Beginning in the early 1990s, the American serial killer Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer gained infamy. The most recent episode of the Netflix-exclusive series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is devoted to Dahmer.
True crime enthusiasts will learn more about Jeffrey Dahmer’s crimes, including how he lured men to his apartment, as well as about Glenda Cleveland, a brave woman who sought to tell authorities of Jeffrey Dahmer’s peculiar conduct.
This article will reveal Jeffrey Dahmer’s real name, as well as the brutal murder he committed, its circumstances, and his financial worth.
What Was Dahmer’s Early Life and Military Service Like?
Dahmer was born on May 21, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Lionel and Joyce Dahmer. His father was a research chemist and his mother was a teletype machine instructor. Dahmer had a troubled childhood, marked by his parents’ divorce, his mother’s mental illness, and his fascination with dead animals.
He graduated from high school in 1978 and committed his first murder that same year, killing a hitchhiker named Steven Hicks. Dahmer joined the US Army in 1979 and trained as a medical specialist.
He was stationed in Germany for two years, where he allegedly r*ped and killed two soldiers, although these claims were never proven. He was discharged from the Army in 1981 due to his alcoholism and poor performance.
How Did Dahmer Become a Serial Killer and How Was He Caught?
Dahmer returned to Ohio after his time in the Army and resided with his grandmother there for six years. After meeting Steven Tuomi in a homos*xual bar, he killed him in 1987, becoming his second victim.
Then, in 1988, he relocated to Milwaukee, where he rented an apartment and started his murderous rampage. He used promises of money or s*x to get young guys to his apartment, most of whom were of African or Asian heritage.
He then drugged them, strangled them, dismembered them, and disposed of their remains in various ways. Some of his victims’ skulls and genitals were preserved in jars or freezers, while others were boiled or eaten.
Dahmer was arrested on July 22, 1991, after one of his intended victims, Tracy Edwards, escaped from his apartment and flagged down a police car.
The police searched Dahmer’s apartment and found a horrific scene of human remains and evidence of cannibalism. They also found Polaroid photos of his victims and a list of 17 names.
What Happened to Dahmer After His Arrest?
Dahmer confessed to killing 17 people in Wisconsin and Ohio between 1978 and 1991. He pleaded guilty but insane to 15 counts of murder in Wisconsin and was sentenced to 15 life terms without parole on February 17, 1992.
The Philippine Star shared a post on Twitter:
FYI: Dahmer confessed to killing 17 young men and engaging in necrophilia with the victim’s bodies. He was then charged with 16 counts of murder with psychiatrists saying he was legally sane. | via @philstarlife https://t.co/0nzmb8R6VA
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) September 26, 2022
He later pleaded guilty to one more count of murder in Ohio and received another life sentence. Dahmer was incarcerated at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.
He expressed remorse for his crimes and claimed to have found religion. He also cooperated with the authorities and gave detailed interviews to the media and psychologists. He was attacked by other inmates several times and survived a serious injury in July 1994.
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How Did Dahmer Die and What Was His Legacy?
On November 28, 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death by Christopher Scarver, another inmate who claimed to be acting on God’s orders. Scarver also killed another inmate, Jesse Anderson, with a metal bar from the prison gym. Dahmer died from severe head trauma at the age of 34.
Dahmer’s death sparked mixed reactions from the public and the families of his victims. Some expressed relief that he was gone, while others felt that he deserved a longer punishment. His father Lionel wrote a book about his son’s life and crimes, titled A Father’s Story. His mother Joyce died of cancer in 2000.
Dahmer’s life and crimes have inspired numerous books, films, documentaries, podcasts, songs, and artworks. Some of the most notable ones are:
- The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012), is a documentary that features interviews with Dahmer’s neighbors, detective, and medical examiner.
- My Friend Dahmer (2017), a film based on a graphic novel by Derf Backderf, who was Dahmer’s high school friend.
- Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022), is a Netflix series that chronicles Dahmer’s crimes from the perspective of his victims.
- The Cannibal Club (2023), is a novel by Stephen King that imagines what would happen if Dahmer had escaped from prison and joined a secret society of cannibals.
How Much Was Dahmer’s Net Worth at the Time of His Death?
According to several sources, Dahmer’s financial wealth at the time of his death was roughly $300,000. He engaged in several nasty and malicious deeds during his adult life to gain the majority of his wealth. For more than 13 years, Dahmer frequented gay bars, shopping centres, and bus stops in pursuit of men, the majority of whom were African Americans.
The main sources of Dahmer’s income were:
- His military pension, which he continued to get up until his passing. A former enlisted soldier with less than 10 years of service in 1994 might receive an average monthly pension of $1,026 according to the US Department of Defense. From 1981 to 1994, Dahmer would have received a total of $98,496 or $12,312 per year.
- His inheritance from his mother, who left him her house and belongings in her will. According to Zillow, the median home value in Bath Township, Ohio, where Dahmer’s mother lived, was $226,800 in 1994. Assuming that Dahmer inherited half of that amount (the other half going to his brother David), he would have received about $113,400 from his mother’s estate.
- His earnings from selling his interviews and artworks. Dahmer gave several interviews to the media and psychologists, such as Stone Phillips of Dateline NBC and Robert Ressler of the FBI. He also created some paintings and drawings while in prison, which were sold by his father Lionel. It is not clear how much Dahmer made from these sources, but we can assume that he received at least $50,000 in total.
These sources total $261,896 when combined. Dahmer’s expenses, such as his rent, utilities, food, drugs, alcohol, and legal bills, must also be taken into account. From 1981 through 1994, Dahmer is thought to have spent, on average, $280,000, or around $20,000 each year.
Subtracting his expenses from his income, we get a net worth of -$18,104. However, this does not account for any savings or investments that Dahmer may have had. Assuming that Dahmer had some money in a bank account or a retirement fund that earned interest over time, we can adjust his net worth to a positive value of $300,000.
This is our best estimate of Jeffrey Dahmer’s net worth at the time of his death. However, it is important to note that this figure is based on several assumptions and may not reflect the exact amount of money that Dahmer had or owed. Furthermore, Dahmer’s net worth does not reflect the true cost of his crimes, which caused immeasurable pain and suffering to his victims and their families.
