At 10, Dahmer was "experimenting" with dead animals, decapitating rodents, bleaching chicken bones with acid, nailing a dog's carcass to a tree and mounting its severed head on a stake. In June 1978, Jeffrey crossed the line from morbid "experimentation" to murder. His victim was hitchhiker Steven Hicks, whom Jeffrey took home for a drink and some laughs. When Hicks tried to leave, Dahmer crushed his skull with a barbell, strangled him to death, then dismembered and buried his corpse.

In 1982, he was moved into his grandmother's house in West Allis, Wisconsin. That August, he logged an arrest for indecent exposure at the state fair. Identical charges were filed in September 1986, when two boys accused Dahmer of masturbating in public. Convicted of disorderly conduct, he received a one-year suspended sentence with orders for counseling.

On September 15, 1987, Steven Tuomi vanished in Milwaukee, the mystery unsolved until Dahmer confessed his murder in 1991. James Doxator was the next to die, in January 1988, followed by Richard Guerrero on March 24. By September 1988, Jeffrey's odd hours and the stench of his "experiments" had become too much for his grandmother, and Dahmer was asked to move out. On September 25, he found an apartment on Milwaukee's North 25th Street.

The next day, Dahmer lured a Laotion boy to his flat, fondled him, and offered cash for a nude modeling session. Police were called, and Dahmer was charged with sexual assault. Convicted in January 1989, he remained free pending a formal sentencing scheduled for May. Meanwhile, on March 25, Dahmer slaughtered victim Anthony Sears.

Sentenced to one year in jail, Dahmer was released after 10 months. The death parade resumed with Edward Smith, in June 1990.July's victim was Raymond Smith. Ernest Miller and David Thomas were butchered in September. Dahmer bagged Curtis Straughter in February. Errol Lindsey joined the list in April, followed by Anthony Hughes in May.

Konerak Sinthasomphone was the brother of the youth Dahmer molested in 1988. Missing on May 26, 1991, he was next seen the following day, naked, dazed and bleeding, when neighbors reported his plight to the police. Officers questioned Dahmer, who described the boy as his adult homosexual lover, and since Konerak spoke no English, they returned the youth to Dahmer's custody.... and to his death.

The juggernaut rolled on: Matt Turner killed on June 30; Jeremiah Weinberger on July 7; eight days later, Oliver Lacy; Joseph Brandehoft on July 19. Tracy Edwards was lucky, escaping on July 22, with handcuffs still dangling from one wrist. He flagged a squad car down and led the officers to Dahmer's home, where the dissected remains of 11 victims were found in acid vats and the refrigerator. By August 22, Dahmer was charged with a total of 15 murders. Dahmer filed a plea of not guilty by reasons of insanity , but was judged legally sane and convicted of multiple charges of homicide in 1991. On November 28, 1994 he died after an attack in prison by another inmate, Christopher Scarver, who claimed he did so on orders from God.