Jeffrey Dahmer Died in Prison in 1994; Here’s What Happened

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer. Dahmer became known for murdering and dismembering his victims, even eating some of them. With the release of Netflix‘s 10-part series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, many have a renewed interest in Dahmer’s story, including details about his death. 

Dahmer died on Nov. 28, 1994. Find out how. 

Jeffrey Dahmer started murdering people after graduating in 1978 

Dahmer’s 13-year killing spree began three weeks after he graduated from school. His first victim was 19-year-old hitchhiker Steven Mark Hicks. Dahmer invited Hicks back to his house for a drink. When he tried to leave, Dahmer bludgeoned him with a 10-pound dumbbell, then strangled him to death. Hicks was later dissected and authorities found parts of his body in a shallow grave on Dahmer’s property. 

Dahmer’s next victim was Steven Tuomi, who was killed on Nov. 20, 1987 in Ontonagon, Michigan. The serial killer’s murdering spree continued with Richard Guerrero, Anthony Sears, Raymond Smith, Edward Smith, Ernest Miller, and David Thomas. 

From October 1990 to February 1991, Dahmer lured men into his apartment but did not kill them. However, his murders continued in February 1991 with the death of Curtis Straughter. Before his arrest on July 22, 1991, Dahmer also killed Ricky Beeks, Jamie Doxtator, Anthony Hughes, Jeremy Weinberger, Errol Lindsey, Matt Turner, Jeremiah Weinberger, Oliver Lacy, Joseph Bradehoft, and perhaps most famously, Konerak Sinthasomphone. He was the 14-year-old boy officers John Balcerzak and Joseph Gabrish handed over to Dahmer, who claimed Sinthasomphone was his lover, after Sandra Smith, Tina Spivey and Nicole Childress discovered him bruised and naked outside of Dahmer’s apartment building. The officers were fired, but later reinstated with backpay (via AP). 

Christopher Scarver killed Jeffrey Dahmer in prison 

When Dahmer was arrested, authorities found the remains of 17 victims in his refrigerator. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

In July 1994, Dahmer’s fellow inmate Osvaldo Durruthy attempted to cut his throat with a razor blade, but he survived with only superficial wounds (via Desert). Two years later, Dahmer was beaten to death by Christopher Scarver in the prison gymnasium because God told him to do it (via History).

The victims’ stories are explored in Netflix’s ‘DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ 

Created by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story) and Ian Brennan (Glee, Scream Queens), DAHMER exposes Dahmer’s gruesome crimes with a focus on the victims and the systemic racism that enabled him to carry these murders out for more than 10 years. In the trailer for the 10-episode limited series, the voice of Dahmer’s neighbor, Glenda Cleveland (Niecy Nash), is heard pleading with police officers to do something: “Somebody is either being hurt or killed.”

Evan Peters portrays the serial killer. The drama series also stars Molly Ringwald, Colin Ford, Shaun Brown, Richard Jenkins, Michael Learned, and Penelope Ann Miller.

Watch all 10 episodes of DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story exclusively on Netflix.