Matthew Bowman was 19 and from Harwood Heights, Illinois. He was last seen by his mother at a suburban train station on July 5, 1977 and had told family he intended to travel for a court appointment. His sister later reported him missing.

Bowman’s remains were recovered buried under the crawl space of John Wayne Gacy’s home and were identified as Body #8. Gacy was a serial killer and sex offender responsible for the rape, torture, and murder of at least 33 young men and boys between 1962 and 1977; he was convicted of 33 murders and later sentenced to death.

The case underscored the vulnerability of young men and boys in the area during that period and the wide-reaching impact on victims’ families. Did anyone who knew Matthew in 1977 ever hear about his planned court appointment or his movements that day?