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Acad Forensic Pathol. 2017 Sep; 7(3): 444–452.
Published online 2017 Sep 1. doi:10.23907/2017.037
PMCID: PMC6474573
PMID: 31239993
Jeffrey M. Jentzen, MD PhD
Author information Article notes Copyright and License information PMC Disclaimer
This article has been corrected. See Acad Forensic Pathol. 2017 December 01; 7(4): 667.
Abstract
Disasters are commonly experienced as major devastating events that exceed theresources of an agency to respond, with effects emanating throughout a communityor region. There are, however, those events that are more measured, more subtle,and with few actual deaths, which still distract investigators from their dailyduties and routines and project long lasting and crippling effects to acommunity or nation. Disasters can occur from natural forces or be the result ofhuman activity. Most forensic pathologists who practice over a significant timewill encounter one or the other types of disaster, sometimes more than a few. Inmy own career, I have witnessed large-scale disasters, such as hundreds ofdeaths occurring as the result of a major heat wave, to small-scale disasterssuch as factory explosions or small airplane crashes at sea—each with their ownchallenges. In addition to the extent of the initial disaster, many require thedetailed, exhaustive evidentiary recovery and examination of a crime scene. TheJeffrey Dahmer case, although only involving 11 actual victims, required a majordisaster response, and continues to influence and affect a community over 25years later.
Keywords: Forensic pathology, Jeffrey Dahmer, Serial murder, Serial killer
Introduction
Many individuals think of disasters as large scale events that result in numerousfatalities; however, disasters can occur on a smaller scale and still have profoundeffects on the community at large and, in particular, the investigators responsiblefor dealing with the aftermath. The social science literature suggests thatdisasters, in addition to demonstrating a community's preparedness, also reflect therealities of social isolation, economic inequalities, and failures of political will(1). The Jeffrey Dahmer case,although only involving 11 actual victims, required a major disaster response,exposing the capacity to respond to and investigate a major crime that continues toinfluence and affect a community over 25 years later. The Jeffrey Dahmer casepresented unusual dynamics due to the nature of the murders, intense media coverage,and sexual orientation of many of the victims. The majority of the victims werehom*osexual and had been reported missing by their families for many weeks to months.The media published the grim details of the murders and methods of disposal. Thetrial was followed closely and watched around the world.
Discussion
The Scene
On July 23, 1991, personnel from the Milwaukee Police Department encountered anaked man in handcuffs running in the street. The individual escorted theofficers to Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment, where the victim alleged he had beendrugged and assaulted. After officers gained access to the residence, Dahmer wasquickly taken into custody. The victim showed the officers the decapitated headof male in the refrigerator he had previously seen and a full criminalinvestigation commenced (2).
Personnel from the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office responded to thescene. Per established routine, medical examiner personnel worked closely withthe Milwaukee police department independently photographing and documenting thescene and its evidence. Within the restricted crime scene, the dining room areacontained recently purchased hardware implements such as tape, a hammer,handsaw, and an electrical drill in the bedroom. They also encountered numeroushuman body parts including seven skulls, three of which were painted. There werefour intact human heads, one dissected postcranial skeleton in a portablefreezer, and three partially skeletonized bodies in a 55-gallon drum. Thefreezer compartment of the refrigerator contained what was later identified as ahuman heart and large muscle filets packaged in plastic bags. Other evidence,including large boxes of muriatic acid, degreasing solvents, Polaroidphotographs of victims (both alive and in various states of dissection),desiccated male genitals, and hands were recovered (Image 1).
Image 1
Kitchen and dining area of the apartment shows the muriactic acid anddegreaser agents. Polariod photos of victims are on top of the portablefreezer. The kitchen contained no food material.
Scene photographs were essential, not only for the documentation of the initialscene, but in the continual review and analysis of the evidence over time. Bytheir very nature, disasters have a way of dulling the senses of even the mostexperienced investigators, creating a “fog-of-war,” where the ability of theinvestigator to comprehend the meaning and significance of evidence, includingtime and space, can be clouded. For example, the kitchen had no foodmaterial—only a can of Crisco grease—which supported later allegations ofcannibalism. There was a large art deco table with a large fish tank.Photographs found elsewhere in the apartment showed Dahmer had documentednumerous victims that had been posed on the table prior to, during, and afterdismemberment (Image2). Desiccated male genitalia, scalp hair, hands, and skullssupported the fact that they were retained as “souvenirs” in a typical patternof an organized serial killer (Image 3) (3).
