Jeffrey Dahmer

  Jeffrey Dahmer

  A Legacy of Evil, Disturbing True Story of the Cannibalism, Murder Spree, Rape and Torture of the Milwaukee Madman

  Terry Baxter

  Copyright © 2019 by Terry Baxter - All rights reserved.

  In no way is it lawful to duplicate, replicate, or send any part of this book in either digital means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly banned and also any storage space of this file is not permitted unless with written authorization from the publisher.

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1: Childhood and early life

  Chapter 2: Early adulthood and the murder of Steven Hicks

  Chapter 3: Killing Spree

  Chapter 4: End of the line

  Chapter 5: Sanity on trial

  Conclusion

  Introduction

  The name Jeffery Dahmer is associated with evil on a level such as those legendary evildoers like Charles Manson and Ted Bundy. He was known for his cannibalistic acts though that is only scratching the surface.

  The murders perpetrated by Dahmer rocked the small, quiet city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to its very core. But it wasn’t just the murders themselves that caused horror and indignation across America. It was the sheer level of violence that caused America to tremble. As the grisly details of his heinous acts came to life during his trial, observers could not help but cringe.

  Jeffery Dahmer’s place in history in undoubtedly secure due to the magnitude of his actions. He was not only convicted of killing 17 people, but it was in the fashion in which he committed these acts that has cemented his place among the most notorious serial killers in history.

  Nevertheless, Jeffery Dahmer never came off as an aggressive or evil individual. In fact, his demeanor was that of an apparently harmless man. He seemed like a typical neighbor who minded his own business. No one would have ever guessed he was capable of such carnage just by looking at him.

  Yet, there was evil inside him after all. From 1978 to the time of his arrest in 1991, he systematically hunted boys and young men in order to carry out his twisted fantasies. Indeed, he was able to live out his gruesome desires. But it wasn’t so much the fact that the killed 17 innocent boys and young men; it was what he did to their corpses that has place Dahmer into the lore of the sick and twisted.

  Dahmer was killed in prison in 1994 after being convicted for the 17 murders and sentenced to 15 life terms. His death at the age of 34 makes his evil spree all that more startling. However, was Jeffrey Dahmer an insane individual who had no control over what his was doing, or was he a stone-cold killer that was perfectly aware of his actions?

  At his trial, Dahmer entered a guilty but insane please. His allegations into his mental incapacitation fueled speculation that he was mentally infirm. Naturally, the scope of his actions would suggest that he was. But, his systematic hunting of victims would suggest otherwise.

  Ultimately, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder and a psychotic disorder. These diagnoses paint the picture of mentally ill individual who derived please from inflicting pain through torture.

  The outcome of his trial, and subsequent sentencing proved that he was not a sick individual acting irrationally; this was a sick individual who knew exactly what he was up to. And while his actions were nothing short of a Hollywood horror film, the fact remains that he was responsible for unspeakable acts.

  In this book, Dahmer’s legacy of cruelty will be exposed along with the motives behind his actions. In addition, a description of his background, early years, and transition into one of the most notorious serial killers will be discussed. While this book will not go into the gory details of his crimes, it will suffice to describe, in general terms, the types of deeds he committed.

  For the general reader, this book shall provide great information and insights into one of the most researched cases in American history. For those interested in researching this case in greater detail, this book provides the starting point for which a deep and thorough revision can be provided.

  Ultimately, this book is not an easy read. After all, it is not easy to delve into how Dahmer carried out his acts. Notwithstanding, understanding the motives behind Dahmer’s actions has proven valuable to advancing research into mental illness and the treatment of sociopathic behavior. Certainly, Dahmer was no ordinary individual. Yet, understanding his condition and motivations are essential in the study of such disorders which may lead to the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals who present such conditions.

  As such, the aim of this book is not to humanize Dahmer in any way nor is it to justify his action. The aim is to provide greater understanding and insight into an individual who was dubbed as a “monster”. Of course, he definitely fits the bill of such a distinction. But the fact remains that Dahmer’s crimes ought not be archived in the annals of ignominy.

  Dahmer’s death seemingly left several loose ends. Had he been alive longer, it might have been possible to gain a deeper look at what can motivate a person to commit such barbaric actions. Additionally, Dahmer’s case serves as a cautionary tale for those who associate themselves with individuals fitting Dahmer’s demeanor and behavior.

  Lastly, this book intends to show that even in the sick and twisted mind of Dahmer, there was a method to the madness. There was a goal which he was pursuing. Consequently, his actions had a purpose which he meant to fulfill. Whether or not he actually carried out his intentions remains to be seen.

  His confessions and subsequent guilty plea only serve to further support the notion that he was not as insane as he would have had authorities believe. He was fully aware of what he was doing. He knew exactly what he was doing. This is the reason why he was sentenced to prison and not considered insane.

  In the end, Dahmer’s legacy will live on forever. While it may fade with time, the fact of the matter is that he will not be forgotten quite so easily. Whether or not future generations will choose to forgive his actions remains to be seen. The families of his victims and the Milwaukee community have done their best to banish Dahmer’s memory from the fabric of their lives.

