Jeffery Dahmer Case - Essay Example

Jeffery Dahmer Case Jeffrey Dahmer was responsible for a series of gruesome murders of 17 young men from 1988 until he was caught on July 22, 1991, in Milwaukee. According to Tru Crime Library, Detective Patrick Kennedy was the person who gained Jeffrey Dahmer’s trust and hence plummeted into the depths of his degeneracy. In June of 1978, right after graduation Dahmer committed his first murder. Steven Hicks, a hitchhiker that he picked up and had sex with was the first of his victims. To dispose of the body he chopped it into pieces, packaged it in plastic garbage bags and buried it in the woods near the house. In October 1981 and September 1986 he was arrested due to excessive drinking and disorderly conduct. He was put on probation for masturbating in front of two boys in 1986. In September 1987 he killed once again. His second victim was Steven Toumi who he met in a gay bar and indulged in heavy drinking with. Dahmer admits to have no memory of the murder itself but recalls waking up to Toumi being dead and having blood on his mouth. Fourteen year old Jamie Doxtator, a Native American boy, was Dahmer’s third victim. He also marks the establishment of Dahmer’s modus operandi. Dahmer would visit bars in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he would, after thorough observation, pick up young men. Mostly pretending to be a photographer he offered these men money to pose for him and lured them into his apartment. Sometimes he would offer them money to hang-out and watch a movie. Once there he would drug their drinks and strangle them when they were unconscious. John Douglas, a full-time profiler working at the behavioural science division of the FBI in Quantico, defined Dahmer’s signature as one that showed his sadistic sexual satisfaction and control projected by living with his victim’s corpses. Examples of such behaviour were that of necrophilia, cutting up his victims and cannibalizing certain parts like the heart, painting the skulls to keep as souvenirs and storing a victim’s head in his fridge. (Douglas, 1997). Sticking to this developed pattern Dahmer killed 5 more men by the summer of 1988 one of who was a Richard Gurrero, handsome young man of Mexican origin. All these murders took place in Dahmer’s grandmother’s basement that remained oblivious of these undertakings. September 1988, shortly after moving into an apartment in Milwaukee, Dahmer was arrested for sexually fondling a 13 year old boy and charged with second-degree sexual assault. Jeffrey Dahmer’s pace of murder accelerated in 1991 when he started killing one man per week. The most famous incident was that which involved Konerak Sinthasomphone, a 14 year old Laotian’s near escape. The police returned the boy to the smooth talking, confident and calm blond Jeffrey Dahmer believing the incident to being a lover’s quarrel and as a result sending Sinthasomphone to his death. (‘A victims near escape’, Marilyn Bardsley) Anne Schwartz, author of ‘The Man Who Could Not Kill Enough’ describes the victims lifestyles as ‘high-risk’ with their arrest records ranging from crimes such as rape, battery, arson and sexual assault. Most victims were black, one white, one Laotian and one Hispanic. They were also either homosexual or bisexual. In July 1991, Tracy Edwards the 18th victim escaped and successfully led the police back to Dahmer’s apartment. Even upon discovery of his grotesque lifestyle Jeffrey remained calm and rational and only resisted when he was cuffed. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms for the killing of 17 men. On November 28, 1994 he was murdered by a fellow inmate, Christopher Scarver, who suffered from schizophrenic. Malignant Narcissism Jeffrey Dahmer was an essence and personification of malignant narcissism. Lasch defines several characteristics of narcissism, such as, heightened anxiety, permissive sexual attitudes, a desperate need for approval and acclaim and deeply antisocial impulses. Furthermore their need for immediate gratification, intense restlessness and continually discontented desire are key features for the identification of an individual that suffers from malignant narcissism. Jeffrey Dahmer was in possession of all these characteristics (The Culture of Narcissism, 1979). Jeffrey Dahmer’s lack of empathy, off-handed exploitativeness, grandiose fantasies and adamant sense of entitlement make him treat all people as though they were objects. He regarded his victims as as sources of narcissistic supply in terms of adulation and attention. He also collected trophies in form of various body parts of his victims. Dahmer would also cannibalize some of their body parts, usually the heart, as an act of merging with his victims and assimilating them through digestion (Serial killers, Sam Vaknin). Control another key aspect of malignant narcissism is also to be observed when we view some incidents of Jeffrey Dahmer’s killings. He often captured his victim’s demise by taking numerous photographs of them while they were still alive and after they were dead. He captures moments he believes he had perfected, as the victim was, in a state of helplessness and defencelessness. His