Jeffrey Dahmer Read online

  As the police officers arrived at apartment 213 of the Oxford Apartments complex, Dahmer calmly allowed the officers to enter the apartment. The officers questioned Dahmer as to why he had cuffed Edwards but offered no explanation for his behavior. Edwards had also told the officers that Dahmer has threatened him with a large knife.

  As the officers searched the apartment for any sign of trouble, officer Rolf Mueller found the knife beneath the bed. Dahmer also told the officers that the keys to the handcuffs were behind the dresser. When Dahmer attempted to pass officer Mueller to get the keys himself, the other officer in the apartment, Robert Rauth, ordered Dahmer to “back off”.

  The horror that officer Mueller would uncover next was hidden in a drawer of the dresser. In the top drawer, there lay dozens of Polaroid photos of dismembered body parts. Officer Mueller noticed that the background of the photos matched the Dahmer’s apartment. When Dahmer realized that his Polaroids had been found, Dahmer attempted to flee and then resist arrests. He was promptly overmatched by the officers. Backup was called to the scene.

  Purportedly, Dahmer said as he was arrested: “For what I did I should be dead”.

  Investigators then searched the apartment only to find a grisly inventory of human body parts, skeletons, skulls and organs.

  In total, seven skulls were found in Dahmer’s closet, some of which were painted and some which were bleached. Inside his freezer, traces of human blood in addition to two human hearts were found. Furthermore, portions of flesh wrapped inside plastic shopping bags were found inside the shelves of the freezer. Also, a complete torso was found, along with a bag filled with human organs and more flesh practically turned to ice.

  Throughout the apartment, investigators located two full skeletons, a pair of hands, two severed and well-preserved penises, and a scalp. Inside the drum located in the bedroom were three torsos being dissolved in an acid solution.

  Moreover, 74 Polaroids where found in the apartment all depicting Dahmer’s victims’ dismemberment in various phases. The chief medical examiner in the case recalled that Dahmer’s grisly inventory was “…more like dismantling someone’s museum than an actual crime scene”.

  Dahmer’s arrest put an end to his killing spree. The monster was finally off the streets. However, investigators could not have imagined what would happen next.

  In what would be a surprising moved, Dahmer did not exercise his right to have an attorney present during questioning. As a matter of fact, he told investigators that he wanted to confess to his deeds as he had, “created this horror and it only makes sense I do everything to put an end to it”. Dahmer confessed to having killed 16 men and boys in the Wisconsin area from 1987 to 1991 and admitted to the murder of Steven Hicks in 1978.

  In testimony that would span a total of 60 hours of Dahmer’s recorded confession, he admitted that most of his victims had been drugged prior to their death. He had strangled most of the victims though some had died due to injections of acid or boiling water in their heads. Dahmer indicated that he did not fully recall the murder of Tuomi as he was completely drunk.

  The depictions of the murders back at the Oxford Apartments all had a ritualistic nature to them. Dahmer described how he would photograph the bodies in sexually suggestive positions in order to mimic sexual acts. Dahmer also admitted to engaging in necrophilia with the bodies, organs and severed body parts.

  Dahmer would go on to describe that after removing the limbs from the torso, he would hang up the torso in his shower in order to let the blood drain the bathtub. This was done with the intent of slicing the torso open in order to remove the organs which he wished to keep.

  The remaining organs and body parts would then be boiled in Soilex in order to be discarded. The bones which he did not want to keep were pulverized after bleaching. The use of Soilex and bleach was mainly used to preserve the bones that he intended to preserve. Dahmer also confessed to the consumption of several organs, such as hearts and livers, in addition to consuming flesh mainly from arms and limbs.

  Investigators further pushed Dahmer to disclose the motives for his actions. Dahmer indicated that he had increased the number of killings in the months leading up to his arrest because he had been “completely swept along”. He added, “It was an incessant and never-ending desire to be with someone at whatever cost. Someone good looking, really nice looking. It just filled my thoughts all day long.” This sick obsession had gotten the best of Dahmer.

