Things You Didn’t Know About Jeffrey Dahmer’s Dad

3 years ago

1. He tried to keep his son incarcerated after his first conviction

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After being charged with sexual assault and sentenced to one year in prison in 1989, Lionel Dahmer wrote a letter to the judge asking to keep him inside due to his concerns over Jeffrey’s mental health and fear over what he might do after being released back into society.

2. He was absent for most of Jefferey’s childhood

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In his memoir, Lionel Dahmer admitted that he was too busy studying to pay much attention to Jeffrey or his brother when they were growing up. He didn’t think he was causing any harm at the time but later felt he may hold some responsibility for Jeffrey’s actions.

3. He claims Jeffrey had a very normal upbringing during childhood

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Although people have accused Jeffrey Dahmer’s parents of neglecting to spot warning signs about their sons behaviour and even encouraging it, Lionel Dahmer insists that he had a normal upbringing and there were never any concerns describing him as “a regular kid”.

4. He became much closer to Jeffrey after his arrest

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Lionel Dahmer did not have a very close relationship with his son during his early years, but this all changed after he was arrested for murdering 17 people. Despite being aware of Jeffrey’s horrific crimes, he visited him in prison at least once a month and they spoke on the phone every week.

5. He wrote a book about being the father of a serial killer

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Lionel Dahmer wrote about being the father of an infamous serial killer which he titled “A Father’s Notebook”. He discusses possible reasons for his sons behaviour, claiming that he wanted to raise awareness of the early warning signs parents should look out for in their children.

6. He blames Jeffrey’s mother for his sons actions

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Lionel Dahmer accused Jeffrey’s mother of being on prescription drugs when she was pregnant with him, reporting that she was taking up to 26 different drugs every day. He also claimed she was a hypochondriac and never showed him affection, which he attributes to his dark actions.

7. He claims he did not know about Jeffrey’s early obsession with dead animals

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Jeffrey Dahmer’s parents were accused of ignoring warning signs about his unusual behaviour as a child, but Lionel Dahmer claims they had no idea that he was collecting roadkill and keeping a stash of dead animals. He maintains that if he had known he would have intervened immediately.

8. He believes his background in science could be the reason Jeffrey was a serial killer

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Lionel Dahmer has come up with many strange theories as to why his son become one of the most infamous serial killers in history, including his background in chemistry. He claims that there is great evil residing in the blood of scientists that he may have passed on to his son.

9. He divorced Jeffrey’s mother after finding out she was having an affair

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There have been many rumours over why Jeffrey parents got divorced, but according to Lionel Dahmer it was because his wife had been unfaithful. Jeffrey was 18 when his parents separated and they never told him the truth behind the split, claiming they were divorcing amicably.

10. He partially blames himself for Jeffrey’s actions

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Although Lionel Dahmer has accused Jeffrey’s mother for her failings as a parent as to why Jeffrey turned into a serial killer, he also takes some accountability. Due to his studying commitments, he feels he was not there to provide an emotional support for his son growing up.

11. He described Jeffrey as a very secretive child

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Lionel Dahmer claims there were no red flags to indicate that Jeffrey was unstable during his childhood, which he attributes to Jeffrey being shy and unsociable. He believes this is what enabled him to keep secrets from his family and peers about what he was really up to…

12. He often visited his son in prison

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Unlike Jeffrey’s mother who found it too painful to visit her son in prison after what he had done, Lionel Dahmer never gave up on him and visited him regularly until his death in 1994 after he was murdered a fellow inmate at the Colombia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

13. He has not made any public statements regarding the recent Netflix series

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The story of Jeffrey Dahmer has been plunged back in the spotlight after the recent release of the Netflix drama series “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”. It has gained worldwide attention but Lionel Dahmer has not yet commented on the series.

14. He still keeps in contact with his other son

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Jeffrey Dahmer’s younger brother, David Dahmer, decided to cut all ties to the horrific incident and went under the radar by changing his name and moving state. However, during an interview in 2004 Lionel Dahmer hinted that he still has contact with his youngest son who is now 56 years old.

15. He was sued by the family members of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims

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After Lionel Dahmer published his book about his son in 1994 just months before his death, family members of the victims sued him for invasion of privacy. They claimed that Lionel Dahmer never asked their permission before publishing the book, which they felt was disrespectful.

16. Before becoming a scientist he was a writer

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Although many people know about Lionel Dahmer’s background as a scientist, it turns out he was originally a writer. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1959 before returning to education and receiving a Master of Science from Marquette University.

17. He pushed for Jeffrey Dahmer’s brain to be cremated

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Jeffrey Dahmer’s mother wanted his brain to be examined by medical professionals after his death to find out if any biological factors played a role in his actions and contribute to research. However, Lionel Dahmer insisted on Jeffrey’s brain being cremated as he claimed this was Jeffrey’s request.

