David Dahmer is the younger brother of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. After his brother’s arrest, conviction, and death, David changed his name and disappeared from the public eye.
He has never spoken to the media or revealed his new identity. He is also not involved in the Netflix series about his brother’s life and crimes, which has sparked controversy and criticism from the victims’ families.
Who is David Dahmer?
David Dahmer was born in 1966, seven years after his brother Jeffrey. According to some sources, he was named by Jeffrey, who was allowed to choose his sibling’s name by their parents1 David grew up in a troubled household, with a mother who suffered from mental illness and a father who was often absent due to his work as a chemist. He witnessed some of Jeffrey’s disturbing behavior, such as dissecting animals and collecting bones
What Happened to David Dahmer?
When David was 11 years old, his parents divorced and his mother took him with her to Wisconsin, defying a court order that required her to stay close to their father Jeffrey, who was 18 at the time, remained with their father in Ohio. David and Jeffrey had little contact after their separation, and David later transferred to a high school in Ohio to live with their father and stepmother.
David was unaware of Jeffrey’s killing spree, which began in 1978 and ended in 1991, when he was arrested for murdering 17 men and boys, mostly of African or Asian descent. Jeffrey’s crimes involved rape, necrophilia, cannibalism, and dismemberment. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 16 murders in Wisconsin and one murder in Ohio.
David did not visit Jeffrey in prison or attend his trial or hearings. He also did not attend his funeral after he was beaten to death by another inmate in 1994. According to their father Lionel, David changed his name and vanished from the public eye. He promised to keep his son’s new identity secret and said that he had a career and a family of his own.
Reflections on the Dahmer Household
David’s childhood was marked by the instability and tension of his parents’ marriage and divorce. His mother Joyce was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and attempted suicide several times. She also accused Lionel of being abusive and neglectful. Lionel denied these allegations and claimed that Joyce was mentally ill and unfit to raise David.
Jeffrey’s development was also affected by his family environment. He became withdrawn, isolated, and fascinated by death and violence. He started drinking alcohol at an early age and experimented with animal corpses. He later developed sexual fantasies involving domination, mutilation, and cannibalism. He also suffered from low self-esteem, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Current Status and Controversy Surrounding David Dahmer
David’s current whereabouts and well-being are unknown to the public. He has never given an interview or made a statement about his brother or his own life. Some sources speculate that he may have changed his appearance or moved to another country to avoid being recognized or harassed.
David’s silence has also been criticized by some of the victims’ families, who accuse him of being indifferent or complicit in Jeffrey’s crimes. They also demand that he speak out against the Netflix series about Jeffrey’s life and crimes, which they consider exploitative, sensationalized, and disrespectful to their loved ones’ memory. They argue that the series glorifies Jeffrey and ignores the pain and trauma of the survivors and their families.
