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Lionel Dahmer and David Dahmer, the father and brother of American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, are reportedly still alive in 2022. Lionel detailed much of his experience raising the serial killer in his memoir A Father’s Story, but David is more of a mystery.

Many people are curious about Lionel and David today thanks to Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Find out what happened to the Milwaukee Cannibal’s father and brother after his 1992 trial and 1994 death in prison, plus their reported whereabouts in 2022. 

Jeffrey Dahmer's father Lionel and his stepmother Shari at his 1992 trial
Lionel and Shari Dahmer | Ralf-Finn Hestoft/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Lionel Dahmer had to fight for his son’s remains 

In 1992, Jeffrey Dahmer received multiple life sentences for the 17 murders he committed between 1978 and 1991. Later, he was beaten to death by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver in November 1994. 

In 1995, Jeffrey’s body was cremated. However, there was much debate about what to do with his brain; his parents, who divorced in July 1978, were split on the decision. Jeffrey’s mother, Joyce Flint, wanted to donate his brain to science. She also wanted it studied to see if there was a medical reason for his behavior. Meanwhile, his father wanted the brain cremated with the rest of Jeffrey’s remains. 

Jeffrey Dahmer's mugshot after his 1991 arrest for murder
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer’s mugshot | Curt Borgwardt/Sygma via Getty Images

“Jeff always said that, if he could be of any help, he wanted to do whatever he could,” Flint told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Washington Post). On the other hand, Lionel wanted to put Jeffrey’s past behind him. Ultimately, a judge ordered the brain to be cremated (via The Los Angeles Times). 

Jeffrey Dahmer’s father reportedly lives in Ohio in 2022 

Since his son’s death, Lionel has participated in several documentaries about the serial killer. From Biography to Dateline NBC and the limited series Dahmer on Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks, Lionel was open about Jeffrey until his last appearance in 2020. 

Since then, Lionel has embraced a life of privacy. According to online records, Lionel reportedly lives in Seville, Ohio, with his wife, Shari Dahmer. Jeffrey’s biological mother Flint died in 2000 of breast cancer (via Deseret News). 

Jeffrey Dahmer’s brother David is still alive, too

Jeffrey had a younger brother, David, who many people also wonder about. Born in December 1966, David Dahmer changed his name after his brother’s arrest for murder in 1991. As a result, very little is public when it comes to Jeffrey Dahmer’s brother. 

At publication, there is no record available indicating what David changed his name to. However, we do know he graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1994. What’s more, David and Jeffrey’s stepmother Shari revealed a few tidbits about him in a 2004 interview with Larry King.

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“We’ve promised to keep him completely secret with respect,” Lionel said. Shari gave a bit more details about David, revealing he had a career and family. “We’re expecting a second grandchild,” Shari admitted. “Everything is going well.”

At publication, there is no obituary for David or a record of his death. This means Jeffrey Dahmer’s brother is 56 years old in 2022.

See Richard Jenkins’ portrayal of Lionel Dahmer in Murphy’s latest series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. All 10 episodes of the limited series are available on Netflix. 

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