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The Netflix series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story portrays the life and crimes of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. While the series is about a real person, Netflix exaggerated or fabricated some events for the show’s narrative. In one scene, Evan Peter’s Jeffrey Dahmer drinks bags of blood, but the true story isn’t quite as graphic.

[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead regarding DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.]

In MONSTER — Dahmer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Jeffrey and his grandmother sit with TV trays in front of them in the living room.
Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer and Michael Learned as Catherine Dahmer in ‘MONSTER — Dahmer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ | Netflix

Jeffrey Dahmer went through a slew of failed careers

DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story shows Jeffrey Dahmer’s early life, including his array of failed careers. Dahmer was either expelled or dropped out from Ohio State (depending on the source), honorably discharged from the Army, and fired from several jobs.

At one point, Dahmer found employment as a phlebotomist at the Milwaukee Blood Plasma Center, likely thanks to his experience as a combat medic in the military. During this time, he was living with his grandmother and had already begun his string of crimes.

He was laid off within the first year of his employment at the blood center. In 1985 Dahmer found work as a mixer at the Milwaukee Ambrosia Chocolate Factory, where he worked the night shift from 11 pm to 7 am.

‘DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ exaggerates Jeffrey Dahmer drinking blood

The Netflix series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Episode 4 depicts a disgusting scene. Dahmer steals three bags of blood from his work as a phlebotomist and brings them home. He then cuts one bag open and dumps the contents into his mouth.

However, the true story that inspired this scene isn’t quite as graphic. Seventeen Magazine writes that according to Dahmer’s own reports to police officials, he only stole a vial of blood from the center and took it to the roof of the building to try it. Dahmer also stated that he spit out the blood afterward.

Cannibalism is not a common trait among serial killers

Unfortunately, DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer didn’t exaggerate all the stomach-churning events of the series. Jeffrey Dahmer really was a cannibal who ate parts of several of his victims. When Dahmer was finally arrested in 1991, a search of his apartment yielded horrifying results.

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The apartment contained “several heads” in the refrigerator and freezer, “two skulls” on top of Dahmer’s computer, and a “57-gallon drum containing several bodies decomposing in chemicals” in his bedroom, according to history.com. There was also evidence that Dahmer had been eating parts of his victims, which he later admitted to while speaking with police.

According to Style Caster, cannibalism is rare, even among serial killers. The outlet reports that out of some 2,000 serial killers, it’s estimated that only between 5 and 10 are cannibals.

All episodes of DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story are currently streaming on Netflix.

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