History of Jeffrey Dahmer in Timeline
Jeffrey Dahmer, the "Milwaukee Cannibal," was an American serial killer and sex offender. Between 1978 and 1991, he murdered and dismembered seventeen men and boys. Dahmer's crimes often involved necrophilia, cannibalism, and the preservation of skeletal remains. His gruesome acts shocked the world and cemented his place as one of history's most notorious criminals.
May 21, 1960: Jeffrey Dahmer's Birth
On May 21, 1960, Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was born. He later became known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster for his crimes.
October 1966: Family Moved to Doylestown, Ohio
In October 1966, the Dahmer family relocated to Doylestown, Ohio. This move marked a change in the family's living environment during Jeffrey Dahmer's childhood.
May 1968: Family Moved to Bath Township, Ohio
In May 1968, the Dahmer family moved to Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio. This move was the family's third in two years. Jeffrey Dahmer began collecting insects and animal skeletons in a small hut near their woodland home.
September 1977: Joyce's Affair Revealed
In September 1977, Lionel discovered that Joyce had engaged in a brief affair, contributing to the decision to divorce. This event marked a significant turning point in the Dahmer family dynamics.
May 1978: Dahmer graduated from high school
In May 1978, Jeffrey Dahmer graduated from high school. Shortly before his graduation, he was observed drinking beer near the school parking lot.
July 24, 1978: Dahmer's Parents' Divorce Finalized
On July 24, 1978, the divorce of Jeffrey Dahmer's parents was finalized. Joyce was awarded custody of their younger son and alimony payments.
1978: First Murder
In 1978, Jeffrey Dahmer committed his first murder at his parents' home in Ohio.
1978: Confession of Murder in Ohio
On July 23, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to killing one further victim in Ohio in 1978.
January 1979: Dahmer Enlisted in the United States Army
In January 1979, Jeffrey Dahmer enlisted in the United States Army, following his father's urging. He underwent basic training at Fort McClellan and trained as a medical specialist at Fort Sam Houston.
July 13, 1979: Dahmer Deployed to Baumholder, West Germany
On July 13, 1979, Jeffrey Dahmer was deployed to Baumholder, West Germany, where he served as a combat medic in the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 8th Infantry Division.
March 1981: Dahmer Discharged from the Army
In March 1981, Jeffrey Dahmer was deemed unsuitable for military service due to his alcohol abuse and was discharged from the Army with an honorable discharge.
March 24, 1981: Dahmer Sent to Fort Jackson, Travels to Miami
On March 24, 1981, Jeffrey Dahmer was sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, for debriefing after being discharged from the army. He received a plane ticket and chose to travel to Miami Beach, Florida, instead of returning home to Ohio.
December 1981: Dahmer Moved to Live with Grandmother
In December 1981, Jeffrey Dahmer moved to live with his paternal grandmother, Catherine Dahmer, in West Allis, Wisconsin. This decision was made by his father and stepmother in the hope that her influence would help him quit drinking and live responsibly.
August 8, 1982: Dahmer Arrested for Indecent Exposure
On August 8, 1982, Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested for indecent exposure at Wisconsin State Fair Park. He was observed exposing himself in front of women and children, convicted, and fined $50 plus court costs.
1983: Last Saw Mother
Prior to his arrest, Jeffrey Dahmer and his mother, Joyce, had not seen each other since Christmas 1983.
June 1986: Dahmer Started Drugging Partners
Beginning in June 1986, Jeffrey Dahmer started administering sleeping pills to his partners, giving them liquor laced with sedatives. He then waited for his partner to fall asleep before performing various sexual acts. He informed doctors he worked nights and required the tablets to adjust to that schedule.
September 8, 1986: Dahmer Arrested for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior
On September 8, 1986, Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested for lewd and lascivious behavior after masturbating in front of two 12-year-old boys near the Kinnickinnic River. The charge was later changed to disorderly conduct.
March 10, 1987: Dahmer Sentenced for Disorderly Conduct
On March 10, 1987, Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to undergo counseling for disorderly conduct after being arrested for lewd behavior in September 1986.
