How Jeffrey Dahmer Died 30 Years Ago: The Chilling Details and Connection to His First Murder.
Jeffrey Dahmer's death mirrored the chilling circumstances of his first murder. On November 28, 1994, the notorious serial killer, who had killed a hitchhiker named Steven Hicks in 1978, met a similar end at the hands of fellow inmate Christopher Scarver while serving 16 consecutive life sentences in a Wisconsin prison.
Dahmer was responsible for the rape, murder, and dismemberment of at least 17 boys and young men in Milwaukee, engaging in acts of cannibalism and necrophilia with some of the victims before his arrest in 1991. The horrific nature of Dahmer's crimes, along with the tragic missed opportunities to report his actions earlier, shocked and fascinated the public when they came to light.
He was ultimately convicted of 15 murders in Wisconsin and sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms in February 1992, with a 16th conviction following later. One of his confessed murders went unprosecuted due to insufficient evidence, but he didn't have much time left to serve anyway.
Here’s a look back at Jeffrey Dahmer's prison death 30 years ago.
How did he die?
Fellow inmate Christopher Scarver fatally attacked Dahmer and another inmate, Jesse Anderson, at Columbia Correctional Institution. Scarver, who is serving a life sentence for murder, recounted in a 2015 interview with the New York Post that Dahmer would create food sculptures resembling human limbs and use ketchup to mimic blood, which disturbed other inmates. Scarver generally kept his distance from Dahmer, who was usually accompanied by a guard due to his conflicts with other prisoners. On November 28, 1994, Scarver, Anderson, and Dahmer were left alone and unshackled to clean the gym bathroom. While Scarver was busy filling his mop and bucket, one of the men poked him in the back, but he couldn't tell who it was.
Christopher Scarver
Scarver recounted, "I turned around, and both Dahmer and Jesse were chuckling quietly to themselves. I locked eyes with them, but I couldn't figure out who was responsible." After that, the men separated, and Scarver, who had been carrying a newspaper article about Dahmer's crimes, picked up a 20-inch, 5-pound metal bar from the gym.
He followed Dahmer into a staff locker room and confronted him regarding the offenses mentioned in the article. "I asked him if he was guilty of those acts because I was really disgusted," Scarver shared with the New York Post, noting that Dahmer appeared "shocked." He recounted the events that followed: "He quickly started looking for a way out.
Related: Anabel Segura: Timeline of Spain’s Longest Kidnapping Case
I blocked his path. He ended up dead. I put his head down." Scarver then swiftly moved to another locker room where Anderson was present and did the same to him. Guards discovered Dahmer on the bathroom floor with severe head injuries from the metal bar and from being slammed against the wall. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead about an hour later. Scarver carried out both murders in roughly 20 minutes.
When asked about his reasons, Scarver explained that his motivation extended beyond Dahmer's actions in prison. "He crossed the line with some people — both inmates and staff," Scarver asserted. "Some inmates show remorse — but he was not one of them."
When did Jeffrey Dahmer die?
Jeffrey Dahmer was killed on the morning of November 28, 1994.
Prison guards found him on the bathroom floor around 8:10 a.m., and he was declared dead at a hospital approximately an hour later.
Where did Jeffrey Dahmer die?
Scarver fatally attacked Dahmer at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.
How old was Jeffrey Dahmer when he died?
Jeffrey Dahmer, born on May 21, 1960, was 34 years old at the time of his death.
What were Jeffrey Dahmer's last words?
Dahmer's final words are not publicly documented. During his sentencing, he showed remorse for his actions and stated he took "full responsibility" for the rapes and murders he committed. "I hope God has forgiven me," Dahmer reportedly said, as noted by The Washington Post. "I know society will never be able to forgive me.
I know the families of the victims will never be able to forgive me for what I have done." He mentioned that he turned to faith after the killings, telling the court he "created a holocaust" by straying from a higher power. “I should have stayed with God. I tried and I failed,” he expressed.
He also acknowledged the statements from the families and loved ones of his victims. "I feel so bad for what I did to those poor families, and I understand their rightful hate," Dahmer remarked. "I have seen their tears, and if I could give my life right now to bring their loved ones back, I would do it."
How did the public react to Jeffrey Dahmer's death?
Dahmer's murders left a lasting impact on the families of his victims and the Milwaukee community, leading to mixed reactions to his death.
While many felt relief that his terror had ended, others were frustrated that he would not face further suffering in prison for his heinous acts. Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann commented to The New York Times following Dahmer's death: "This is the last sad chapter in a very sad life. Tragically, his parents will have to endure the same loss that the families of his victims have faced." Regarding Scarver, he added, "I hope there will be no economic returns or celebration as a folk hero for the man that killed Jeffrey Dahmer."
Related: Menendez Brothers Timeline of Events
Dahmer's parents had differing reactions to his death. As reported by The Washington Post, his mother, Joyce, wished to keep her son's brain for scientific research into his behavior, while his father, Lionel, preferred to have it cremated along with his body. Ultimately, both Dahmer's body and brain were cremated, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Many felt that the Milwaukee police let down the gay and Black communities by failing to apprehend Dahmer sooner, despite alerts from his Black neighbors. Glenda Cleveland, a former neighbor of Dahmer, reported him to the police multiple times, but her concerns were ignored. In May 1991, Cleveland's daughter, Sandra Smith, and niece, Nicole Childress, called 911 after seeing 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone, who was naked, bleeding, and barely conscious in the street.
Related: The Full Timeline of Jeffrey Dahmer’s Murders: Lawyer Monthly Uncovered
Dahmer managed to persuade the responding officers that Sinthasomphone was his intoxicated boyfriend. After the police left, he killed the boy. Had the police performed a background check on Dahmer, they would have discovered that he was on probation for sexually assaulting Sinthasomphone's older brother three years prior.
How have Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes been depicted in the media?
Dahmer's mix of serial murder, necrophilia, and cannibalism has intrigued true crime enthusiasts for many years, leading to the creation of the graphic novel and film My Friend Dahmer, featuring Ross Lynch, as well as Ryan Murphy's series Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, starring Evan Peters. Family members and friends of Dahmer's victims have expressed that the numerous TV and film representations of the killer and his crimes have been "retraumatizing" for them.