Image 2
Dahmer recreated the photograph over the black table by posing hisvictims on the table and taking their picture for souvenirs.
Image 3
The hall closet containing cholorform and ether bottles Dahmer used tosedated and kill his victims. Note the cleaned skulls and cooking potthat contained human body parts as souvenirs.
The evaluation of the scene allowed investigators to establish methods of death,begin the preliminary identification process, and demonstrate the deterioratingmental capacity of the assailant. Forensic pathologists assisted with theidentification, established the cause of death, and documented injuries thatallowed investigators to question Dahmer on various injuries he inflicted uponhis victims. Anthropological examination assisted with the identification andalso resulted in the establishment of victim profiles.
Autopsy Findings
Forensic pathologists initially analyzed the body parts and skeletons recoveredat the scene. The portable freezer contained, in addition to a decapitatedfrozen head, defleshed bones and 3480 g of tissue cut in to irregular, squarepieces not exceeding 15 cm. The 55-gallon drum contained four decomposingskeletons, which could be approximated using the variable dissection planes ofdismemberment. The cleaned, postcranial skeleton could be matched to a skull bythe unique atlanto-occipital joints identified by the anthropologist.
The paint was removed from the defleshed skulls, which revealed the presence ofholes drilled into the frontal regions of the skull. The skulls contained two,three, and four holes. Examination of the frozen skull revealed the presence ofa single hole surrounded by faint, periosteal hemorrhage. The cranium was openedand the brain examined. There was a hemorrhagic wound track through the brainthat demonstrated microscopic, organizing inflammation and endotheliainflammation a distance from the wound. These findings indicated a healinginjury of some duration inflicted while the victim was alive.
These autopsy findings were communicated to Dahmer through the detective. Dahmerreluctantly admitted that he had attempted to create “zombie sex-slaves” bydrilling the skulls and injecting acids and other materials (4). It appeared to investigatorsthat Dahmer was experimenting to obtain optimal results by “lobotomizing” hisvictims with a series of a decreasing number of drill holes (Image 4).
Image 4
Two cleaned skulls, one with four drilled holes used to infuse acid intothe brain. Below the skulls is a briefcase containing Polaroid picturesof all his vicitms.
Psychological Analysis
The detailed scene investigation and autopsy examination allowed for evaluationof Dahmer's motives, methods, and mental state over the months leading to hiscapture. In this unique situation, Dahmer freely discussed his role in themurders with law enforcement and provided a valuable resource for collaborationof scene, anthropological, and autopsy findings to forensic pathologists,forensic psychiatrists, and law enforcement personal during the investigation.Scene investigation and autopsy analysis of the bodies provided prosecutors withdetailed evidence of the motives and psychological state of Dahmer during thecourse of a death spree that lasted nine months.
A forensic psychiatrist constructed Dahmer's psychological profile characterizedby a destructive behavior in which his collection of fetishistic memorabiliaprovided an expression of his deep ambivalence and mixed hostility towards hisvictims. Frustrated with his sexual immaturity and continual rejection, Dahmerchanneled his hostility into a sad*stic sexual behavior characteristic of thepsychopathology of a serial killer (5).
Dahmer was a controlled, organized serial killer who manifested all of the phasesof a serial killer. He selected his victims by trolling local bars. He posed hisvictims before, during, and after death. He retained souvenirs of his victim'sbody parts and photographs. The accelerated rate of the killings, accumulationof bodies, and need for additional storage containers demonstrated that Dahmerwas becoming increasingly disorganized psychologically and in his methods ofkilling and disposal (Figure1).
Figure 1
The chronology of the murders demonstrates an increasing frequency andloss of control. Victims were eight black males, one Asian male, and oneWhite male, ages 14-33.