November 20, 1987: Dahmer Encountered Steven Tuomi
On November 20, 1987, Jeffrey Dahmer met Steven Tuomi at a bar and persuaded him to return to the Ambassador Hotel in Milwaukee. Dahmer claimed he had no intention of killing Tuomi but woke up the next morning to find him dead, with no memory of the event.
1987: Confession of Murders Since 1987
On July 23, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to murdering sixteen young men in Wisconsin since 1987.
March 24, 1988: Dahmer Met and Killed Richard Guerrero
On March 24, 1988, Jeffrey Dahmer met Richard Guerrero outside a gay bar and lured him to his grandmother's residence. He drugged Guerrero, strangled him, performed oral sex on the corpse, and dismembered the body.
1988: Prior Molestation
In 1988, it was revealed that Konerak Sinthasomphone was the younger brother of a boy Jeffrey Dahmer had molested.
January 30, 1989: Dahmer Pleaded Guilty to Charges
On January 30, 1989, Jeffrey Dahmer pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree sexual assault and of enticing a child for immoral purposes. Sentencing was suspended until May.
March 25, 1989: Meeting Anthony Sears
On March 25, 1989, Jeffrey Dahmer met Anthony Sears, a 24-year-old aspiring model, at a gay bar. Dahmer lured Sears back to his grandmother's home, where he drugged and strangled him after they engaged in oral sex.
May 23, 1989: Sentenced to Probation and Time in House of Correction
On May 23, 1989, Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to five years' probation and one year in the House of Correction, with work release. He was also required to register as a sex offender.
May 14, 1990: Moved into Apartment 213
On May 14, 1990, Jeffrey Dahmer moved into Apartment 213 at 924 North 25th Street, taking Sears' mummified head and genitals with him.
June 1990: Murder of Edward Smith
In June 1990, Jeffrey Dahmer lured Edward Smith to his apartment, where he drugged and strangled him.
October 1990: Complaints to Probation Officer
In October 1990, Jeffrey Dahmer regularly complained of feelings of both anxiety and depression to his probation officer with frequent references to his sexuality, his solitary lifestyle, financial difficulties, and apprehension regarding meeting his father and younger brother.
1990: Ernest Miller's Death
In 1990, Ernest Miller died due to a combination of shock and blood loss after his carotid artery was cut by Jeffrey Dahmer.
1990: Scarver's Murder
Scarver, who was serving a life sentence for a murder committed in 1990, attacked Dahmer with the metal bar as Dahmer was cleaning a staff locker room.
February 1991: Murder of Curtis Straughter
In February 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer lured 17-year-old Curtis Straughter into his apartment and murdered him. He then dismembered Straughter, retaining his skull, hands, and genitals, and photographing each stage of the dismemberment process.
February 1991: Unsuccessful Attempts to Lure Men
In February 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer unsuccessfully attempted to lure men to his apartment.
May 24, 1991: Murder of Tony Hughes
On May 24, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer encountered Tony Hughes at a nightclub and lured him to his apartment. Hughes was drugged before Dahmer injected hydrochloric acid into his skull, resulting in his death.
May 26, 1991: Encounter with Konerak Sinthasomphone
On May 26, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer encountered Konerak Sinthasomphone and offered him money to accompany him to his apartment to pose for Polaroid pictures.
July 22, 1991: Tracy Edwards Incident
On July 22, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer lured Tracy Edwards to his apartment with the offer of money to pose for nude photographs. Edwards noticed a foul odor, hydrochloric acid, and a videotape of "The Exorcist III" playing.
July 25, 1991: Charged with Four Counts of First-Degree Murder
On July 25, 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer was charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
August 5, 1991: Candlelight vigil held in Milwaukee
On August 5, 1991, more than 400 people attended a candlelight vigil in Milwaukee to celebrate the community and promote healing, following the exposure of Dahmer's crimes.
August 1991: Racial tensions exacerbated in Milwaukee
In August 1991, news of Dahmer's murders, combined with the conduct of Milwaukee police officers John Balcerzak and Joseph Gabrish regarding victim Konerak Sinthasomphone, heightened racial tensions in Milwaukee, which were already strained.