  So, it is up to the reader to decide whether Dahmer was insane, or whether he was a calculating killer. One thing is certain though: the world is a better place without him.

  Chapter 1:

  Childhood and early life

  Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was born without fanfare at the Evangelical Deaconess Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 21st, 1960. He was the son of Joyce Annette and Lionel Herbert Dahmer. The couple welcome Jeffrey as their first child. Jeffrey was of noticeable European ancestry as his father, Lionel, was of German and Welsh ancestry while his mother, Joyce, as of Norwegian and Irish heritage.

  As a child, Jeffrey settled into a quiet life. Joyce was a teletype machine instructor while Lionel was enrolled at Marquette University. Lionel was working toward earning his degree in Chemistry, although it would be quite some time before he would eventually get it.

  Details of Jeffery’s early life are rather sketchy and tend to be somewhat contradictory. For instance, there are claims that Jeffrey was neglected as an infant while others claim that he did receive the normal attention that a child would usually receive. Yet, most sources seem to agree on the fact that Jeffrey’s mother was tense and yearning for attention and pity from Lionel and neighbors. It appears that Joyce resented the attention the baby was getting to a certain extent.

  These feelings may have played a role in Jeffrey’s early upbringing and may serve to support the speculation that Jeffrey did not receive the love and care that an infant ought to get. However, the extent of those claims seems to be unsubstantiated.

  During Jeffrey’s early years,
his mother spent more and more time in bed recovering from illness while his father spent an increasing amount of time away from home due to his studies. When Lionel was home, his wife, Joyce, demanded ever-increasing amounts of attention. It has been reported that Joyce would work herself up into exacerbated states of anguish over unimportant matters in order to call her husband’s attention. The extent of Joyce’s cries for attention reached a climax when she purportedly attempted to commit suicide by taking an overdose of Equanil pills. This revealed her glaring addiction to this substance.

  Given these facts, it is clear that Jeffrey did not receive the attention that he needed during his infancy.

  Jeffrey recalled his early years as being filled with “extreme tension” between his parents. This was the result of the constant arguing and fighting at home. While he was considered as a happy child early on, he become rather quiet and shy following a double hernia surgery he sustained prior to his fourth birthday. Since then, Jeffrey seemed to have become much more timid.

  During his time in Elementary school, Jeffrey was often quite and withdrawn. His first teacher described Jeffrey as being a quiet and reserved child. In fact, she had the feeling that Jeffrey was being neglected. Nevertheless, Jeffrey did seem to get along well with other children despite being largely neglected by both his parents.

  It is worth noting that Jeffrey seemed to have an interest in death early on. He appeared to be fascinated by dead animals. One such example was his fascination for insects which he placed in a jar. He was also seen collecting animal carcasses from the side of roads. He would either go at it alone or in the company of some of his friends.

  Other accounts recall Jeffrey taking these carcasses into the woods behind his family’s home in order to dismember it. Other accounts claim that Jeffrey would place the dismembered animal parts into jars for the conservation. Jeffrey reported claimed that he was fascinated by seeing how animals “fit together”. It is believed that Jeffrey’s compulsion for dead creatures began as early as the age of four.

  As per Lionel Dahmer, Jeffrey was “oddly thrilled” by the sound of bones. This was apparently the motivation behind his allure for animal bones at an early age. It has also been reported that Jeffrey would search the grounds around his home for bones.

  In October 1966, the Dahmer family relocated to Doylestown, Ohio. During this time, Joyce Dahmer was expecting her second child. The family would welcome their second in December 1966. Jeffrey was permitted to choose the baby’s name. Jeffrey opted to choose “David” as his little brother’s name. Lionel received his degree as an analytical chemist in Akron, Ohio, during the same year.

  The family would be on the move again in 1968, this time to Bath, Ohio. It was around this time that Jeffrey had begun showing interest in the preservation of animal bones. Rather than misinterpreting this interest, Lionel thought it to be genuine scientific curiosity. So, Lionel began instructing Jeffrey in the way scientists were able to preserve animal bones. This further fueled his passion for collecting animal remains.

  As Jeffrey grew into adolescence, he was reportedly seen as an outcast, or outsider, by his peers. He was generally a loner and had few friends. Several classmates recalled how Jeffrey would sneak beer and hard liquor into school which he kept in his lockers. These contents would be hidden in the lining of an old army fatigue jacket. He would constantly drink before, during and then after school. According to reports, Jeffrey began this behavior somewhere around the age of 14.

  One classmate indicated that they had seen Jeffrey drinking Gin from a cup in class. When Jeffrey was asked why he was drinking Gin, Jeffrey reportedly replied, “it’s my medicine”. Indeed, it would appear that Jeffrey was already on a path to substance abuse even from an early age. Whether this was due to his mother’s own addictions is unclear.

  Despite being quiet and withdrawn at Revere High School, Jeffrey showed some interest in Tennis and even played in the school band for a short period of time. Nevertheless, he was a mediocre student due largely to his apathy for schoolwork. Yet, he was considered to be a bright and polite young man.