Identification
Unlike some major disasters, those of a more limited nature may have anestablished manifest of names and identities. Antemortem dental records,fingerprints, and other identifying records were rapidly recovered or already onfile. Dahmer's retention of some of the victims' identification at the scenefacilitated the process. Of the 11 victim remains recovered from Dahmer'sapartment, four could be identified with fingerprints and all of theidentifications were confirmed by dental comparison. In 1991, the use of DNA forroutine identification was years away for the average medical examiner office.Nonetheless, the victims were all identified within three days using acombination of fingerprints and dental records readily available to theinvestigators (4).
The majority of victims were African-American males in their 20s and 30s.Anthropological examination confirmed similarities in craniofacial and staturemeasurements, which suggested that Dahmer had a fetish and desired a certainbody type (5).
Media and Family Relations
In addition to the usual crush of media attention that accompanies a masscasualty incident, two days into the investigation, local citizens accused theMilwaukee Police Department of criminal indifference by allowing one of thevictims, 14-year-old Konarack Sinthasomaphon, to be returned to Dahmer and latermurdered. Dahmer had convinced police that the dispute was over a hom*osexuallovers' quarrel and that Konarack was 19-years-old. The citizens group chargedit was the officer's insensitivity to the gay community that allowed Dahmer toescape arrest and continue his killing spree. This only added to the chaos ofthe disaster, distraction of investigators, and allegations of neglect of lawenforcement (6).
Conclusion
In addition to the overwhelming chaos disaster investigators routinely confront, inthe Jeffrey Dahmer case, they also encountered a complex crime scene. A uniquefactor in the investigation was Dahmer's willingness to cooperate with lawenforcement investigators in answering questions related to the manner and methodsof killing, disposal of the bodies, and artifacts noted at the scene andautopsy.
The multidisciplinary investigation that followed provided investigators with anumber of conclusions that permitted the successful prosecution and conviction ofJeffrey Dahmer. Dahmer drugged, strangled, and dismembered his victims following hisuse of “chemical” restraints. Forensic autopsies demonstrated the organized methodsof death, experimental lobotomies, postmortem dissection, and disposition.Anthropological analysis suggested Dahmer was psychologically attracted to a certainanthropometric body type. He experimented with a method of injecting causticmaterial in the brains of his victims to sedate and pacify them into helpless“zombies.” Materials recovered from the science confirmed the methods of an“organized” serial killer with souvenir taking to enhance sexual pleasure. Anexamination of the chronology of death revealed a pattern of increasing frequency ofthe murders and the impression that Dahmer was becoming increasingly disorganizedand out of control (7).
Limited mass casualty incidents generally do not require the use of state and federaldisaster resources and can be handled at a local level. The identities of thevictims are usually known and quickly confirmed. However, even the most limitedincident carries with it a search for the causes and punishment of thoseresponsible. In some cases, comingling of the remains of victims and thoseresponsible may add to the anguish of the families. In any operation, investigatorsencounter numerous obstacles in processing a disaster. Concerns and demands offamilies, allegations of mismanagement, intense and urgent media requests, and anunrealistic expectation add to the stress of managing the disaster. In the Dahmercase, allegations of police indifference and threatened lawsuits only added to thepolitical and social pressure on the investigation. In many disasters, includingthose with a limited number of victims, investigators face challenges in resources,personnel, expertise, and patience.
No matter the size or extent of a disaster, the forensic pathologist must anticipatethat the death investigation may have criminal and civil implications requiringdetailed death investigation. Cooperation among investigating agencies is a must forproper and rapid identification, determination of cause and manner of death,disposition of the remains to the family, and to manage an appropriate mediaresponse.
Footnotes
ETHICAL APPROVAL
As per Journal Policies, ethical approval was not required for thismanuscript
STATEMENT OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL RIGHTS
This article does not contain any studies conducted with animals or on livinghuman subjects
STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT
No identifiable personal data were presented in this manuscsript
DISCLOSURES & DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors, reviewers,editors, and publication staff do not report any relevant conflicts ofinterest
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE The authors have indicated that they do nothave financial relationships to disclose that are relevant to thismanuscript
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