  Dahmer then admittedly told investigators that his main objective was to create a black altar in which he could display his victims’ skulls and the full skeletons of Oliver Lacy and Ernest Miller. This would become a place of worship and meditation where he, Dahmer, could find a place to call home.

  When investigators asked Dahmer to reveal to whom the altar would be dedicated, Dahmer stated that the altar was for himself. Given the fact that he had been arrested prior to the building of his ghastly altar, Dahmer was unable to complete his intentions. Dahmer told investigators that if he had been arrested six months later, they would have found such an altar in his apartment.

  Dahmer claimed that worshipping such artifacts, such as skulls and skeletons were a place for him to draw power. It allowed him to find comfort and ultimately derive a sense of peace; a place which he could truly call home.

  Following Dahmer’s confession, he was initially charged with four counts of first-degree murder in July 1991. By August, prosecutors had added 11 more counts as the victims were identified. Dahmer’s indictment was confined to the State of Wisconsin in which the deeds took place. Dahmer would then be charged by Ohio prosecutors for the death of Mark Hicks after remains found at the old Dahmer residence provided sufficient evidence to identify Hicks.

  However, Dahmer was not charged in conjunction to his attack on Tracy Edwards nor for the killing of Steven Tuomi. In the specific case of Tuomi, there was insufficient evidence to clearly link Dahmer to the crime. Since Dahmer had no recollection of the murder and there was no physical evidence, no charges brought on Dahmer for this particular murder.

  At a preliminary hearing in January of 1992, Dahmer entered an insanity please on the 15 counts he was being charged with.

  With Dahmer set to face trial later that month, many of the questions in the case had already been cleared up. Dahmer’s confessions enabled investigators to piece together the murders and the manner in which they were conducted. The ritualistic nature, the necrophilia and consumption of body parts, in addition to the disposal of the remains indicated a clear pattern of behavior that was rational. Dahmer was by no means acting on impulse. This was a mean who clearly knew what he was doing.

  His confession also allowed investigators to establish the sinister motives behind his actions. After all, it appeared that Dahmer had committed these horrific acts for his own pleasure. While his dark actions appear to be consistent with satanic practices, the fact remains that Dahmer claimed his was building a place of worship for himself.

  His insanity plea remained as the only loose end heading into his trial.

  Was Jeffrey Dahmer really insane or were these the actions of a deranged but sane individual?

  This was the main question that would need to be answered at the trial. For all intents and purposes, Jeffrey Dahmer had admitted his guilt. Of this, there was no question. His trial would only determine if he would be sent to prison or perhaps to a mental facility.

  Dahmer was as much a psychopath as he was an abuser. His fantasies led him to act upon them by inflicting his sadistic rituals into innocent young men and boys. He had a systematic approach in which he targeted and recruited his victims. This was not a man acting on irrational impulse. This was a man who had devised a modus operandi which he refined with each instance.

  The fact remains that Jeffrey Dahmer was caught due to a temporary lapse which allowed Tracy Edwards to escape. Had Dahmer not had this lapse, or had Edwards been unable to escape, who know how far Dahmer would have gone.

  Perhaps he
would have managed to build his altar. Perhaps there would have been countless more victims. Perhaps Dahmer would have never been able to stop of his own accord.

  The fact of the matter is that his trial would determine his ultimate fate.

  Chapter 5:

  Sanity on trial

  With the matter of Dahmer’s guilt solved by his confession, the ensuing trial was focused on determining whether or not Dahmer was insane.

  Dahmer’s insanity plea raised a number of questions among experts and observers.

  Was Jeffrey Dahmer really insane?

  Was he simply acting insane?

  Or, was this just another ploy by a gifted monster?

  First of all, Dahmer waived his right to a trial to determine his guilt as he had already admitted to being responsible for the counts he had been indicted on. So, the next step was to confront the defense’s theory that was not even mentally fit to stand trial while the prosecution argued that he was a psychopath in full possession of his mental faculties.

