American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer raped, murdered and dismembered at least 17 men and boys from 1978 to 1991. He targeted mostly gay men and boys of colour. His two youngest victims were 14 years old.
According to a report by ABC News, Dahmer's crimes came to light in 1991, when he tried to lure three men with money to pose for nude photographs. One of them agreed and followed Dahmer back to his apartment, where the latter handcuffed him and expressed his intentions to eat his heart.
But the man was eventually able to escape and informed the police. After his arrest, Dahmer gave a detailed confession to the police. He died in prison at the age of 34 in 1994, killed by fellow prisoner Christopher Scarver, as per USA Today.
This week's 'Shocking Crimes' series on ABP Live delves into the disturbing case of Jeffrey Dahmer.
Dahmer's Crimes
Jeffrey Dahmer is believed to have committed his first murder in 1978, just three weeks after completing his graduation from high school. He picked up an 18-year-old hitchhiker named Steven Hicks, and lured him to his home. When Hicks tried to leave, Dahmer struck him with a 10-pound dumbbell and strangled him to death, according to Biography.com.
Reflecting on the crime years later, Dahmer told Inside Edition in 1993, “I always knew that it was wrong. The first killing was not planned. I was coming back from the shopping mall back in ’78. I’d had fantasies about picking up a hitchhiker, taking him back to the house, and having complete dominance and control over him.”
As per the report on Biography.com, Dahmer took Hicks to his parents' house in Ohio, where he killed him before dismembering his body and placing it in trash bags. “No one had a clue as to what was happening for over a decade,” Dahmer said of his crimes.
Dahmer subsequently enrolled at Ohio State University. However, he dropped out after one term as a result of alcohol abuse. Later, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he received an honorable discharge due to excessive drinking, as per The New York Times.
According to the Biography.com report, Dahmer committed his second murder nine years later. In September 1987, he took Steven Tuomi, 24, to a hotel room. Dahmer claimed he only intended to drug Tuomi but woke up the next morning to find him dead, with no memory of killing him. He stuffed the body into a suitcase and transported it to his grandmother’s house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he dismembered it and discarded most of the remains in the trash. He kept the skull for a week before boiling and pulverising it.
After two months, Dahmer lured 14-year-old James Doxtator to his grandmother’s basement, offering him $50 to pose for nude photos. He then drugged and strangled the boy, disposing of the body in the same way as Tuomi’s.
In March 1989, Dahmer met Anthony Sears, a 24-year-old aspiring model, at a bar. He brought Sears to his grandmother’s basement, where he drugged and killed him. Sears was Dahmer’s first victim from whom he kept "trophies", preserving the head and genitals in a wooden box, which he stored in his work locker for some time.
In May 1989, Dahmer was sentenced to 12 months in jail and five years of probation for second-degree sexual assault. Shortly after his release, Dahmer murdered Raymond Smith, a 32-year-old sex worker, whom he had paid $50 for sex.
Killing Spree Comes To An End
Dahmer's final crime took place on July 22, 1991, in Milwaukee, when two police officers were flagged down by 32-year-old Tracey Edwards, who had a handcuff attached to one wrist.
According to Biography.com, Dahmer had met Edwards earlier that day and convinced him to come to his apartment. Once inside, Edwards noticed a foul odour and spotted containers of hydrochloric acid. Dahmer managed to cuff one of Edwards' wrists, pulled out a knife, and attempted to drag him to the bedroom, where he said he wanted to take his nude photos.
Edwards managed to escape by punching Dahmer and knocking him down, allowing him to flee through the unlocked front door. He alerted two police officers and led them back to Dahmer’s apartment.
Upon entering, the officers discovered an open drawer containing Polaroid photos of dismembered bodies. When Dahmer saw that the officers had found the photographs, he tried to run, but they quickly overpowered and handcuffed him.
Neighbours later told police and reporters that they had noticed a foul smell coming from Dahmer’s apartment, but he had explained it as spoiled meat, as per History.com.
After his arrest, Dahmer confessed in detail to the murders, admitting "a total of 17 slayings", as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Trial And Death
After his confession, Dahmer was officially charged with multiple counts of first-degree intentional homicide. He was accused of cannibalism and necrophilia as well.
According to A&E True Crime reports, in September 1991, Dahmer initially pleaded "not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease", but, in January 1992, he changed his plea to "guilty but insane". Psychologist Dr Holly Schiff explained that, by pleading insanity, Dahmer had the burden of proving to the jury — where 10 out of 12 jurors had to agree — that he was mentally ill at the time of the murders.
The network added that, if found sane, Dahmer would be sent to prison, but, if declared insane, he would be placed in a state institution, where he could later petition for release.
Dahmer's trial began on January 30, 1992, with closing arguments delivered on February 14. The next day, the jury declared Dahmer legally sane and not suffering from a mental illness at the time of the killings. He was convicted of 16 murders and sentenced to 16 consecutive life terms in prison.