Jeffrey Dahmer: Lecture Notes

Overview

• Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster.
• American serial killer and sex offender.
• Killed and dismembered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
• Crimes involved necrophilia, cannibalism, and preservation of body parts.

Early Life

Childhood

• Born May 21, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• Parents: Lionel Herbert Dahmer (chemist) and Joyce Annette Dahmer (teletype instructor).
• Familial tension and lack of attention.
• Developed interest in dead animals from a young age.
• Moved frequently; family settled in Bath Township, Ohio.

Adolescence

• High school: Outcast, began drinking heavily.
• Realized he was gay; kept it hidden from his parents.
• Developed fantasies about dominating and controlling men.

Criminal Behavior

First Murder (1978)

• Victim: Steven Hicks, 18 years old.
• Method: Bludgeoned and strangled; dismembered body.

Subsequent Crimes

• Enrolled at Ohio State University; dropped out after one term.
• Joined the Military; discharged due to alcohol abuse.
• Moved in with grandmother in West Allis, Wisconsin.
• First of many victims lured to his grandmother's home.

Notable Murders

• Steven Tuomi (1987): Dahmer claimed no memory of the murder.
• Multiple victims drugged, strangled, and dismembered.
• Locations varied between grandmother's house and his own apartment.

Arrest and Trial

Capture

• Arrested July 22, 1991.
• Tracy Edwards escaped and flagged down police.
• Police discovered evidence of multiple murders in Dahmer's apartment.

Confession

• Confessed to the murders without legal representation.
• Detailed the methods and motivations behind the murders.

Trial

• Charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder.
• Defense argued mental illness; prosecution argued he was sane.
• Found guilty and sane; sentenced to life imprisonment.

Imprisonment and Death

• Transferred to Columbia Correctional Institution.
• Murdered by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver on November 28, 1994.

Victim Profile

• 17 confirmed victims; majority were young men.
• Victims were often from minority backgrounds, but Dahmer claimed race was not a factor.
• Methods included strangulation, chemical injections, and dismemberment.

Media and Cultural Impact

• Dahmer's life and crimes have been the subject of numerous films, books, and documentaries.
• Raised issues of racial tensions and police conduct in Milwaukee.

Key Points

• Dahmer's murders were characterized by a lack of empathy and a desire for control over his victims.
• His trial highlighted issues surrounding the insanity defense.
• Dahmer's actions and subsequent capture led to discussions on the handling of similar cases by law enforcement and media.