Fact vs fiction: All the tiny details in Netflix’s Dahmer series that actually happened

Some of the most disturbing things in the show are identical to real events


It’s a true crime drama series, so you’re probably not surprised that for the most parts, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix sticks to fact over fiction. But, some of the scenes are so shocking you might still be second guessing whether or not they could actually happen in real life.

As more and more is shown throughout the 10-part series about this story, it gets even more twisted and disturbing. But yes, unfortunately, Netflix and Ryan Murphy stuck pretty much to the exact story to make the show. Here is a rundown of all the moments and tiny details in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix that were true, in case you’re wondering what is fact and what is fiction.

Club 219 is real, and Jeffrey Dahmer went there

A fact vs fiction breakdown of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix

via Netflix

In the show, Jeffrey Dahmer is seen visiting the bar Club 219 and picking up multiple victims before bringing them back to his apartment. Club 219 was a real gay bar in Milwaukee, and Jeffrey Dahmer did visit it. According to Wisconsin LGBT History Project, Club 219 opened in February 1981 and was widely renowned as one of the best spots in the area.

However, the club is closed today. Its popularity began to decline when more bars opened up in the area, and after it was revealed to the public Dahmer often picked up victims here, it struggled to get custom.

Jeffrey Dahmer did often show victims The Exorcist III movie

It’s true Jeffrey Dahmer did often show The Exorcist III to people he brought back to his apartment. In a chilling interview, he said the movies “got him in the mood” to commit his crimes.

Dahmer did say to Tracy Edwards ‘I want to hear your heart because I’m going to eat it’

via Netflix

In one creepy scene in the series, straight after putting on The Exorcist III with him, Dahmer tells Tracy Edwards he wants to hear his heart, because he’s going to eat it. In court, Edwards confirmed this did happen in real life.

He really did gift his teacher some tadpoles

As we watch Dahmer grow up and try to fit in at school, there’s one scene where he gifts one of his teachers a glass with tadpoles in. This is based on real events, and Dahmer did get annoyed the tadpoles were handed over to a friend, and he did kill the tadpoles by putting motor oil in the glass.

Jeffrey Dahmer was pulled over by police when he had human remains in his car

A fact vs fiction breakdown of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix

via Netflix

In court, Dahmer confirmed he was pulled over by police when he had human remains in the back of his car. He had been pulled over at 3am because he was swerving on the roads, but convinced officers to let him drive away.

The Honour Society Yearbook story was real

At the start of episode four on Netflix, Dahmer is seen sneaking into the background of the Honour Society’s Yearbook photograph. In real life he was in fact nothing to do with the group, but did get into its photo. His face has since been blacked out of it.

Dahmer did work at the Milwaukee Blood Plasma Center

This moment is one of the only ones in the Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix series which is based on fact, but has a big element of seemingly fiction added in. In the series we see Dahmer get a job at a blood donation centre, and take home some of the donations. It’s true he got this job, but nothing suggests he ever stole the donations from there.

The incident at the fair ground was real

via Netflix

In the Netflix show, we see a scene where Dahmer was arrested following an indecent exposure at a fair. This did happen in real life. In August 1982, less than a year after a drunk and disorderly arrest, Dahmer was convicted for indecent exposure at a Wisconsin State Fair Park. He received a $50 fine for what happened, where reportedly “25 people were present including women and children.”

The police did return Konerak Sinthasomphone to Dahmer

In one shocking scene, we see 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone escape Dahmer’s apartment, covered in blood, after being drugged. Dahmer tells police they are boyfriends, and Konerak is an adult. This happened in real life, and it’s true neighbour Glenda Cleveland was there, and phoned police afterwards to raise her concerns further.

A fact vs fiction breakdown of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix

via Netflix

It’s true Dahmer would phone the family members of his victims

After killing Tony Hughes, on Netflix, Dahmer is seen telling his sister he’s “in the vortex” and the family shouldn’t continue to look for him. It’s been reported Dahmer did call the family members of his victims, and tell them to stop looking for their relatives.

The vile ‘meat’ sandwich scene was based on true events

via Netflix

One particularly stomach churning moment in the show is when we see Dahmer hand over a “meat” sandwich to his neighbour, Glenda Cleveland. This is based on real events, and Dahmer’s neighbours do think they’ve been offered human meat by him before.

The incident actually involved a neighbour called Pamela Bass, whose experiences have been combined with those of the real Glenda Cleveland to create the character we see on the show, and she confirmed in an interview Dahmer did give her a sandwich once. “I have probably eaten someone’s body part,” she said.

Rita Isbell’s court scene is pretty much identical to how it happened in real life

Rita Isbell is the sister of Errol Lindsey, one of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims. Rita famously gave an emotional victim impact speech in court when she was face-to-face with Dahmer. What we saw in the Netflix show is almost exactly how it was in real life.

Dahmer would taunt other prisoners whilst in jail, and make his food into body parts

A fact vs fiction breakdown of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix

via Netflix

Whilst in prison, Dahmer reportedly had a sick sense of humour. He would tell jokes about cannibalism, taunt prisoners and tell them “I bite”. According to Grunge, he did mould his prison food to resemble body parts and would use ketchup to mimic blood.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available now on Netflix. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

What the cast of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story look like compared to the real people

• This is exactly what Jeffrey Dahmer’s life was like when he was in prison

A true crime documentary series about Jeffrey Dahmer is coming to Netflix next month too