Jeffrey Dahmer
American serial killer who murdered seventeen men and boys.
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender who murdered seventeen men and boys between 1978 and 1991. His first killing occurred in Ohio in 1978, after which he did not kill again until 1987. For most of his later crimes, Dahmer would lure victims to his Wisconsin apartment, where he drugged, sexually assaulted, and murdered them. Many of these murders involved necrophilia, cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts, typically all or part of the skeleton. He was arrested in 1991 after an intended victim escaped. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and a psychotic disorder, he was found legally sane at trial. Convicted of sixteen counts of murder, he received sixteen life sentences without parole in 1992. Dahmer was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1994.
Born in Milwaukee in 1960, Dahmer was the first of two sons. His father was a chemistry student and later a research chemist; his mother was a teletype machine instructor. Some sources indicate he was deprived of attention as an infant, while others suggest he was doted upon, though his mother was tense, argumentative, and demanded attention. As he entered first grade, his father’s studies kept him away, and his mother, a hypochondriac suffering from depression, spent increasing time in bed and once attempted suicide. Dahmer later recalled feeling unsure of his family’s stability due to constant arguments. He had been an energetic child but became subdued after hernia surgery before age four. At school, he was quiet and timid; a teacher detected signs of abandonment. The family moved to Ohio in 1966, and his brother David was born that December.
From an early age, Dahmer showed an interest in dead animals, possibly sparked when he saw his father removing animal bones from beneath the family home. He became preoccupied with bones, which he called his “fiddlesticks,” and explored live animals to find their bones. In 1968, the family moved to a wooded property in Bath Township, Ohio, where he collected insects and skeletons of small animals, preserving some in formaldehyde. At age ten, after a chicken dinner, he asked his father about bleaching chicken bones; his father demonstrated the technique, which Dahmer later used on his collections. He also dissected roa
- born
- May 21, 1960, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- died
- November 28, 1994, Columbia Correctional Institution, Portage, Wisconsin
- field
- Serial murder, sex offenses
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Killing and dismembering seventeen men and boys; necrophilia, cannibalism, preservation of body parts
Lore & Background
Dahmer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the first of two sons to Lionel Herbert Dahmer, a chemistry student and later research chemist, and Joyce Annette Dahmer, a teletype machine instructor. Some sources report he was deprived of attention as an infant, while others suggest he was generally doted upon, though his mother was tense and argumentative. As he entered first grade, his father's studies kept him away, and his mother, a hypochondriac suffering from depression, demanded constant attention; she attempted suicide once using Equanil. Dahmer later recalled feeling 'unsure of the solidity of the family' due to extreme tension and arguments. He had been an 'energetic and happy child' but became subdued after double hernia surgery before his fourth birthday. In elementary school he was quiet and timid, with a small number of friends. From an early age he manifested an interest in dead animals, possibly beginning at age four when he saw his father removing animal bones from beneath the family home. He collected insects and skeletons of small animals, preserved some in formaldehyde, and later dissected roadkill, burying the bodies and placing skulls on makeshift crosses.
Reader's Guide
Dahmer’s behavior was marked by a progression from an early, intense fascination with dead animals—beginning around age four after seeing his father remove animal bones from beneath the family home—to the systematic killing, dismemberment, and preservation of human remains. His modus operandi in later murders involved luring victims to his Wisconsin apartment, where he drugged, sexually assaulted, and killed them. He engaged in necrophilia, cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts, typically all or part of the skeleton. His first murder occurred in Ohio in 1978, after which he did not kill again until 1987. He was arrested in 1991 when an intended victim escaped. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and a psychotic disorder, he was nonetheless declared legally sane at trial and convicted of sixteen counts of murder. The case’s significance extends beyond the extreme nature of the crimes to the legal and psychiatric questions they raised. His legacy fuels ongoing debate about the intersection of mental illness and criminal responsibility, as well as law enforcement’s failures to intervene earlier. Dahmer remains a key reference in discussions of serial murder, forensic psychology, and the criminal justice system’s handling of repeat offenders. He was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1994.
Did You Know?
- He was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and a psychotic disorder, but was declared legally sane at trial.
- Dahmer was beaten to death by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.
- As a teenager, Dahmer once successfully called the White House and obtained an impromptu tour for his classmates, including the office of Vice President Walter Mondale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What nickname was Jeffrey Dahmer known by?
He was commonly called the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, names that reflected both the geographic center of his crimes and the grotesque nature of his acts, including cannibalism and the preservation of body parts.
How did Jeffrey Dahmer die?
Dahmer was stabbed to death by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver on November 28, 1994, at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin. At the time of his death he was serving a life sentence for his crimes.
What distinguished Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes from other serial killers?
Beyond the high victim count, his later offenses combined drugging, sexual assault, necrophilia, and cannibalism in a single predatory pattern. He also attempted to permanently preserve body parts, a detail that made his case uniquely disturbing even among notorious cases.
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