Fact Vs fiction: Did These Jeffrey Dahmer Details Actually Happen In Real Life?

1. Fact or fiction: The exorcist movie

Image source/ PeopleFACT. Now in the series, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Dahmer is seen watching the exorcist with his victims. And this is indeed a fact. Dahmer revealed in his interviews that it got him in the mood to kill. So, what we see in the series is a representation of what truly did happen.

2. Fact or fiction: Tracy Edwards ‘I want to hear your heart because I’m going to eat it’

Image source/ DailyMailFACT. Jeffrey Dahmer really did tell Tracy Edwards that he wanted to listen to his heart because he wanted to eat it. This scene shows in the Netflix series in the extremely disturbing moment with Edwards back at his apartment. He confirmed in court that this was indeed the truth.

3. Fact or fiction: Attempting to attack a jogger with a baseball bat

Image source/vocal.mediaFICTION. Although, this point is not all fiction. It is true that he did become obsessed with a jogger in the area, and he was planning on attacking him with a baseball bat. He had vowed to do it the next time he saw him. However, he never saw him again.

4. Fact or fiction: Giving his teacher tadpoles

Image source/ HubpagesFACT. Jeffrey started school with an intent to make his teacher like him and so he really did collect a jar of tadpoles for her. And it is also true that he was extremely annoyed when she gave them to another boy. He also really did take them back and kill the tadpoles with engine oil by pouring it into the water.

5. Fact or fiction: Pulled over by police with a body in the car

Image source/ FemaleFirstFACT. This again really is true. The police pulled him over at 3AM after they found him veering in the road. Dahmer managed to convince them to let him go. the entire time Dahmer had a body cut up in a bag in the back of the car and he told the police that he was getting rid of garden waste.

6. Fact or fiction: Sneaking into the Honour Society

Image source/ TumblrFACT. There was a scene in the series which showed Jeffrey Dahmer sneaking into the photograph of the Honour Society, which had nothing to do with Dahmer as he was not a part of the society. They discovered it later and then they blacked out his face from the photo.

7. Fact or fiction: Stealing blood from the blood donation clinic

Image source/ BritannicaFICTION. Now this is not all completely made up because Jeffrey Dahmer really did work at the blood donation clinic where he took blood from patients. But, taking blood home from the clinic was something that Dahmer never actually claimed that he did. He did however admit to trying a vial of blood on the roof of the centre.

8. Fact or fiction: Indecent exposure at the fair

Image source/ PinterestFACT. The scene that we see in the Netflix series where Jeffrey Dahmer indecently exposes himself at the Wisconsin State Fair Park really did happen. In real life there were over 20 children and women around who saw what happened. He was fined 50 dollars.

9. Fact or fiction:  The police returning Konerak Sinthasomphone

Image source/ wickedweFACT. This is a massively disturbing element of the Dahmer case which is shown in the series. Konerak Sinthasomphone was just 14 years old, and he managed to escape from Dahmer only to be returned by police who took Dahmer's word despite seeing a naked and bloody Konerak Sinthasomphone.

10. Fact or fiction: Phoning the families of the victims

Image source/famouspeopleFACT. This again is indeed true. Dahmer did actually phone the families of his victims which is portrayed in the series as we see him on the phone speaking to the sister of Tony Hughes. He would tell them not to continue to look for their relatives anymore.

11. Fact or fiction: Judge Gardner struggled with Sounthone Sinthasomophone's English

Image source/The MirrorFICTION. In the show Gardner is dismissive of Sinthasomophone's testimony because of his broken English, spoken as his second language. In real life, there is no evidence that this happened, and it is also claimed that many of the victim's family did not attend as they were never informed of when the hearing was taking place.

12. Fact or fiction: The human meat sandwich

Image source/thetabFACT. The horrible scene where Dahmer prepares a human meat sandwich is real. He creates this sandwich and then offers it to his neighbour. And Glenda Cleveland recalls in real life, having a sandwich offered to her and claims that she has probably unknowingly eaten part of a human before.