18. He never changed his last name

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Despite the horrific crimes his son committed, Lionel Dahmer never felt ashamed of the family name and did not want to dissociate from him. However, his younger son wanted nothing more to do with his brother and changed his identity to avoid being connected to the crimes.

19. He has taken part in many interviews with Jeffrey Dahmer

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People found it strange that Lionel Dahmer was so openly supportive of his son, accusing him of using it to gain public attention. Lionel Dahmer bashed those claims and said he only wanted to raise awareness for parents to look out for early warning signs about their children’s behaviour.

20. He appeared in a documentary about Jeffrey Dahmer

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Although people have become enthralled by the recent Netflix series on Jeffrey Dahmer, this was not the first account of his story. Back in 2020, Lionel Dahmer appeared in the documentary “Jeffrey Dahmer: Mind of a Monster” and spoke about his reaction to learning of his son’s crimes.

21. He has a doctorate

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After returning to education to fulfil his dream of becoming a scientist, Lionel Dahmer graduated from Iowa State University in 1966 obtaining Doctor of Philosophy. He then started his career in research and worked as a supervisor in analytical chemistry.

22. His book received positive reviews

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Despite the controversy surrounded his book release, it received many good reviews and is rated 3.94 stars out of 5 on "Goodreads". People have described the book as an opportunity to view Jeffrey Dahmer and his crimes from the eyes of a loving parent, a striking contrast to how the general public view him.

23. He now lives in Ohio with his second wife

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After divorcing Jeffrey’s mother in 1977, Lionel Dahmer married his second wife the following year in 1978. She also kept in contact with Jeffrey when he was in prison, accompanying her husband on his visits. According to public resides, they are both still alive and now reside in Ohio.

24. He has been involved in many TV shows and documentaries about his son

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As well as giving several interviews, Lionel Dahmer has also taken part in many TV shows and documentaries about his son including “Biography," “Dateline NBC," “Dahmer on Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks” and “Mind of a Monster and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story."

25. He claims an operation may have caused his son to become a serial killer

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Lionel Dahmer claimed that a double scrotum hernia operation that Jeffrey underwent at the age of 4 might have triggered his behaviour. He reported that his sons mood dramatically changed after this procedure, but there is no medical evidence to support this theory.

26. He has been accused of trying to profit from his sons crimes

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Lionel Dahmer was no stranger to the public eye after it became known across the globe that his son was a serial killer. He took part in many interviews and documentaries about Jeffrey Dahmer and even published a book. However, people believed it was all a publicity stunt to make money.

27. He continued to work after Jeffrey Dahmer’s arrest

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Despite everything that happened after the world was shocked by the crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, his father continued to live a fairly normal life and carried on working until retirement. He still went to visit his son in prison and was devastated by his death in 1994.

28. He has half of Jeffrey’s ashes

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After the court ruled in favour of Lionel Dahmer's request for Jefferey Dahmer’s body to be cremated, his ashes were distributed equally between his two parents. This is the urn which allegedly held half of his ashes which is now on sale for $250,000.

29. He is a grandfather

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Jeffrey Dahmer never got married or had children during his lifetime, meaning his only family included his mother, father and younger brother David. Although there is no public information about his brother, Lionel Dahmer has revealed that David has at least two children.

30. He now remains away from the public eye

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Lionel Dahmer has frequently been in the spotlight since his son was charged with murdering 17 people, which was often negatively perceived by the general public. However, his last appearance was back in the 2020 and he has decided to stay away from the public eye since then.

31. He's Still Alive

Image Source / TwitterJust in case you were wondering seeing as he hasn't been heard of for a few years, yes he is still alive. He's now 86-year-old and decided to live a more reclusive life in his later years, but he is still alive and living with his wife.

32. He Was Born In Wisconsin

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Lionel Dahmer was born on July 29th in 1936, in West Allis in Wisconsin, as Lionel Herbert Dahmer. West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County. Wisconsin is where Jeffrey Dahmer would grow up, going on to commit his crimes in Milwaukee.

33. He Wanted A Better Life For His Son

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Even after discovering the horrific crimes that Jeffrey Dahmer had committed, Lionel really wanted a better life for his son with hope for his future. When he wrote to the judge regarding Jeffrey's first sentencing, he expressed his love for Jeffrey and said "for whom I want a better life".

34. Jeffrey's Murder Affected Him

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Lionel didn't feel relief when the monster that was Jeffrey Dahmer died. To him, he was still his son, and when he found out that his son had been murdered in prison in 1994, his first reaction was to be devastated. He admitted it affected him.

35. He Appeared On CNN

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Lionel Dahmer appeared on CNN'S Larry Kind Live to discuss his son, and life with Jeffrey Dahmer growing up. He discussed on the show the early sign he missed in Jeffrey's troubling behaviour, and also discussed the issue of Jeffrey going around collecting dead animals.

