Devil in Disguise: Where is John Wayne Gacy’s attorney now? All you need to know about Sam Amirante

Devil in Disguise highlights the real-life case of John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer and clown who killed several young boys and men in the 1970s.

The show features some characters inspired by the actual story, which also includes John Gacy's attorney, Sam Amirante. Amirante is a Chicago-based criminal defense attorney who is best known for representing John Wayne Gacy, aka the Killer Clown, during his trial in 1980.

During the time Amirante had just started his private practice, Gacy was his first private client, and a case that defines his public legacy even now. In 1988, Amirante was appointed Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He retired in 2005 and later co-authored a book titled “John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster”, recounting his experiences during the case.

According to a 2021 article by Oxygen, Amirante continues to practice law in Illinois and is the head lawyer of Sam L. Amirante and Associates, P.C.

Read on to know more about Sam Amirante as shown on Devil in Disguise.

Here is what we know about Sam Amirante, as shown on Devil in Disguise

Sam was a public defender before starting to work as a private practitioner. He knew Gacy casually through community circles as a contractor who often dressed as a clown for charity events. When he became his private client, Sam had one of the shocking experiences defending his case in his life history. He realized the man who appeared to be a civilian and lived in plain sight was actually a gruesome serial killer.

It was in 1978 that the police started chasing Gacy due to suspicions in the disappearance case of a 15-year-old, Robert Piest. This is when Gacy approached Amirante for help. He asserted that the police are harassing him, as explored in Devil in Disguise.

However, soon he privately confessed his crimes to Sam while also admitting the location where he had disposed of the body of the young boy. He got arrested and, during interrogation, confessed to killing 30 more young men and boys, underscoring his psychotic behaviour.

Having watched Gacy closely, Amirante co-authored a memoir with fellow attorney Danny Broderick, penning down his first-hand experience of defending a serial killer. The book presented a humanistic and chilling portrayal of Gacy, portraying him as a manipulative and dangerous figure.

Amirante, in the book, also reflected on the guilt and psychological burden he suffered while defending a monster like man. However, he also pointed out how important fair representation is in law.

Here is how Amirante's case defending Wayne ended, as shown in Devil in Disguise

When the police combed Gacy's house after the warrant, they found a mass grave containing almost 29 victims, confirming the crimes. Since then, history remembers him as the "Killer clown".

Gacy was convicted in 1980 of 33 murders and was sentenced to death. His execution took place on May 10, 1994.

Over time, Amirante has spoken about how the case has affected him, his career, and his mental health alike.

“The only thing that ever bothered me is that if somebody might have wanted to get John Gacy, I might get in the way of a bullet or something,” said Amirante. “I've apologized to my two young boys, who are now grown men, and my ex-wife - that's probably why she's my ex-wife,” he said. “I didn't get to spend enough time with them. That bothers me to this day.”

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You can watch Devil in Disguise, a six-part docuseries streaming on Peacock, featuring interviews with investigators, prosecutors, and people who knew Gacy. The recent TV show also premiered on October 16, 2025.

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