13. Fact or fiction: Rita Isbell’s court scene

Image source/knappyheadFACT. Some people believed that Rita Isbell’s court scene had been exaggerated for the series. But the court scene of Rita Isbell’s court scene is almost identical to the real thing. Isbell was there speaking in regard to Errol Isbell who was her brother and one of Dahmer's victims.

14. Fact or fiction: Making his food look like body parts in prison

Image source/eathalalFACT. The series showed Dahmer taunting the other prison inmates and making his food into shapes which resembled body parts and squirting ketchup on them to look like blood. He would them say things such as, I do bite. This was all real and was confirmed by prisoners.

15. Fact or fiction: Dahmer's next-door neighbour, Glenda Cleveland

Image source/otakukartFICTION. Whilst Glenda Cleveland was indeed real, she did not live next door to Dahmer. Cleveland called the police when she found Konerak Sinthasomphone. Dahmer's real neighbour was Pamela Bass. The show has combined these two real life people to make one character in the show.

16. Fact or fiction: The news broadcasts

Image source/RedditFICTION. In the series we see Glenda Cleveland watching a news programme the same night they arrest Dahmer. The news night talks about five white male officers beating an undercover black male cop. However, this was actually found to be news from 1992, not at the time which showed Glenda Cleveland watching the broadcast on the news.

17. Fact or fiction: Officers saying they needed to be deloused

Image source/ovacrimeFACT. This was all true. The two police officers really did return Konerak Sinthasomphone and then radio back to tell the station they needed to go and be deloused before they continued. The statement came from John Balcerzak who was with Joseph Gabrish at the time.

18. Fact or fiction: Stealing a mannequin

Image source/intomoreFACT. Jeffrey Dahmer did steal a mannequin from the department store as was shown in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. He became very protective over this mannequin. This detail in the series was very much accurate, the store in question, a Boston store, is now closed for good.

19. Fact or fiction: Club 219

Image source/oaprendizFACT. This really was a real club in Milwaukee which opened in 1981. And this was one of the prime locations where Dahmer located his victims. Now it is closed due to the fact that more bars opened in the area and it lost popularity. Then, when it was discovered that this was where Dahmer located his victims the club struggled to stay afloat.

20. Fact or fiction: Blacklisted from the bathhouse

Image source/sickchirpseFACT. The scene which showed Dahmer get blacklisted from the bathhouse is true. He indeed did take men to the bathhouse to drug them. In fact, the manager who shouted at Dahmer in the Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. He even testified in court about Dahmer drugging two men. He indeed did take men to the bathhouse to drug them.

21. Fact or fiction: Steven Tuomi was killed at the Ambassador Hotel

Image source/AminoFACT. The series shows Dahmer at The Ambassador hotel where he killed his first victim. That night Dahmer claimed he blacked out which is shows in the sow. These details are all true. He did kill Steven Tuomi at The Ambassador Hotel. He was never officially charged as there was no evidence found.

22. Fact or fiction: Dahmer didn't kill Ron Flowers

Image source/MirrorOnlineFACT. Although in real life Dahmer said he had decided not to kill him anyway. In the show it is shown that he does not kill Flowers because of his grandmother. In real life he thought flowers was too heavy to move the body. But the rest is true, that Flowers wakes up in hospital and the police believe Dahmer.

23. Fact or fiction: Dahmer met Tony Hughes on the night he murdered him

Image source/RedditFICTION. Despite what Jeffrey Dahmer's accounts are, there are many witnesses who testify to the pair knowing each other much longer than Dahmer admits. Dahmer said that he only met Tony Hughes on the night of the murder. Hughes friends say that it was much longer, and they actually turned up at Dahmer's house looking for him because they knew they were friends.

24. Fact or fiction: Cleveland kept ringing the police about Sinthasomphone

Image source/MirrorOnlineFACT. In the show it shows Glenda Cleveland ringing up the police time and time again to try and make them listen to her. She repeatedly states her fears that she thought the boy was much younger than 19. Then, when he was reported missing, she continues ringing as she remembered him from that night. this was all true.