36. He Wanted To Give Advice To Other Parents

Image Source / DistractifyOne of the main reasons he tried to give so many interviews and stay in the spotlight was allegedly because he wanted to give advice to other parents. He wanted to help with what to look for in growing children so that they can catch signs early on. He particularly wanted parents to encourage conversation in shy children.

37. He Also Appeared On Oprah

Image Source / The CinemaholicOne of Lionel's famous interviews was with the interview queen Oprah. He appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1994 to discuss his relationship with his son. He told Oprah about how they had grown closer after Jeffrey had been sent to prison.

38. The Ruling In The Lawsuit After He Was Sued Is Not Public Knowledge

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As mentioned, Lionel was sued by the families of two of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims after he'd released his book, on account of 'invading their privacy'. The outcome of the lawsuit was actually never made public knowledge, so we don't know if the victims' families won that one.

39. Apparently Jeffrey Requested Two Different Things About His Remains, According To Both Parents

Image Source / NetflixWhile Lionel always maintained that Jeffrey had wanted to be cremated at his son's request, and argued with his wife Joyce about it, she also claimed that it had been Jeffrey's request that if his remains be of any help, he wanted to do "whatever he could", which is why she insisted donating his brain.

40. He Said He'll Always Stick By His Son

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Even after Jeffrey was sent to prison and the truth of his crimes came out, Lionel said that he would always stick by his son, and always had. The pair seemingly had been closer since the truth of his crimes had been revealed, and even knowing the truth, Lionel was loyal to him.

41. He Wondered Whether Media Violence Could Have Contributed

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There are many things a parent would wonder about causing the violent tendencies in a child. In the case of Jeffrey Dahmer, Lionel was wondering "all kinds of things" in regard to what could have contributed to his son's behaviour. He considered whether media violence could have had anything to do with it.

42. He Said He Would Have "Intervened" If He'd Known Jeffrey Was Collecting Dead Animals

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The Netflix series implied that Lionel knew about Jeffrey's tendency to collect and dissect dead animals, but in reality Lionel always denied that he or Joyce knew about it. He has said that if he had known about the road kill, he would have immediately intervened.

43. But Jeffrey's Brother Apparently Knew About The Dead Animals

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But someone did know about the collecting of dead animals, apparently, and that someone was David Dahmer, Jeffrey's little brother. He allegedly witness Jeffrey actually dissecting an animal, and also apparently thought it was a good dead where his brother was helping bury dead animals.

44. His Choice To Keep His Name Is More To Do With His Own Parents

Image Source / IMDbLionel Dahmer's decision not to change his name wasn't because he wanted to keep a connection to his son, or wasn't because he wasn't ashamed of being connected to his son, but it was apparently more to do with his own parents. He's proud of his name, proud of what his father achieved and wanted to keep the name in honour of his "good ancestry".

45. But They'd Sometimes Use A Different Name In Restaurants

Image Source / The SunBut despite being proud of the name and not wanting to change it, there are some occasions where, apparently, a false name is more suitable. According to Lionel, they'd use a different name when they went out to restaurants, for example, so that they wouldn't get stared at.

46. He's Done Several High-Profile Interviews

Image Source / DistractifyIn his bid to let other parents know of warning signs in kids, and also speak about his own experiences, Lionel has done several high-profile interviews. He often spoke about the same things in all his interviews, such as red flags, wishes that he'd paid more attention to his son as a young boy and also try to give insight into Jeffrey's reasons.

47. The Netflix Show's Portrayal Of Lionel's Comments On Drugs Is Accurate

Image Source / Heavy.comWhile the show did change the details of Lionel apparently knowing about the roadkill, the comments he made on drugs in the show were accurate to real life. In the show, Lionel explains that he believes the medication Joyce's mother was taking had something to do with it. In real life, Lionel did make similar comments in interviews.

48. Lionel's Book Was Released Only A Few Months Before Jeffrey Was Killed

Image Source / Amazon UKA few months before Jeffrey was killed in prison back in 1994, Lionel had written and released his book, A Father's Story. Little did he know that mere months after writing his side of things, his son would be killed in prison.

49. Lionel Has Appeared On Another Netflix Show About Jeffrey

Image Source / Amazon.comThe real Lionel Dahmer has appeared on another Netflix show focused on Jeffrey's crimes: Jeffrey Dahmer: Mind of a Monster. This was his final public interview which he gave in 2020 for the show, and has since stepped back from the limelight.

50. Lionel Shares Both Sons With Ex-Wife Joyce

Image Source / RedditJeffrey's younger brother isn't much talked about or focused on, but Lionel does share two sons - David Dahmer, who has since changed his name, and Jeffrey Dahmer - with his ex-wife and Jeffrey's mother, Joyce Dahmer. They divorced when Jeffrey was 18 years old.