  Initially, it was determined that Dahmer was fit to stand trial. He was evaluated by court psychiatrist and was deemed fit enough to understand the charges against him and to be present at this own trial.

  As such, the Dahmer’s defense would be centered upon insanity. In essence, Dahmer’s mental illness was such that he could not control his impulses. Therefore, he acted irrationally given the fact that he was unable to resist the urge to torture and kill his victims.

  Specifically, Dahmer was afflicted by his necrophilic urges, that is, his obsession to engage in sexual activity with corpses. This is what led him to murder the individuals which he did and then engage in deviant acts with the corpses. According to defense witness Dr. Fred Berlin, Dahmer was unable to restrain himself as he was suffering from Paraphilia, that is, a desire to engage in abnormal sexual practices. In this particular case, it was necrophilia that attracted Dahmer the most.

  The second defense witness that testified on behalf of the defense was Dr. Judith Becker, a professor of psychiatry and psychology. She too diagnosed Dahmer as suffering from necrophilia. Dr. Becker’s testimony coincided in large part with that of Dr. Berlin’s. Moreover, both experts agreed that Dahmer had had abnormal sexual desires from an early age.

  The final defense witness was Dr. Carl Wahlstrom. Dr. Wahlstrom’s testimony brought forth a deeper diagnosis as he indicated that Dahmer suffered from borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, necrophilia, substance abuse and a psychotic disorder.

  Dahmer’s unstable emotional state led to the borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Furthermore, his alcohol dependence served as further evidence that he was an emotional unstable individual. Also, Dahmer was diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder given the multiple psychotic episodes that led him to commit the murders and subsequent dismemberment of the corpses. In other words, Dahmer was not himself when he committed these gruesome acts. He had lost touch with reality and ended up losing control over his actions.

  Finally, the psychotic disorder diagnosis by Dr. Wahlstrom pointed at Dahmer’s delusions. In his confessions, Dahmer had admitted to building an alter in order to worship himself with the skulls and skeletons of his victims. He also tortured his victims, not out of sick and sadistic pleasure, but to “experiment” on them. These acts were not committed by a sane individual who was seeking to inflict as much pain as possible, but rather, but a deranged individual who had lost touch with reality.

  As such, the defense’s argument rested solely on the fact that Dahmer was an insane individual who had lost touch with reality. Hence, there was no way that he could have determined that what he had done was wrong. He had no way of restraining himself due to the psychosis that had taken a hold of him. In short, Dahmer was not in full possession of his mental faculties. This is what led to him to commit such unspeakable acts.

  The prosecution alleged that Dahmer was perfectly sane. While he did suffer from mental disorders, he wasn’t acting irrationally as the defense argued. In addition, the prosecution made it clear that Dahmer was not delusional. He was clearly aware of his actions.

  The prosecution called on forensic psychiatrist Dr. Phillio Resnich to testify. He attested that Dahmer did not suffer from necrophilia as his compulsion was not toward corpses. In fact, Dahmer had sexual relations with living partners. Moreover, his intent was to create submissive partners that would conform to his desires. Another of the prosecution’s witnesses, Dr. Fred Fosdel testified that he believed Dahmer had been in full possession of his faculties when he committed his deeds. He described Dahmer as a cunning and calculating individual who was keenly aware of his deeds. Dr. Fosdel did state that he believed Dahmer was afflicted by paraphilia though he did not consider him to be a sadist.

  The prosecution’s final witness, Dr. Park Dietz testified that he did not believe Dahmer was afflicted by any mental disorder. In fact, according to his testimony, Dr. Dietz stated, “Dahmer went to great lengths to be alone with his victim and to have no witnesses”. This was a clear indication that Dahmer was a calculating individual who used alcohol to overcome his inhibitions. Dr. Dietz claimed that Dahmer identified with some of the corrupt characters in films such as the Return of the Jedi and the Exorcist III films. As a matter of fact, Dahmer would watch scenes from these films prior to committing his murders. Dr. Dietz diagnosed Dahmer as suffering from substance abuse disorder, paraphilia and schizotypal personality disorder.