25. Fact or fiction: Tenants complained about the smell

Image source/RankerFACT. This is true, tenants complained multiple times about the rancid smell coming from his apartment. The manager spoke to Dahmer about the smell three times. In fact, he even helped Dahmer to clean out the freezer in a desperate attempt to help the smell away.

26. Fact or fiction: Lionel Dahmer tried to ask the judge for help

Image source/TumblrFACT. Lionel really did appeal to the judge in a letter to try and ask for help for Dahmer whilst he served time at the correctional facility. His father knew he needed help for his alcoholism as well as his other tendencies. Lionel felt that this was a last chance to help his son before he spiralled.

27. Fact or fiction: Police Balcerzak and Gabrish won officers of the year

Image source/uzukaFICTION. This was entirely made up in the show because the Milwaukee police officers Balcerzak and Gabrish certainly did not win officers of the year in real life. However, both officers did go on to have long and successful careers and were even back paid from before they were reinstated.

28. Fact or fiction: Sandra Smith's arrest

Image source/RedditFICTION. In the show Sandra Smith is arrested for shattering the camera of an onlooker and assaulting him. However, in real life there is no evidence of this, and it was actually just a made-up scene for the show. Although Smith was present that night.

29. Fact or fiction: The apartments were destroyed

Image source/TumblrFACT. The apartments where Dahmer used to live was vacated by residents who no longer wanted to live there after what had happened. And nobody else would move in, nobody wanted to live in a place tainted by Dahmer where such horrific things had occurred so the whole thing was destroyed.

30. Fact or fiction: Christopher J. Scarver appealed to God

Image source/Famous PeopleFACT. Christopher J. Scarver told police that he had appealed to God for help with how to deal with Dahmer. However, Scarver also believed that he was one million years old and that he was in fact the son of God. Scarver received an extra two life terms in prison for murdering Dahmer.

31. Fact or fiction: Lionel Dahmer's book

Image source/FactFACT. Lionel Dahmer did indeed produce a book after Dahmer's trial and after he had been sentenced to prison. It was named, 'A Father's Story' in which he discusses signs that Jeffrey was an unusual child as well as things from his own life that he believes are partly responsible.

32. Fact or fiction: Dahmer's eyes appeared yellow

Image source/register.selfieFACT. You may have noticed in the series that when Dahmer kills, his eyes appear yellow. This is because in real life Dahmer used yellow eye contacts when he was planning on killing someone so that he would appear much like the killer from the exorcist.

33. Fact or fiction: There was a series of locks

Image source/mediachatFICTION. In the series, we see Tracy Edward's struggling with multiple locks. From his witness statement that had to get past a series of locks in order to escape. However, it seems that in real life there were only two, and that the sheer panic made it seem as though there were in fact more than in reality.

34. Fact or fiction: He sexually assaulted one of his victim's brothers

Image source/thetabFACT.  As we know Dahmer tragically murdered Konerak. But what was also mentioned in the series is that he had previously sexually assaulted Konerak Sinthasomphone's brother. This was entirely true. And it was a tragic coincidence, something that Dahmer had not initially known.

35. Fact or fiction: He wore his glasses for the trial

Image source/winsconisnstatejournalFICTION. When we see Dahmer appear in the series at the trial, he is wearing his glasses. However, this is the real Dahmer in real life at the trial without his glasses. This was a purposeful decision so that he could disassociate himself from having to look at the victim's families.

36. Fact or fiction: Glenda Cleveland met Rev. Jesse Jackson

Image source/BBCFACT. Glenda Cleveland has been hailed as a heroic citizen for her persistence in trying to help her community, despite being continually shut down by police who totally disregarded her. Instead, Rev. Jesse Jackson came to listen to her story and try to help her in showing the racism in the community.

37. Fact or fiction: There was a comic book based on Dahmer

Image source/mycomicshopFACT. In the series, a letter to Dahmer informs him that a comic book has been made about him. This was true. In 1992 a comic book about Dahmer and his crimes was indeed released. This is the real comic book as is shown here. The comic book was called 'My Friend Dahmer'.