goal in terms of ‘object permanence’ was achieved. This is a mere reflection of experiences of abandonment and helplessness that the narcissist himself has faced prior to his killings. Furthermore he admits this certain ritual gave him pleasure as he could re-live the entire experience through his collection of detailed photography. Likewise the serial killer is desperately trying to avoid a painful relationship with his object of desire. The fear of rejection is so intense that the mere possibility of abandonment, humiliation and being exposed frightens them. Jeffrey Dahmer is known to have sex, the ultimate form of intimacy, with the corpses of his victims so as to avoid the formation of any kind of real relationship with them. According to Ressler & Shachtman, 1997, Dahmer explains how he experimented performing a kind of lobotomy by pouring different quantities of acid into drilled holes in his victims skull. The suggested motivation behind this behavior was to create ‘zombies’ primarily for his sexual gratification without the need for forming any kind of emotional bonds or relationship. Furthermore he would make sure that they were unconscious and unable to escape by drugging them to signify unchallenged possession. Social isolation and sexuality, pivotal aspects of malignant narcissism were also central to the life of Jeffrey Dahmer and contributed to his murderous activities. It will be discussed in detail in the proceeding section of the essay. Dahmer’s Anti-Social Personality Disorder According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ASPD is "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.’ Jeffrey Dahmer can rightly be associated with the diagnosis of this disorder. His lack of empathy, necrophilia, difficulties with law, persistent boredom and above all antisocial activities are key identifiers of the disorder. Abuse at an early age can bring an onset of the disease. Substance abuse, violent behaviour and an onset of intensifying fantasies are also a key factors for identifying the disorder. Below are critical identifiers that connect Jeffrey Dahmer with Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Dahmer’s Social Isolation At the age of seven, Jeffrey Dahmer was mostly withdrawn, had no long term friends and was socially awkward. There are accounts that state that there wasn’t much that he cared for and spent most of his time in isolation because being approached by people made him nervous. According to his father, as a young child Dahmer did not hold eye contact, had trouble interacting with other children and was emotionally distant. (Silva et al., 2002). Fantasies He fantasized often and with age his fantasizes grew in their nature of violence and morbidity. Jeffrey Dahmer was a slave of his increasingly intensifying fantasies for killing another human and hence achieving a state of sexual arousal (Nelson, 2006). In an interview Dahmer once admitted to having excessive fantasies of violence intermingled with sex which steadily got worse and worse. He had no one to confide in which is why he kept all these feelings bottled up. At the age of 14 he obsessively fantasized about lying next to an unconscious man. Nelson further suggests that it was these fantasies that played a critical role in the development and continuation of the crimes committed by Jeffrey Dahmer. History of Abuse Sexual, emotional and physical abuse at an early age forms a key component in the lives of many serial killers (Ressler et al, 1988). This theory suggests that as a mere reflection of their helplessness during the abuse as a child the serial killers develop homicidal aggression patterns in their attempt to control their victims in their later life. This escalates into the formation of a deviant value system in which aggression and devaluation are pivotal to meet psychological needs, one which grows in intensity over a period of time. This value system adheres closely to the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (1994), with the growing intensity leading to murderous behaviour in order to achieve fulfillment of psychological needs. Jeffrey Dahmer according to several sources was said to have been sexually molested at the age of seven by a neighbour and the assault went unreported. According to Brenda Odom, 2008, there was speculation as to whether his father sexually abused him as a child. However this allegation is denied by Lionel Dahmer in his book, A Father’s Story. Furthermore as a child he underwent a double hernia operation and when he was thoroughly examined, without any explanation, it was to obvious discomfort and confusion. One source even mentions that he inquired of his mother whether his genitals had been removed due to his intense pain (Paula Bentley, 2008). Also his parents fought constantly in front of him. Their heated arguments in terms of intensity and frequency increased and resulted in a divorce in 1978. Post the divorce his mother moved out with his younger brother leaving him behind. His father shortly remarried and his new wife became the focus of his attention putting an end to the frequent trips that Dahmer took with his father. Jeffrey Dahmer was 18 when these events