Jeffrey Dahmer: The Milwaukee Cannibal

Jeffrey Dahmer is one of the most infamous serial killers in modern history. Though he was only active for a few short years, his heinous actions left an indelible mark on the world. Dahmer’s grisly list of 17 victims stretched from Milwaukee, Wisconsin all the way to Ohio, and his particular brand of depravity has been a source of fascination for decades. Born in 1960 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dahmer spent most of his early childhood living with his family in the quiet suburbia of Bath Township, Ohio. He was an introverted child, and struggled with bouts of depression throughout his teenage years. Despite his troubling signs of mental illness, it wasn’t until he reached adulthood that his true nature began to reveal itself. In late 1978, Dahmer began his first series of killing sprees, which lasted until he was arrested in 1991. Over this 13 year period, he murdered a total of 17 men and boys – many of whom were African-American – whom he had lured back to his apartment or motel rooms.Once there, Dahmer would use his victims as his own personal experiments; dismembering, preserving, and even eating parts of them. Dahmer was finally apprehended in 1991, after one of his intended victims managed to escape his clutches and alert police. After he was taken into custody and searched, police found an array of gruesome items inside his apartment. These included human skulls, severed limbs, and refrigerator drawers filled with body parts. In 1992, Dahmer was put on trial and quickly found guilty on 15 separate counts of murder. He was eventually sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms – plus a 16th year that was tacked on for good measure – and was sent to prison in Wisconsin, where he spent the remainder of his life. Three years after arriving at the prison, Dahmer was beaten to death by another inmate. Though it may have been 20 years since his death, Jeffrey Dahmer’s legacy still looms large over popular culture. His story continues to fascinate and horrify those who come across it, and serve as a reminder of how depraved the human mind can be.