38. Fact or fiction: He received fan mail

Image source/vimbuzzFACT. This is a wild concept to come to terms with, that a serial killer who destroyed the lives of so many could possibly receive fan mail. But this part of the series was totally true. People sent cards and letters asking for autographs. And people did even send him money.

39. Fact or fiction: Lionel Dahmer taught him how to dissect roadkill

Image source/the-line-upFICTION. Although the father and son really did collect roadkill together - Lionel never actually taught Dahmer how to dissect the animal. He did teach Jeffrey Dahmer how to preserve the animal - but not how to cut them open as is discussed in the Netflix show.

40. Fact or fiction: Dahmer's neighbours all suspected him

Image source/basementrejectsFICTION. In reality Jeffrey Dahmer's neighbours did not all suspect him, despite thinking he was a little bit strange. In fact, his real neighbour Pamela Bass described him as awkward but friendly and revealed that the two of them would sometimes have a beer together.

41. Fact or fiction: Scarver attacked Dahmer second

Image source/allthat'sinterestingFICTION. As we know, Scarver murdered Jeffrey Dahmer. But, in the series Scarver first went to attack Anderson. In reality, Scarver first went for Jeffrey Dahmer and then later turned-on Anderson. He had been working with Jeffrey Dahmer for around 3 weeks prior.

42. Fact or fiction: Dahmer met Konerak at a convenience store

Image source/horrorobsessiveFICTION. This is in fact not true; Jeffrey Dahmer did not meet Konerak Sinthasomphone at a convenience store where he was buying beer.  He actually met him at a mall. The mall was named the Grand Avenue Mall and then Dahmer asked Konerak back to his apartment saying he would pay him.

43. Fact or fiction: Konerak's family filed a lawsuit

Image source/blogspotFACT. This is indeed true, Konerak Sinthasomphone's family did file a lawsuit against the discrimination against their son, and the fact that he had not been given equal rights to protection. In the end, as stated in the series the family won 850,000 dollars.

44. Fact or fiction: All the victims' families sued Lionel Dahmer

Image source/redditFICTION. In the series it states that all of the families of the victims filed to sue against Lionel - Jeffrey Dahmer's father. And, to take the earning of his book so that it would be equally shared amongst the families. In reality it was just two of the families who actually files the suit.

45. Fact or fiction: Lionel Dahmer had disturbing fantasies

Image source/thelistloveFACT. Lionel Dahmer is very open in his wrong doings as a father and taking responsibility for his son's action. He even opens up about his own past disturbing fantasies of murder as well as trying to hypnotise a girl. This was true, and he opens up about it in his book.

46. Fact or fiction: Lionel Dahmer's book was a failure

Image source/tumblrFACT. The book written by Lionel Dahmer ended up as a commercial failure, and so it did not actually produce any profit for himself or the victim's families. It received good reviews from critics in real life, however, it turned out that the book was not a popular seller.

47. Fact or fiction: Jeffrey Dahmer was baptized before his murder

Image source/hitcFACT. Dahmer seemingly went through a phase where he sought repentance or looked for forgiveness from God. In fact, before he was murdered, he actually was baptized. This happened whilst he was at the Columbia County Correctional Facility. This was all entirely true to real life events.

48. Fact or fiction: Lionel and Joyce fought about Jeffrey's brain

Image source/UOLFACT. In the last episode of the series, Lionel and Joyce Dahmer argue about what to do with Dahmer's brain. Joyce wants the brain to be dissected to be able to see what was wrong with it. Lionel wants the brain destroyed so that people can move on and start to heal. In the end, it was destroyed as decided by a judge.

49. Fact or fiction: Ron Flower's car broke down

Image source/popbuzzFACT. This part of the series was not an embellishment on reality, Ron Flower's car really did break down and this is when Dahmer discovered him and lured him back to the apartment with the promise of a lift. This was true to reality, as was the fact that he managed to survive.

50. Fact or fiction: He lured victims back promising to pay them

Image source/onmalwuakeeFACT. In the series, it shows a couple of instances where Dahmer lures victims back to his apartment by promising to pay them, for example offering 50 dollars in exchange for some photos. This was true. Dahmer offered most of his victim's money to take them back to the apartment before he would kill them.