In the early 1980s, Chicago was haunted by a group of killers so depraved, so brutal, and so steeped in satanic ritual that even seasoned detectives struggled to describe their crimes.
They weren’t lone predators. They were a sadistic cult of four men, led by the charismatic and twisted Robin Gecht, a former associate of serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
Together, they became known as The Chicago Rippers—and their spree of abduction, torture, mutilation, and murder has left a permanent scar on the city.
This is the story of a killer cult hiding in plain sight—and the terrifying acts they carried out in the name of darkness.
The Leaders of the Cult
The group consisted of:
- Robin Gecht – The ringleader. Calm, well-spoken, and outwardly normal. Ran a small construction company and had previously worked for John Wayne Gacy.
- Edward Spreitzer – Gecht’s right-hand man, violent and unstable.
- Andrew and Thomas Kokoraleis – Two brothers with low IQs, easily manipulated into unspeakable crimes.
Gecht was obsessed with Satanism, torture, and sexual domination. He kept a makeshift altar in his attic, where the group performed rituals—complete with candles, chants, and human blood.
Their crimes began in 1981, targeting vulnerable women across Chicago.
The Horrific M.O.
The Chicago Rippers didn’t just kill—they ritualistically butchered.
Their primary method included:
- Abducting women from the streets—often sex workers
- Forcing them into a van outfitted like a mobile torture chamber
- Raping, beating, and mutilating victims while still alive
- Often removing breasts with surgical precision
- Performing satanic rituals, including placing severed body parts on Gecht’s altar
Some victims were dumped in alleys or ditches. Others were never found.
One woman, Beverly Washington, survived and would become key to the investigation.
The Survivor Speaks
In 1982, Beverly Washington was abducted, drugged, raped, and mutilated. The killers cut off one of her breasts, left her for dead near train tracks, and vanished into the night.
But Beverly survived.
She gave police detailed descriptions of the van, the men, and their methods. This led investigators to Gecht and his crew.
Upon arrest, the Kokoraleis brothers confessed everything. They described rituals where Gecht would read from the Satanic Bible, drink blood from severed breasts, and chant prayers to demonic forces.
Connections to Gacy and Satanism
Robin Gecht’s past employment with John Wayne Gacy raised immediate red flags. While there’s no evidence Gacy was involved, the coincidence is chilling.
Gecht maintained his innocence, claiming his followers acted alone. But the testimony painted him as the orchestrator of satanic sexual murder, fueled by delusions of power and ritualistic obsession.
Authorities described the crimes as the most brutal and ritualistic they had ever seen—not random acts of violence, but a systematic form of sadistic worship.
The Trials and Aftermath
- Thomas Kokoraleis was convicted and sentenced to life—but controversially released in 2019 after serving 35 years.
- Andrew Kokoraleis was executed in 1999, the last person to be put to death in Illinois before the state abolished the death penalty.
- Edward Spreitzer remains in prison for life.
- Robin Gecht was never convicted of murder due to lack of physical evidence, but is serving 120 years for rape and mutilation.
Gecht continues to deny involvement—yet investigators insist he was the mastermind behind the rituals and killings.
A Cult That Still Haunts Chicago
The Chicago Rippers were not just killers—they were true believers in darkness. They acted together, bound by ritual, sadism, and ideology. Their crimes blurred the line between true crime and occult horror.
Despite their capture, Gecht’s influence, the rituals, and the sheer savagery of their actions continue to fascinate and disturb.
They were proof that evil doesn’t always wear a single face. Sometimes, it’s a collective—masked in normalcy, acting in shadows.
For more cases like this, explore our archive. SinisterArchive.com—where the legends are real.