November 18, 1991: Altar Dedication
In a November 18, 1991, interview, Jeffrey Dahmer described his intended altar as a place for meditation.
1991: Dahmer's Murders Revealed
By 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer had killed seventeen young men, with twelve murders occurring in his North 25th Street apartment. These murders were revealed in 1991.
1991: Acid and Boiling Water Injections
In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer injected hydrochloric acid or boiling water into the frontal lobes of four victims through holes bored into their skulls in an attempt to induce a submissive state, which resulted in their deaths.
1991: Complaints from Oxford Apartments Residents
In 1991, fellow residents of the Oxford Apartments repeatedly complained of foul smells emanating from Apartment 213, as well as sounds of falling objects and a chainsaw.
1991: Requested a Bible
In 1991, shortly after completing his lengthy confessions, Jeffrey Dahmer requested a copy of the Bible.
January 13, 1992: Pleaded Guilty but Insane
On January 13, 1992, Jeffrey Dahmer pleaded guilty but insane to 15 counts of murder at a preliminary hearing.
January 30, 1992: Dahmer's Trial Begins
On January 30, 1992, Jeffrey Dahmer's trial began in Milwaukee for the 15 counts of first-degree murder before Judge Laurence Gram.
February 17, 1992: Dahmer sentenced to life imprisonment
On February 17, 1992, Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to fifteen terms of life imprisonment for fifteen homicides committed in Wisconsin.
May 1, 1992: Sentenced to 16th Term of Life Imprisonment
On May 1, 1992, Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to a 16th term of life imprisonment for the murder of Steven Hicks.
November 1992: Oxford Apartments demolished
In November 1992, the Oxford Apartments, located at 924 North 25th Street, where Jeffrey Dahmer had killed twelve of his victims, were demolished.
May 1994: Baptism in Prison
In May 1994, Jeffrey Dahmer was baptized by Roy Ratcliff in the prison whirlpool.
July 3, 1994: Attempted Attack in Prison Chapel
On July 3, 1994, fellow inmate Osvaldo Durruthy attempted to slash Jeffrey Dahmer's throat in the prison chapel. Dahmer received superficial wounds.
November 28, 1994: Jeffrey Dahmer's Death
On November 28, 1994, Jeffrey Dahmer died. He was known for being an American serial killer and sex offender.
1994: Dateline NBC Interview
In 1994, Jeffrey Dahmer stated in an interview with Stone Phillips on Dateline NBC that if a person doesn't think there is a God to be accountable to, then what's the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges.
1994: Lionel Dahmer publishes "A Father's Story"
In 1994, Lionel Dahmer published the book "A Father's Story" and donated a portion of the proceeds to the victims' families. Subsequently, some families sued Lionel, citing issues such as using their names without consent and parental negligence.
May 15, 1995: Scarver sentenced to additional life imprisonment
On May 15, 1995, Christopher Scarver was sentenced to two additional terms of life imprisonment for the murders of Jeffrey Dahmer and Jesse Anderson.
September 1995: Dahmer's body cremated
In September 1995, Jeffrey Dahmer's body was cremated, and his ashes were divided between his parents, Lionel and Joyce Dahmer.
December 1995: Dahmer's brain cremated
In December 1995, Jeffrey Dahmer's brain, which had initially been retained for potential medical research due to a disagreement between his parents, was cremated.
1996: Auction of Dahmer's estate planned
In 1996, a planned auction of Jeffrey Dahmer's estate was announced, generating controversy. A civic group raised funds to purchase and destroy many of Dahmer's possessions, which were subsequently buried in an Illinois landfill.
November 27, 2000: Death of Joyce Flint
On November 27, 2000, Joyce Flint, Jeffrey Dahmer's mother, died of cancer. She had previously attempted suicide.
January 2023: Death of Shari Dahmer
In January 2023, Shari Dahmer, Lionel Dahmer's second wife, passed away. She had lived with Lionel until her death.
December 5, 2023: Death of Lionel Dahmer
On December 5, 2023, Lionel Dahmer, Jeffrey Dahmer's father, died of natural causes. He had continued to profess his love for his son despite his crimes.
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