Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous serial killer, is without a doubt one of modern history’s most notorious and abhorrent killers. Over the course of 13 years, Dahmer stalked men and lured them back to his house before drugging and strangling them—cannibalism, rape, and murder were all part of his arsenal, and he didn’t hesitate or raise any suspicion while carrying out the deeds.
In an interview, his neighbor said that “Jeffrey was always cooking but never went for shopping”. Here are some terrifying Jeffrey Dahmer quotes that will make you wonder if this is even humanly possible. But first, here’s what people had to say about Jeffrey Dahmer.
“I intended to follow the recommendation of the state I… I could have said something different which would have had the same impact, I really see nobody gains anything by just to see more and more years the important point is the sentence is structured in such a way that this defendant will never again see freedom” — Judge L.C. Gram, on Dahmer’s sentence of 16 life imprisonment.
Quotes about Jeffrey Dahmer
“He fooled everyone. He fooled me…he fooled his probation officer, his attorney, the police…He had bodies in the next room when the police were standing in his outer room.” — Lionel Dahmer, Dahmer’s father, interview with Stone Phillips (29 November 1994)
“You think of the crimes that he committed, they’re so horrific you kinda think only a madman or somebody totally evil–evil incarnate would do this but when you talked with Jeff Dahmer you did not get this idea. He could be engaging, he could be bright, witty, he could make jokes. He was able to fool a lot of people.” — Detective Patrick Kennedy in Born to Kill?: Jeffrey Dahmer
“What do I think of Jeffrey Dahmer? I don’t know the man personally, but I’ll tell ya this, that’s a good example as to why insanity doesn’t belong in the courtroom. Because if Jeffrey Dahmer doesn’t meet the requirements for insanity, then I’d hate like hell to run into the guy that does. Beyond that, I have no comment on Jeffrey Dahmer because I’m not Jeffrey Dahmer.” — John Wayne Gacy
Jeffrey Dahmer Quotes
“It’s a process, it doesn’t happen overnight when you depersonalize another person and view them as just an object. An object for pleasure and not a living breathing human being. It seems to make it easier to do things you shouldn’t do.” — Jeffrey Dahmer.
“To this day I don’t know what started it [the killings]. The person to blame is sitting right across from you. It’s the only person. Not parents, not society, not pornography. I mean, those are just excuses.” — Jeffrey Dahmer, in an inside edition interview.
“If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what’s the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges? That’s how I thought anyway. I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime. When we, when we died, you know, that was it, there is nothing …” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I had these obsessive desires and thoughts wanting to control them [victims], too–I don’t know how to put it–possess them permanently.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“The killing was a means to an end. That was the least satisfactory part. I didn’t enjoy doing that. That’s why I tried to create living zombies with uric acid in the drill [to the head], but it never worked. No, the killing was not the objective. I just wanted to have the person under my complete control, not having to consider their wishes, being able to keep them there as long as I wanted.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“The first killing was not planned. I had had fantasies about picking up a hitchhiker and taking him back to the house and having complete control and dominance over him.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“It’s hard for me to believe that a human being could have done what I’ve done, but I know that I did it.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I don’t even know if I have the capacity for normal emotions or not because I haven’t cried for a long time. You just stifle them for so long that maybe you lose them, partially at least. I don’t know.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I would cook it, and look at the pictures and masturbate.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“Yes, I do have remorse, but I’m not even sure whether it is as profound as it should be. I’ve always wondered why I don’t feel more remorse.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I think in some way I wanted it to end, even if it meant my own destruction.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I had been having, for a couple of years before that, fantasies of meeting a good-looking hitchhiker and [dramatic pause] sexually enjoying him.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I made my fantasy life more powerful than my real one.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“If it all happens naturalistically, what’s the need for a God? Can’t I set my own rules? Who owns me? I own myself. — Jeffrey Dahmer
“It’s just like a big chunk of me has been ripped out and I’m not quite whole. I don’t think I’m over-dramatizing it, and I’m certainly deserving of it, but the way I feel now, it’s just like you’re talking to someone who is terminally ill and facing death. Death would be preferable to what I am facing. I just feel like imploding upon myself, you know? I just want to go somewhere and disappear” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I couldn’t find any meaning for my life when I was out there, I’m sure as hell not going to find it in here. This is the grand finale of a life poorly spent and the end result is just overwhelmingly depressing… it’s just a sick, pathetic, wretched, miserable life story, that’s all it is. How it can help anyone, I’ve no idea.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I still have guilt. I will probably never get rid of that, but yes, I’m free of the compulsion and the driving need to do it I don’t think I’m capable of creating anything. I think the only thing I’m capable of is destroying I’m sick and tired of being destructive. What worth is life if you can’t be helpful to someone?” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex for each one, put in the upper portion of the body and boiled that for about two hours and then the lower portion for another two hours. The Solex removes all the flesh, turns it into a jelly like-like substance and it just rinses off. Then I laid the clean bones in a light bleach solution, left them there for a day and spread them out on either newspaper or cloth and let them dry for about a week in the bedroom.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“I should have gone to college and gone into real estate and got myself an aquarium, that’s what I should have done.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
” If I was killed in prison. That would be a blessing right now.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
“For what I did I should be dead.” — Jeffrey Dahmer
Turn to page 2, to read Jeffrey Dahmer’s full statement to the court
Jeffrey Dahmer’s full statement to the court
Your Honor,
It is over now. This has never been a case of trying to get free. I didn’t ever want freedom. Frankly, I wanted death for myself. This was a case to tell the world that I did what I did, but not for reasons of hate. I hated no one. I knew I was sick or evil or both. Now I believe I was sick. The doctors have told me about my sickness, and now I have some peace.
