted displays, he’s created a line of horror toys, true crime action figures, and other unique creations.
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MURDERAUCTION. COM
Murderauction(dot)com Will Harder is bringing a range of his expansive collection he’s accumulated over decades of searching and interacting with notorious criminals. He will be bringing serial killer letters, artwork, and many other one of a kind collectibles.
Graveface Museum True Crime Con will take place at the Savannah Convention Center. Our panels will all be held in the Oglethorpe Auditorium, comfortable theatre seating is available for all attendees. VIP and VIP Deluxe tickets grant you priority seating in the front rows for each panel.
Food trucks and drinks will be on site!
