Inside Jeffrey Dahmer's childhood home where he committed first murder

Publish date: 2024-06-21

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Jeffrey Dahmer’s Milwaukee apartment complex was razed in 1992 — a year after the cannibal killer was caught concealing the remains of 11 of his victims on the premises.

But the Ohio home where the murderer committed his first slaying is still standing and is the subject of intense interest in the wake of Netflix’s wildly popular new series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”

The three-bed, three-bath property is located on a large 1.5-acre lot in Bath Township, an affluent suburb of Akron, and is currently estimated to be worth $372,000 by Zillow.

The 2,170-square-foot home was built back in 1952 — 16 years before Dahmer moved into the residence with his dad Lionel, mom, Joyce, and younger brother, David.

There, Dahmer developed a fascination with dissecting the bodies of dead animals and began fantasizing about controlling a completely submissive male partner.

In 1978, the then 18-year-old committed the first of his 17 murders, picking up hitchhiker Steven Hicks before bringing him back to the home.

Evan Peters (inset) is pictured playing the cannibal killer. The Ohio home where Jeffrey Dahmer committed his first murder has become the subject of intense interest in the wake of Netflix’s new series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn; N
The three-bed, three-bath is located on a large 1.5-acre lot in Bath Township, an affluent suburb of Akron, and is currently estimated to be worth $372,000 by Zillow. Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn
Dahmer strangled hitchhiker Steven Hicks to death inside the home back in 1978. Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn

In the living room of the residence, Dahmer bludgeoned Hicks with a 10-pound dumbbell and subsequently strangled him to death.

According to the FBI, the sick killer had sex with Hicks’ corpse before dissecting the body in the basement.

Weeks later, Dahmer crushed the body’s bones with a sledgehammer before scattering them in woodlands behind the home.

Dahmer eventually moved out of the house several years later when his father sold the property.

The residence changed hands several times over the ensuing decades, including multiple times after the killer’s 1991 arrest.

The residence has changed hands several times over the ensuing decades, including multiple times after the killer’s 1991 arrest. Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn
The 70-year-old home has undergone extensive renovations and is complete with modern wooden flooring and stainless steel appliances. Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn
The house has been up for sale twice in the past decade but was removed from the market both times. Howard Hanna – Akron/Fairlawn

The 70-year-old home has undergone extensive renovations since the days Dahmer lived there, with recent listing photos showing the home complete with modern wooden flooring and stainless steel appliances.

Musician Chris Butler bought the home for $244,500 back in 2005, with the rocker telling the Observer: “The house has a great vibe, I mean, after all, the house didn’t kill anybody, and I don’t believe in ghosts, and there’s absolutely no reason to think there’s anything untoward here.”

Butler put the home up for sale for $329,000 in 2012 before later removing it from the market.

Hicks (pictured) was murdered inside the home. He was the first of Dahmer’s 17 victims. Wikipedia Commons

In 2014, the home was listed once again — this time for $299,999. According to the Zillow listing, the home once again failed to find a buyer and it was again taken down for sale.

It appears Butler still owns the home, and he even let scenes from the 2017 movie
“My Friend Dahmer” be filmed on the property. The flick starred actress Anne Heche, who died following a car crash earlier this year.

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