unfolded. It is important to note here that this was when he committed his first murder which was solely for his psychopathic violent need for company. His obvious lack of control during his childhood experiences and domestic unrest are major contributing factors towards his loss of control and abandonment issues leading him to murder Steven Hicks because he couldn’t bear to let him leave. His collection of souvenirs in shape of human organs and detailed photographs as well as his cannibalism were all depictions of loneliness and he is reported to have said that they made him feel like they were a part of him forever. (Gary C. King, True Crime Stories) Sexuality and Substance abuse It was in high school that Jeffrey Dahmer realized that he was sexually attracted towards men. This attraction confused him as he fantasized more and more about indulging in sexual activity with unconscious men. His inability to deal with his feelings let to an onslaught of frequently intensifying bursts of depression. In order to deal with these he turned to excessive drinking and referred to the alcohol as his ‘medicine’. He drank all the time and would often pass out on his way to his dorm. He flunked out of college after the second semester. His drinking habits were also the main reason for his early discharge from the military. In his early years he was characterized as racist and unable to cope with his sexuality. This was confirmed by a minister who claimed to have met Dahmer in a tavern shortly before his arrest. He described Dahmer as an ‘alcoholic who hated homosexuals and blacks.’(Brenda Odom, 2008). This can be attributed for his selection of victims who were male, mostly black and homosexual. Animal mutilation As a child Jeffrey Dahmer admitted to being fascinated by the capture and mutilation of animal corpses. Later he found this very same activity as a source of gratification (Wright & Hensley, 2003). There are several accounts that confirm Dahmer confessing that experiments that he performed on dead animals were what later led him to the use of human victims as test subjects. One major example is the fact that as a child Dahmer would use his father’s stored chemicals to strip the flesh from animal bones and later replicated the very same behaviour with his victims. (Martens & Palermo, 2005). Necrophilia Necrophilia is a mental disease which refers to a sexual interest in dead people or body parts (APA, 2000). Dahmer’s interest in dead animals and the sound that their bones made once crushed began at the early age of four hence highlighting his very early onset of the disease. His fascination progressed as he grew older and eroticized at adolescence as he masturbated shortly after dissecting animals (Silva et al, 2002). Schwartz, 1992, reports that the heat of the recently cut open body sexually aroused Dahmer. He is also of the opinion that Dahmer was not a sadist and that he derived no pleasure from torturing or hearing his victims plea. This can be seen in the way he drugged and killed his victims only after they were unconscious. His diagnose of the disease can further be solidified in the way he had sex with the corpses of his victims and his accounts of receiving instant gratification in engaging in sexual activities with his dead victims and decorating his apartment with their body parts. REFERENCES American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Brenda Odom. (2008). ‘Jeffrey Dahmer: The truth’. Web. N.pag. Retrieved from: < http://socyberty.com/crime/jeffrey-dahmer-the-truth/>. Gracy.C. King. Jeffrey Dahmer: The Butcher of Milwaukee's Human Slaughterhouse. True Crime Stories. N.pg. Web. Retrieved from: Douglas, John, and Mark Olshaker. Journey into Darkness. Pg. 26. New York: Pocket Books, 1997. Lasch. (1979). ‘The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an age of diminishing expectations’. Marilyn Bardsley. ‘A Victim Almost Escapes.’ Crime library. Web. N.pag. Retrieved from: . Martens, W.H. J. & Palermo, G.B. (2005). Loneliness and associated violent antisocial behavior: Analysis of the case reports of Jeffrey Dahmer and Dennis Nilsen. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 49(3), 298-307. Nelson, B. (2006). Fantasy cycle in serial murder.. Retrieved April 5, 2008 from http://deviantcrimes.com/FantasyCycle.htm Ressler, R.K. & Shachtman, T. (1998). I have lived in the monster: Inside the minds of the world’s most notorious serial killers. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press. Sam Vilknin Ph.D. (2007) ‘Malignant Self love’. Narcissism revisited. 1st Edition. 8th Revised Impression. Schwartz, A. E. (1992). The man who could not kill enough: The secret murders of Milwaukee's Jeffrey Dahmer. New York: Birch Lane Press. Silva, J. A., Ferrari, M. M., & Leong, G. B. (2002). The case of Jeffrey Dahmer: Sexual serial homicide from a neuropsychiatric developmental perspective. Journal of Forensic Science, 47, 1347-1359. Tru Crime Library. Marilyn Bardsley. Jeffrey Dahmer. Web. N.pag. Retrieved from: . Wright, J. & Hensley, C. (2003). From animal cruelty to serial murder: Applying the graduation hypothesis. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(1), 71-88. Read More