What Happened To Jeffrey Dahmer's Father, Lionel?

Jeffrey Dahmer, the designated Netflix monster, has left people wondering where is Lionel Dahmer now. Don’t we all question and think over the family of these monsters and wonder where they are? But what makes the fans curious is the relationship Dahmer, father, and son duo develop over the course. The series shows the life of Jeffrey, how he grows up, and the events that take place until he does. The series also shows the life of Lionel Dahmer, played by Richard Jenkins, portraying what he had to go through and how he coped with everything. 

The father and the son had a rocky start, especially because Lionel had not actively participated in his son’s life. Lionel believes his lack of presence in Jeffrey’s life may have resulted in him being this way. However, in the show Monster, this hasn’t been elaborated, even though they have uncovered the horrific actions of Jeffrey. 

But is Dahmer’s Dad still alive? If that’s what you’re wondering, you might want to continue reading to figure out what happened to his father. 

Where is Lionel Dahmer?

Lionel Dahmer, the father of Jeffrey Dahmer, was born in West Allis, Wisconsin, on July 29, 1936. This 86-year-old man is alive and lives with his wife in Shari, Jordan, and they got married in 1978 in Seville. He has been registered in Medina County since the year 2004. Even though he has appeared in different interviews over the past few years, Lionel Dahmer lives his own life. 

The Latest News on Lionel Dahmer

Lionel Dahmer released a Father’s Story in 1994, and throughout the book, he narrates his son’s upbringing and what may have led to Jeffrey being the way he is now. He was called on the show Larry King Live on CNN, where he went into detail on his son’s behavior and signs that he may have missed out on early on that led him to become what he has. Lionel said Jeffrey would go around different areas in search of dead animals when he was in his early teens. According to his experience, Lionel’s advice to other parents is to look for signs early on and not disregard shyness in kids. Talk to them and have intense conversations so you can understand what they’re thinking. 

Did Lionel Visit his son in Prison?

Did Lionel Visit his son in Prison?

According to Lionel, when he went to visit his son in prison, he felt more at ease and could connect better than he could ever previously. Before Jeffrey’s death, he met his son at least once every month. One of the visits was included in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, where Jeffrey tells his father he wants to undergo baptism; he went through it before Christopher Scarver killed Dahmer. 

When Lionel and Joyce Get a Divorce?

Joyce and Lionel didn’t have a happy and successful marriage. Lionel started working on his biography, which kept him busy, and on the other side, Joyce developed a mental illness, hypochondriac. Lionel said she was on medications throughout their marriage, even when pregnant with their son Jeffrey. But then, what led to the split was Joyce’s affair in 1977 with another man. 

Their divorce was finalized a year later, in 1978, and ex-partners continued to fight in the following years. Susan Lehr, their neighbor, claimed that the police came out several times because of the fights between the former couple. At the time the divorce was finalized, Jeffrey was 18 and a senior in high school. He stayed with his father while his mother got custody of his younger mother and moved in with her family in Wisconsin. 

That’s when Jeffrey began killing! His first victim was Stephen Hicks, who was a 19-year-old hitchhiker. Jeffrey invited him over for beers and then murdered him, burying him near the family property. 

Are Joyce and Lionel Still Alive?

Lionel divorced his previous wife and is now 86 and still happily married to his second Shari. He lives in Ohio and has lived there most of his life. As for Jeffrey’s mother, she died in November 2000 because of breast cancer. At the time she died, she was working as a case manager at the Central Vallery AIDS and was also a founder of the Living Room, which is a place where those with HIV and AIDS reside. 

Bottom Line

Jeffrey Dahmer had a messed-up childhood, and the fact that he wasn’t close to his parents led him to be quiet and resulted in him doing horrible things. His resort was murder, and he chose a challenging path for himself. Over the years, with him being in jail, he did develop a different but better bond with his father, but eventually, his murder led to a dead end, too. 

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By Abdul Wahab

Abdul Wahab is a Software Engineer by profession and a Tech geek by nature. Having been associated with the tech industry for the last five years, he has covered a wide range of Tech topics and produced well-researched and engaging content. You will mostly find him reviewing tech products and writing blog posts. Binge-watching tech reviews and endlessly reading tech blogs are his favorite hobbies.

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