By: Anna Boyd

Oct. 19th, 2022: Being a serial killer for Halloween is not the look you want. Jeffrey Dahmer was a monster serial killer who murdered and sexually abused 17 men and boys in the late 70s to early 90s. He is most known for his cannibalistic acts during and after these murders. In his early years, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, psychotic disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder, however, he was found legally sane at his trial.

After being convicted of 15 of the 16 murders committed in Wisconsin and sentenced to 15 life sentences in 1992. Later he was sentenced to 16 life sentences after being convicted for his murder in Ohio.

After the Jeffrey Dahmer series came out on Netflix in September of 2022, the interment blew up. Many different videos joking about Dahmer started to be posted on many social media platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter. This series has taken a toll on the victims’ families, who are fighting to get this series permanently taken down.

The mother of one victim Tony Hughes has done multiple interviews about the series where she has come out and said that she doesn’t understand how this series could be made and put out into the world. Although it is years past her son’s death, she is still actively grieving him as well as all the others victims’ families.

Twitter has gone on an attack on many people who are posting Dahmer costumes for Halloween. Impersonating a serial killer may be funny for you but not for the 17 victims’ families who are grieving every day. Twitter users are going as far as telling people that are joking about Dahmer and the killings to go to therapy or seek professional help.

eBay has made the executive decision to ban any items that could be related to Dahmer. The items have been removed to prevent any benefit to the Dahmer state. They made a statement that they do not support the “retraumatizing” of the victims’ families. The daughter of Errol Lindsay who unfortunately was never able to meet her father says after seeing the show she has been having nightmares.

The 17 men Dahmer confessed to killing:

June 1978: Steven Hicks, 18

November 1987: Steven Tuomi, 24

January 1988: Jamie Doxtator, 14

March 1988: Richard Guerrero, 25

March 1989: Anthony Sears, 26

May 1990: Raymond “Ricky Beeks” Smith, 33

June 1990: Edward W. Smith, 28

September 1990: Ernest Miller, 22

September 1990: David C. Thomas, 23

February 1991: Curtis Straughter, 18

April 1991: Errol Lindsey, 19

May 1991: Anthony “Tony” Hughes, 31

June 1991: Matt Turner, 20

July 1991: Jeremiah Weinberger, 23

July 1991: Oliver Lacy, 23

July 1991: Joseph Bradehoft, 25