Ryan Murphy Explains Why He Didn’t Speak to Jeffrey Dahmer’s Father for Netflix's "Dahmer"

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This article contains references of murder and sexual assault some may find upsetting

Netflix's new series DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has renewed interest in the life of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer — the 17 innocent victims he raped, murdered and dismembered — as well as his family members, including his father, Lionel Dahmer. Since his son's arrest, Lionel has discussed his son's life, disturbing signs he wishes he would have paid more attention to, and different things he believes may have led to his son's actions. He has become less visible over the past 30 years, leaving many people wondering if Lionel is still alive. Read ahead for everything we know about where Lionel Dahmer is now.

Where is Lionel Dahmer now?

Lionel Dahmer was born in West Allis, Wisconsin, on July 29, 1936. According to the Ohio Resident Database, the 86-year-old is still alive and lives with his wife, Shari Jordan, whom he married in 1978, in Seville. He has been registered to vote in Medina County since August 2004.

Despite making several appearances on television shows and interviews over the past two decades, Lionel lives a relatively reclusive life, away from the public eye.

His most recent interview was in 2020.

Lionel most recently appeared in Investigation Discovery's 2020 series Jeffrey Dahmer: Mind of a Monster. During his interview, Lionel opened up about his life with Jeffrey and his shock over all his son's crimes.

Prior to being arrested for the 17 victims he'd raped, murdered, and dismembered, Jeffrey was sentenced to 10 months in prison after he was convicted of second-degree sexual assault. Ten months into Jeffrey's prison sentence, Lionel wrote a letter to Judge William Gardner in 1990 pleading for some sort of help or intervention before his son was released. "I have reservations regarding Jeff's chances when he hits the streets. I have experienced an extremely frustrating time trying to urge initiation of some type of treatment," Lionel recounted. "I sincerely hope that you might intervene in some way to help my son, who I love very much and for whom I want a better life. I do feel, though, that this may be our last chance to initiate something lasting and that you can hold the key."

Later on in the series, Lionel shared his immediate reaction to his son's death in 1994. "When I find out that Jeff was murdered, it was just devastating," he said. "It affected me very gravely."

He wasn't contacted for Netflix's series

According to Variety, the creator of Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Ryan Murphy, and the show's research team spent more than three years investigating the crimes and contacting victims' families. However, one person they didn't contact was the killer’s father.

“I’ve done many biopics. It’s almost like you’re being a reporter; I always try and keep a place of neutrality. I think that we were telling a very specific story,” Murphey said. “I think Lionel’s told his story. This was not that story.”

What is Lionel Dahmer up to?

In 1994, Lionel released the memoir A Father's Story. Throughout the book, Lionel recounts Jeffrey's upbringing as he searched for contributing factors he believes may have led to his son's actions.

He appeared on CNN's Larry King Live, where he discussed an early sign of deviant behavior that he missed in his son. According to Lionel, unbeknownst to him and his former wife, Joyce Flint, Jeffrey would ride around rural roads to collect dead animals when he was between 12-14-years-old. He also offered advice to other parents. "I really want to tell parents about what I think they should look for in rearing their children," he began. "One of the things I'd like to tell parents is don't disregard shyness. Talk deeply and intensely."

How did the crimes change him?

In a 1994 interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Lionel discussed how his relationship with his son changed after his incarceration. According to Lionel, their relationship grew closer. He visited Jeffrey once a month and spoke to him on the phone at least once a week.

When asked about his book and claims that he could be using it for publicity, Lionel revealed that he wanted to use this tragic situation to not only share his story but help raise awareness and possibly help create treatment options for those who experience similar thoughts as his son before it's too late.

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In March 1994, Lionel was sued by the families of two of Jeffrey's victims for invading their privacy by including them in his book. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Wisconsin's privacy law requires authors creating work for profit to receive written consent in order to use the names or likeness of crime victims or their relatives. Lionel allegedly did not follow that protocol before including Richard Guerrero and David Thomas in A Father's Story. The ruling in that suit was not publicly announced.

On November 28, 1994, Jeffrey and another inmate were killed by inmate Christopher Scarver at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin. After Jeffrey's death, Lionel and his son's biological mother couldn't agree on what to do with their son's remains.

According to the Washington Post, Jeffrey's mother Joyce told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that her son said "always said that, if he could be of any help, he wanted to do whatever he could," which inspired her to want to donate his brain after his remains were cremated. She believed that it would be helpful to see if there were any biological factors that may have played a role in the heinous killings Jeffrey committed. According to the Los Angeles Times, Lionel disagreed and wanted his son's brain to be cremated because it's what his son requested. Ultimately, Columbia County Circuit Judge Daniel George ruled in December 1995 that Jeffrey's brain, which had been preserved in formaldehyde since his autopsy, would be cremated.

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