  Perhaps the largest turning point in Jeffrey’s life came around the time he reached puberty. Purportedly, it was around this time that Jeffrey discovered he was gay. This personal admission led him to feel corralled though he never admitted his sexual orientation to his parents. During Jeffrey’s early teenager years, he was engaged in a relationship with another young boy though they did not apparently engage in intercourse. Later on, Jeffrey would admit that he entertained fantasies of dominating other submissive male partners.

  One example of Jeffrey’s fantasies came to fruition when he was about 16 years old. He had devised a plan to attack a regular jogger in order to render him unconscious and dominate him. Jeffrey had conceived plan in which he would hide in the bushes and wait for the passing jogger. He would attack the jogger with a baseball bat and then take his body away. On the day that Jeffrey had intended to carry out his plan, the jogger did not appear. Jeffrey did not attempt the same plot again.

  Though this plan was unsuccessful, it marked the first time that Jeffrey attempted to carry out an attack on a potential victim. And while it would be some time before he attempted something like this again, the fantasies remained in his mind on a regular basis.

  On the surface, Jeffrey was seen as a class clown and prankster by his classmates in High School. In fact, the extent of his pranks had become so well-known that whenever a prank had taken place, students would refer to them as “doing a Dahmer”. These pranks included the faking of seizures and epileptic episodes in which he would knock over things and make a scene in public places such as shops and at school.

  At the age of 17, Jeffrey’s alcohol abuse had taken its toll on his grades. Jeffrey’s parents unsuccessfully attempted to seek counseling for Jeffrey. They hired a private tutor to help Jeffrey get back on track though that proved to be ineffective, as well.

  The quarreling between Jeffrey’s parents only intensified during this time. They consistent arguments led the couple to have serious conflict. They sought counseling in a failed attempt to save their marriage though this ultimately led them to get divorced.

  Lionel Dahmer left the family by 1978. This marked a turning point in Jeffrey’s life. It had marked the end of his childhood and the family that he had known growing up. Though he was in his late teens by this time, it had a major impact on his life especially in his senior year of High School.

  During his senior year in 1978, several episodes brought Jeffrey’s behavior to the attention of school administrators.

  On one occasion, Jeffrey was seen sitting in the parking lot of his school drinking a large amount of beer. He had left a trail of beer cans scattered throughout the parking lot. The teacher that had identified Jeffrey acting in this manner reprimanded Jeffrey that he would report the incident to school officials. Jeffrey replied that he had a lot of issues at home and that his guidance counselor was aware of his situation.

  Since Jeffrey was already 18, Joyce was granted custody of David after the divorce settlement. Given the fact that Jeffrey was already considered to be an adult legally, he was unaffected by the court proceedings in the Dahmer family’s divorce. This left him largely on his own especially after Joyce took David and moved in with relatives.

  Jeffrey’s High School graduation and the divorce of his parents essentially marked the end of Jeffrey’s childhood and adolescence. The time that ensued would mark the beginning of Jeffrey Dahmer’s reign of terror.

  However, researchers and psychiatrist are still divided on whether Jeffery’s upbringing had anything to do with his killing spree. Given the fact that opinions do vary in this regard, it remains unclear to what extent his neglect as an infant and his parents’ bad relationship affected Jeffrey.

  What is evident from his early childhood is that Jeffrey was obsessed with death and animal carcasses. Perhaps this was a means of Jeffrey to cope with the feelings of neglect and abandonment which h
e kept as a child.

  It has also been shown that his mother struggled with substance abuse throughout Jeffrey’s early life. It can be inferred that this had a direct impact on his upbringing as it has been widely demonstrated that Jeffrey abused alcohol from an early age. During this time, it is unclear whether Jeffery’s substance abuse was limited to alcohol or if it included other substances.

  Furthermore, there is the question of Jeffrey’s admitted homosexuality. It remains largely unclear how Jeffrey came to acknowledge his sexual orientation. Nevertheless, he was fully aware of his feelings. Far from attempting to shun his feelings, Jeffrey embraced them. He did not attempt to hide his preferences though he did not come out to his parents in his teenage years.

  One other factor that remains largely unclear is whether Jeffrey was the victim of abuse. While it can be alleged that neglect is a form of child abuse, there are not reports that he was molested or even beaten to any extent. Despite his mother’s substance abuse, his father’s absence, and his parents deteriorating relationship, there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that Jeffrey, or David for that matter, had been beaten or molested.

  Based on these facts, it is difficult to claim that Jeffrey’s tendencies for violence and substance abuse were the result of a traumatic childhood. It could be argued that Jeffery’s mother’s substance abuse issues and suicide attempts may have played a large role in his own behavior.

  Teachers and school officials had also caught on to Jeffrey’s unusual behavior. School officials had identified Jeffrey’s alcohol abuse problems in High School though they did not do much to support Jeffrey. As such, it seems as though Jeffrey feel through the cracks with his issues being essentially disregarded.

  It can be speculated that if Jeffrey had received proper counseling and treatment at some point during his teenage years, he might have been able to learn to cope with his feelings. Perhaps counseling and substance abuse treatment might have allowed him to process his emotions thereby avoiding the first murder he committed.