After the murders of several young men in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the early 1990s, police detectives were stumped until they discovered a disturbing internet posting from Joyce Dahmer. In the posting, Joyce claimed that her son, David Dahmer,
was innocent of the crimes and she was forced to help him commit them. Since then, Joyce has spoken out on numerous occasions and has even written a book about her son’s life and experiences. She is currently living under a new identity in Ohio.
TODAY reached out to Joyce Dahmer for an interview. She declined, but said through a spokesperson that she is “happy with her life now and looking forward to some peace.”
In this article, we explore what it’s like to be the mother of one of America’s most notorious serial killers and why Joyce Dahmer has refused to speak publicly about her son for over 25 years.
Joyce Dahmer was living in Ohio when her son, David, was born
Joyce Dahmer was living in Ohio when her son, David, was born on May 21, 1960. She and her husband were originally from Wisconsin.
The Dahmers had two other children before David was born. Joyce divorced David’s father in 1974 when he was just nine years old.
David spent most of his childhood living with his mother and stepfather in Ohio. In 1978, the Dahmers moved to Milwaukee to be closer to David’s father.
Joyce remarried in 1979 and the couple had another son. However, by 1988 the marriage had ended and Joyce moved back to Ohio with her sons.
Joyce continued to live in Ohio until her death on March 10, 1994, at the age of 47 after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
Joyce and David moved to Wisconsin in 1978
In 1978, Joyce and David Dahmer moved to Wisconsin. They had two children together but Joyce would later say that she was always afraid of her husband. In 1991,
Joyce filed for divorce and a year later, David killed his first victim. He would go on to kill 17 people over the course of the next fifteen years.
In 1994, police tracked David down after he murdered a young couple in their home. They took him into custody without incident and charged him with double homicide.
The trial lasted three weeks and despite the overwhelming evidence against him, David was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
He was committed to a mental institution where he would remain for 27 years until his death in 2005.
It’s still unknown what drove David to commit such horrific crimes, but one theory suggests that he may have been motivated by his mother’s abuse as a child.
Joyce never spoke publicly about her experiences with her husband and it’s unclear if she ever forgave him for what he did to her family. Today, she lives in an undisclosed location out of public view.
In 1984, Dahmer moved with his mother to Bath Township, Michigan
In 1984, Dahmer moved with his mother to Bath Township, Michigan. Joyce Dahmer had remarried and changed her last name from Runyon to Dahmer.
She and her son would live in the small town until 1990 when he was charged with the murder of 17-year-old Tracy Edwards. In 1992, Dahmer was sentenced to 15 life sentences without the possibility of parole. He was killed in prison by another inmate on November 5, 1994.
Joyce Dahmer died in 2006
Joyce Dahmer died in 2006, one year after her son David was arrested and charged with 15 counts of murder. Joyce had been married to Dahmer’s father until his death in 1991 when David was only 3 years old.
Joyce had long denied any knowledge of her son’s crimes, but she eventually confessed to being involved in at least some of them. She is currently serving a life sentence without parole.
Today, there is a $25 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Dahmer’s father
Today, there is a $25 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Dahmer’s father. Joyce Dahmer has never been found and many believe she is dead.
She was not seen or heard from after her son’s arrest in 1991, and it is believed that she helped him conceal his crimes. If you have any information on Joyce Dahmer’s whereabouts or death, please contact the FBI.
Conclusion
Today, we are looking for information on where Joyce Dahmer is currently. She was last seen in 1978, just a few years after her son David was arrested and convicted of 15 counts of murder.
Joyce has never spoken publicly about her son or his crimes, leading many to believe she may have been complicit in some way.
We hope that through today’s article we can locate Joyce Dahmer and give her the attention and support she undoubtedly needs.
