Jeffrey Dahmer Biography

(American Serial Killer and Sex Offender)

Birthday: May 21, 1960 (Gemini)

Born In: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender. Nurturing a fascination with animals since childhood, he was always attracted to animal anatomy, especially bones. Coming from a disturbed family, his youth was plagued by excessive drinking, thereby making him a loner and giving rise to his disturbing tendencies. Having committed heinous crimes, he is believed to have been driven by necrophilia and became known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal.” Abandoned by his family due to his strange habits and behavior, he resorted to such nerve-wracking practices. Exhibiting homosexual tendencies, he is believed to have murdered and dismembered seventeen males over a span of 13 years, the majority of them being African-American. His residence housed the remains of the dead, packed and stored in jars and even in refrigerators. Evidence such as photographs of the victims and the murder scenes suggested that Dahmer may have had schizotypal personality disorder. He was also convicted for child molestation but continued his crimes after serving time. Despite exhibiting traits associated with a psychotic disorder, he was declared sane and sentenced to fifteen terms of life imprisonment.

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Quick Facts

Nick Name: The Milwaukee Cannibal, The Milwaukee Monster

Also Known As: Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, Milwaukee Cannibal, Milwaukee Monster

Died At Age: 34

Family:

father: Lionel Dahmer

mother: Joyce Dahmer

Born Country: United States

Murderers Serial Killers

Died on: November 28, 1994

place of death: Portage, Wisconsin, United States

More Facts

education: Ohio State University

  • 1

    What was Jeffrey Dahmer's modus operandi?

    Jeffrey Dahmer would lure young men to his home under the pretense of offering them money or alcohol before drugging and then strangling them. He would then proceed to dismember their bodies and keep certain body parts as mementos.
  • 2

    How many victims did Jeffrey Dahmer have?

    Jeffrey Dahmer was known to have murdered at least 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
  • 3

    What led to Jeffrey Dahmer's arrest?

    Jeffrey Dahmer's arrest came about when one of his intended victims managed to escape and alert the police. Upon entering Dahmer's apartment, the police discovered evidence of his gruesome crimes, leading to his subsequent arrest.
  • 4

    What was Jeffrey Dahmer's mental state during his killing spree?

    Psychiatric evaluations revealed that Jeffrey Dahmer suffered from various mental disorders, including borderline personality disorder and psychotic disorder. However, he was deemed legally sane during his trial.
  • 5

    How did Jeffrey Dahmer die?

    Jeffrey Dahmer was murdered by a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin, on November 28, 1994.
Childhood & Early Life

Jeffrey Dahmer was born on May 21, 1960, to Joyce Annette and Lionel Herbert Dahmer in West Allis, Wisconsin.

Dahmer’s mother, a teletype machine instructor by profession and his father, a student of chemistry at the Marquette University, did not have a happy marriage, the effects of which were clearly evident in Dahmer’s behavior.

During his schooling at Revere High School, he was known to be a boy of an above average intellect. His interest in tennis was known, and he was also a part of the school band.

Following surgeries for a hernia and the birth of his sibling, Dahmer became insecure, shy, and timid, with very few friends.

He had a fascination with animals since childhood. He was reported to have captured insects and butterflies, which he stored in jars. Fascinated by animal anatomy, he collected animal carcasses, which he dismembered to satisfy his curiosity.

Seeing his father clean the family home of animal bones, his interest gained momentum. He was ecstatic about the sound of bones.

Dahmer’s family shifted to Doylestown, Ohio, in 1966 and finally to Bath, Ohio, in 1968. Dahmer’s inquisitiveness regarding bleaching and preserving animal bones was very evident in the questions he kept throwing at his father, who was then working as an analytical chemist.

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Youth & Criminal Career
Post his graduation in 1978, Dahmer got addicted to alcohol due to which he had to give up his education at Ohio State University in 1979.
In the year 1978, he committed his first murder of a hitchhiker, Steven Hicks whom he took home, made him drink and hit his head with a barbell when he tried to escape. He stored his body in plastic bags after dismembering it.

On his father’s recommendation, he joined the Army in 1979, and moved to Germany. His alcoholism couldn’t take him further in the Army too and he was discharged in 1981.

His unruly behavior landed him in prison a couple of times, because of which he was sent to live with his grandmother in Wisconsis who also could not take his habits and threw him out in September, 1988.
Dahmer’s second victim, Steven Toumi was murdered in a hotel room post drinking whose corpse was moved to his grandmother’s basement in a suitcase. It is believed that Dahmer sexually abused the body before dismembering; although the body was never discovered.
Just two months later Dahmer lured another 14 year old male prostitute, James Doxtator into his residence with the usual ulterior motives. After some sexual activities the victim was drugged and killed.
Post this, Dahmer set out on a killing spree that continued for almost 13 years wherein he usually targeted African-American men.
His victims were first taken to a drunken state and killed, after which he used to have sex with their dead bodies.
He used to store the victim’s genitals and skulls as remembrances. He would put the victim’s head in the refrigerator and later treat with bleach.
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His house would stink of the remains of the dead and neighbors also complained of weird sounds that came from his apartment but he always got away with excuses.
For Dahmer, murdering was an experience which was evident by the photographs he clicked at various stages of murder.
He was accused of child molestation in 1989, which was defended by his counsel on grounds of seeking medical help for him. Although he escaped with a “day release” and five year probation, he showed no change in attitude.
In the next 15 months, he committed 12 more murders. He became a Necrophilia wherein he dominated the victims. He also became a flesh eater, drilled into living victim’s skulls and discovered new ways of disposing bodies.
Dahmer was smart in selecting his prey. He chose criminals of lesser degree whose sudden absence from society was less perceptible.
It was on July 22, 1991, that Dahmer failed to escape when Tracy Edwards, an African-American man was found handcuffed in a drugged state on the streets. Going by the victim’s claims, the police searched Dahmer’s apartment where all evidences included heads, skulls, dismembered bodies, preserved genitals were found.
Dahmer confessed of his gruesome acts but his defence counsel pleaded mercy on the grounds of insanity which was not taken by the jury.
On February 17, 1992, Dahmer was declared guilty but sane and sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms or 957 years of imprisonment.
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Family & Personal Life
Dahmer had homosexual orientations, which he always hid from his parents.
While in prison, he was secluded from other inmates, but he easily adjusted to the way of living in prison.
He was permitted by the Columbia Correctional Institution to be baptized by a local preacher.
For the first time on November 28, 1994, he was allowed the company of other inmates - Jesse Anderson (a murderer) and Christopher Scarver (a schizophrenic, imprisoned for life for murder). He was killed by Christopher Scarver, who crushed his head with a metal bar.
Almost 20 years after Dahmer’s death in 2015, Christopher Scarver revealed his loath for Dahmer’s criminal record and his provocative behavior with other inmates as being the reasons behind murdering him.
Facts About Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer was known to be an avid reader and had a particular interest in science fiction novels.
Despite his heinous crimes, Dahmer was described by some acquaintances as shy and introverted.
Dahmer reportedly had a talent for creating intricate and detailed sculptures using materials like bones and animal parts.
He was known to have a pet fish named "Dillinger" that he cared for diligently.
Dahmer was once employed as a chocolate mixer at a candy factory, where he was described as a hardworking and well-liked employee.

See the events in life of Jeffrey Dahmer in Chronological Order

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- Jeffrey Dahmer Biography
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