We open the refrigerator to grab a can of drink or a snack. Imagine opening your fridge and finding human heads laden with ice! Well this is exactly what Jeffery Dahmer kept in his fridge- 17 heads of men he had murdered. A sex offender and serial killer he was branded as the “Milwaukee cannibal” and began a sensational killing spree that spread fear. Born May 21, 1960, was of Jeffery a mixed ancestry Norwegian, German and Irish. It was later said that the infant Jeffery was not given much attention by his mother Joyce who hated breastfeeding. Sometime later she made a suicide attempt.
On his 4th birthday Jeffery was subject to double hernia surgery. Since then the once happy boy began to lead a subdued lifestyle. He would later confess that he noticed ‘extreme tension’ between his parents. The teachers also felt that the boy was neglected at home. Even as a child he had a desire to collect dead animals and cut them up as he wanted to know how they ‘fitted together’- a strange hobby for a little boy. He kept these parts in glass jars. In 1966 the family moved to Ohio. Joyce gave birth to her second son. As time passed by Jeffery learnt to use chemicals and preserve animal parts and bones-his father a chemistry graduate taught him these skills. By age 14 he developed a habit of drinking beer in his school. Though withdrawn he excelled at tennis. By 16 Jeffery realized he was homosexual, and began to have fantasies about controlling men.
Jeffery committed his first murder at 18, when he befriended another 18 year old named Steven Mark (by this time Jeffery’s parents had divorced). He lured the man into his house, and they drank for hours. Suddenly the killer hit Steven on the head with a 10 pound dumbbell. He then cut him up and used acid to dissolve the flesh.
Six weeks after Jeffery enrolled at the Ohio State University. I find it strange that he passed the vetting process to enter university. He managed only 1 semester as he was now an alcoholic. In 1979 he enlisted in the US Army and trained as a combat medic and was posted to Germany.
A soldier later told police that Jeffery had drugged and raped him. Two years later he was sent out of the army as he had drinking issues. He relocated to Florida but returned to Ohio. Here he was arrested and fined for drunk and disorderly behavior.
Having no other family he moved into his grandmother’s house. Here he was somewhat happy and went with her to church. He began visiting gay bars and looked at people as ‘objects of pleasure’. He soon began to drug his victims, and lace their drinks. He then raped them. He killed Steve Tuomi and boiled his head in bleach and kept the skull. As the crimes escalated he began surveying gay bars for vulnerable victims. He killed a man named Anthony and retained his genitals as a souvenir. Jeffery began a wired habit of photographing the nude bodies of his dead victims with a Polaroid camera. By 1991 neighbours living in the Oxford Apartments complained that there were strange and foul smells coming from apartment 213- Jeffery’s residence. When questioned he managed to make an excuse and said his tropical fish were dead in the tank.
Jeffery lured 32 year old Edward to his apartment and tried to handcuff him. Edward was aware that Jeffery was strange. He was shocked when Jeffery wielded a knife and said “I am going to eat your heart”. Edward then waited for a chance to escape. He punched Jeffery in the face and ran out the door, managing to stop a police patrol car. He then told the 2 officers that there was a “freak” in apartment 213.
When the cops entered his home Jeffery remained calm, then fought them trying to escape but failed. He was overpowered and arrested. The Milwaukee cannibal was questioned for 60 hours by detective Patrick Murphy. As his trial began forensic psychiatrists diagnosed him as having borderline personality disorder and alcohol dependence. He killed those men because he wanted to kill the source of his homosexual attraction to them.
Jeffery Dahmer was a sexual sadist. He was sentenced to life in prison. Over the next year he read the bible in jail living in solitary confinement. In 1994 a fellow inmate Christopher Scarver attacked and killed Jeffery, using a 20 inch iron bar. Thus the Milwaukee cannibal faced a bloody death, just like his victims.