I know how much harm I have caused. I tried to do the best I could after the arrest to make amends, but no matter what I did I could not undo the terrible harm I have caused. My attempt to help identify the remains was the best I could do, and that was hardly anything. I feel so bad for what I did to those poor families, and I understand their rightful hate. I now know I will be in prison for the rest of my life. I know that I will have to turn to God to help me get through each day. I should have stayed with God. I tried and failed and created a holocaust. Thank God there will be no more harm that I can do. I believe that only the Lord Jesus Christ can save me from my sins.
I have instructed Mr. Boyle to end this matter. I do not want to contest the civil cases. I have told Mr. Boyle to try and finalize them if he can. If there is ever money I want it to go to the families. I have talked to Mr. Boyle about other things that might help ease my conscience in some way of coming up with ideas on how to make some amends to these families, and I will work with him on that. I want to return to Ohio and quickly end that matter so that I can put all of this behind me and then come right back here to do my sentence.
I decided to go through this trial for a number of reasons. One of the reasons was to let the world know these were not hated crimes. I wanted the world and Milwaukee, which I deeply hurt, to know the truth of what I did. I didn’t want unanswered questions. All the questions have now been answered. I wanted to find out just what it was that caused me to be so bad and evil. But most of all, Mr. Boyle and I decided that maybe there was a way for us to tell the world that if there are people out there with these disorders, maybe they can get help before they end up being hurt or hurting someone. I think the trial did that.
The judge in my earlier case tried to help me, and I refused his help, and he got hurt by what I did. I hurt those policemen in the Konerak matter, and I shall ever regret causing them to lose their jobs, and I only hope and pray they can get their jobs back because I know they did their best, and I just plain fooled them. For that I am sorry. I know I hurt my probation officer, who was really trying to help me. I am so sorry for that and sorry for everyone else I have hurt. I have hurt my mother, and father, and stepmother. I love them all so very much. I hope that they will find the same peace I am looking for.
Mr. Boyle’s associates, Wendy and Ellen, have been wonderful to me, helping me through this worst of all times. I want to publicly thank Mr. Boyle. He didn’t need to take this case. But when I asked him to help me find the answers and help others if I could, he stayed with me and went overboard in trying to help me. Mr. Boyle and I agreed that it was never a matter of trying to get off. It was only a matter of which place I would be housed for the rest of my life, not for comfort, but for trying to study me in hopes of helping me and learning to help others who might have problems. I know I will be in prison. I pledge to talk to doctors who might be able to find the answers.
In closing, I just want to say that I hope God has forgiven me. I think He has. I know society will never be able to forgive me. I know the families of the victims will never be able to forgive me for what I have done. But if there is a God in heaven, I promise I will pray each day to ask them for forgiveness when the hurt goes away, if ever. I have seen their tears, and if I could give up my life right now to bring back their loved ones, I would do it. I am so very sorry.
Your honor, I know you are about to sentence me. I ask for no consideration. I want you to know that I have been treated perfectly by the deputies who work for the jail. The deputies have treated me professionally and I want everyone to know that. They have not given me special treatment.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.” -1 Timothy 1:15-17
I know my time in prison will be terrible, but I deserve whatever I get because of what I have done. Thank you, your honor, and I am prepared for your sentence, which I know will be the maximum. I ask for no consideration.
The man feared no one and was named the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, a serial killer and sex offender.
In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to 16 life terms in prison. Three years later, Jeffrey Dahmer and Jesse Anderson were murdered by fellow prison inmate Christopher Scarver. Scarver said he finds Dahmer disturbing because of the crimes he was charged with and because Dahmer used to make severed limbs out of prison food to annoy other inmates.