  To further add credibility to expert testimony, two court-appointed experts testified as independent witnesses. As such, they did not represent any of the sides but rather represented the court. The first witness was psychiatrist, Dr. George Palermo. Dr. Palermo’s opinion was based on the fact that Dahmer committed the killings due to “pent up aggression” as he was dealing with issues regarding his homosexuality. Dr. Palermo’s testimony centered on the belief that Dahmer wanted to kill the sources of his homosexual feelings. In short, Dahmer hated himself and set out to kill anything the resembled himself. Dr. Palermo concluded that Dahmer was legally sane despite his mental disorders.

  The other court-appointed expert, Dr. Samuel Friedman believed that it was Dahmer’s needed for companionship that motivated him to kill. He would testify that, “Mr. Dahmer is not psychotic”. This statement echoed the feelings of the prosecution and the other court-appointed expert. Dr. Friedman would go on to diagnose Dahmer with an unspecified personality disorder highlighted by borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and sadistic tendencies. This opinion further strengthened the prosecution’s argument.

  Over the course of the trial, both sides argued their positions based upon the sanity of Jeffrey Dahmer. The trial was conducted over a two-week period which led to final arguments being presented on February 14th, 1992. The defense alleged that Dahmer’s horrendous deeds were the result of his mental illness and not choice. In essence, Dahmer acted upon his natural inclinations and irrational feelings as opposed to calculated and premediated plots.

  The prosecution, in its closing arguments, drove home the point that Dahmer was perfectly sane despite being afflicted by mental illness. Dahmer was portrayed as a cunning individual who had meticulously planned out his killings and subsequent ritualistic dismemberment of victims’ remains. The prosecution essentially called Dahmer’s killings as a means of providing him with sexual pleasure. The prosecution also made it clear that Dahmer was alleging insanity in order to avoid responsibility for his deeds.

  After the jury convened the deliberate the following day, a quick verdict came back: Dahmer was found to be sane and not to be under the affliction of any mental illness during the times he committed each of the murders. Of the 12 jurors, only two manifested any type of disagreement with the overall verdict.

  Judge Gram indicated that for the first four counts of murder, Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison in addition to ten years. For the remaining counts, Dahmer would be sentenced to life in prison with an additional 7
0 years. The death penalty was considered though it had been abolished by the State of Wisconsin in 1853. As such, the harshest sentence that Dahmer could receive was life in prison.

  The question of whether Jeffrey Dahmer was insane had been answered by a jury of his peers. He was found to be sane and in control of himself when he committed each of the murders. Consequently, Dahmer would be transferred to prison instead of a mental institution.

  Dahmer was sent to the Columbia Correctional Institution at Portage, Wisconsin. Given the nature of Dahmer’s crimes, he was deemed a violent criminal and placed in solitary confinement for the first year of his incarceration. Then, Dahmer was transferred to a less secure block in which he was released for cleaning detail on for two-hour period on a daily basis.

  During Dahmer’s second year of incarceration, he requested a copy of the Bible. Dahmer claimed that he wished to repent and become a born-again Christian. His conversion and subsequent baptism did little to erase the deeds he had committed, his sudden repentance seemed like an attempt to come to terms with his life and the things which he had done to others.

  As Dahmer set out to complete his prison term, he seemed to gain more and more control over his life and his behavior. However, if there remained any question about his sanity, his conversion to Christianity was the smoking gun.

  Given Dahmer’s own confessions, coupled with expert testimony, it was clear that Dahmer was not a deranged and delusional individual as some of the expert witnesses had claimed. His behavior once incarcerated was more consistent of an individual who had been in full possession of his sanity at all times.

  Furthermore, Dahmer exhibited clear signs of paraphilia though his compulsion to kill went beyond irrational urges of someone caught in the grips of mental disorder. Jeffery Dahmer was acting based on his own twisted agenda, conceived to satisfy his own sick pleasures.