Original subtitles

[reporter on TV] Five white police officers

stand accused of beating a fellow officer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

a Black man on undercover assignment.

The officer was working undercover Monday night when his vehicle was stopped

on this street for a traffic violation.

- [muffled metal grinding] - [TV mutes]

[faint whirring]

[muffled thud]

[whirring continues]

- [metal grinding] - [cracking]

[whirring continues]

[sighs]

[faint whirring continues]

[cracking]

[whirring intensifies]

[whirring stops]

[metal clangs]

[man glugging]

[sighs]

[keys jangle]

[lock clicks]

[lock jamming]

[clicks]

[door opens]

[woman] Excuse me.

Jeff.

Oh, hey.

I gotta say, that smell is worse than ever.

Is it?

[clicks tongue]

Well, y'know, I had that meat that went bad

in that little freezer I got.

No, you said that last week,

and I saw you go out to the dumpster and throw out a whole bunch of bad meat,

so the smell should be gone by now.

[Jeffrey] Mm.

Oh.

I forgot. My, uh, my tropical fish died.

They get this disease. It's... it's called ich.

Ich?

Yeah, that's what they call it.

It's, uh...

some kind of fungus.

It's something that has to do with the, uh,

pH level of the water.

[intense music plays softly]

Anyway, they all caught it and died, and...

I'll clean it out this weekend.

[muffled dance music playing]

["Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure playing]

[indistinct chatter]

♪ Love is blind ♪

♪ I can tell you How I feel about you night and day ♪

Can I buy you a drink?

♪ Night and day... ♪

Who?

Both of yous.

Oh, well, should we let this gentleman buy us both a drink?

That's awfully forward.

Two PBRs, please.

[chuckles] Oh. He's buying us PBR.

He must be a real player.

[laughs]

♪ Please don't share... ♪

You bought me a drink before. You know that, right?

- Have I? - Yes, bitch.

There ain't a lot of white queens walking up in here with their blond hair.

In case you hadn't noticed.

You bought me a beer too.

Last time I was in here, just last week.

Didn't even make a move. Did he?

[man] No, girl, he did not.

Well, then, uh,

one more for my other friend here.

How long you been drinking tonight, sweetheart?

A little while.

[men chuckle]

Well, thank you for the beer, uh...

Jeff.

Jeff, I'm Aaron. This is Don and Tracy.

So you gonna make a move on one of us, player?

Or you gonna walk off like last time?

No.

Tonight I'm a man of action.

["Sadness Part 1" by Enigma playing]

[inaudible]

[song continues]

What does that mean, if you're a fine arts photographer?

You make, like, portraits and shit?

[Jeffrey] Yeah.

It's, like, art photography. Artsy stuff.

So, nudes.

["Gypsy Woman" by Crystal Waters playing]

Well, sometimes.

Nothing weird, though.

You guys wanna pose for me, I could give you 50 bucks.

- Now? - Who?

Are you asking all of us?

Yeah. All you could do it.

Just artsy stuff, nothing weird.

I don't know, honey.

I'm not dropping my drawers for no $50.

[laughs]

What about you?

You got a great jawline.

Really good bone structure, I can tell.

I saw you out on the dance floor. The light was hitting it, I could tell.

All right.

Sure.

[man] Bitch, you crazy.

[Tracy] Bitch, my landlord jacked up the rent.

So what the fuck? Don't see y'all offering me no $50.

[sound muffles]

[sound resumes]

[man] All right. Well, maybe we'll stop by later.

Yeah, stop by.

It's, uh, 548 North 22nd Street.

It's a nice little bungalow.

[song continues]

Tell me your name again.

Tracy.

Where you parked?

Oh, I live just up the street.

[Jeffrey] What kind of work you do?

[Tracy] Whatever work I can get.

That's the problem. I don't really have a career.

It's like, this job, that job.

I thought you said you had a house.

No, I just said that. I didn't want them bothering us.

Here we are.

Home, sweet home.

[chuckles softly]

Whoa.

What is that smell?

[door closes]

[Jeffrey] I really like pork chops.

[lock jams]

My family sent me a bunch of meat.

[door creaks]

But I forgot to plug that little freezer in.

And it all went bad.

[lock clicks]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Tracy] Well, shit. Can I open a window?

No.

Those don't work, and, uh...

I don't like opening them up 'cause of the noise.

But I, uh... I have an air conditioner.

I can turn it on.

Just hold on a sec.

You like those photos?

Cheers.

What is that floatin' in there?

What?

No, that's probably just dish soap or something like that.

Drink it.

Uh...

Sorry, man. I think I'm gonna go.

No.

Don't leave.

Why does everybody always wanna leave me?

[scoffs] Leave you?

What you mean, leave you? I need some fresh air. It stinks in here.

Well, hey, I said I'd turn on the air conditioner.

Okay. Where is it?

In the bedroom.

Okay, well, go turn it on.

Well, I wanna show you around first.

Look at these guys.

Hmm.

Yeah. Look at that one.

Gotta have a little funeral for him.

See, they're fighting fish.

You're not supposed to put two of 'em in the same tank.

But... I like watching 'em fight.

[clicks, tightens]

- The fuck? - What?

What are you doing?

Nothing, it's for the photos.

- Stop! - Where you going?

Stop trying to leave.

- Let go! Help! - Stop.

Hey, stop yelling! Stop it!

Ah!

[grunting]

[glass breaking]

[grunts]

Stop!

You're gonna make me do things I don't wanna do.

[Jeffrey grunts]

[Tracy] Oh. Fuck!

Do what I say.

- Okay. - Or I'll fuckin' kill you.

[panting]

[suspenseful music continues]

[muffled chatter]

[Jeffrey] Calm down.

All right? It's just for the photos. I was kidding.

- You're pointing a knife at me! - Calm down and I won't have to.

Why do you have to get all emotional?

Just calm down, go in there.

- Go on. - I'm not going in there!

Stop yelling!

[breathing heavily]

I got neighbors.

Now, that's where the air conditioner is, okay?

You just... go in there.

- Please! - Okay. Okay, I'll go.

I'll go in there.

Sit down.

On the bed.

Now relax.

[Tracy] What are you gonna do?

Told you.

We're gonna hang out, gonna watch a movie.

Gonna take some pictures.

And then I'll pay you.

[indistinct talking on TV]

[Tracy] What is that?

What're we gonna do in here?

[yelling on TV]

Oh, okay!

[Jeffrey] Quit doing that!

Stop trying to leave.

Okay. Okay.

I told you I'm gonna pay you.

Okay?

Just stop.

[indistinct talking on TV]

[man on TV] You feel my little orisons creeping up your spine?

The sweaty murmurs of my rosary beads. The human hearts I've taken into hell.

- [priest] I cast you out, unclean spirit! - [mouthing along]

Along with every satanic power of the enemy!

Every specter from hell. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is he who commands you. He who stilled the sea and the storm.

[Tracy] Hey.

Hey, let's go in the other room, okay?

- I wanna watch the movie. - Yeah, I know.

[Tracy] We'll watch the movie in a second, okay?

I have an idea, and I think...

What is it?

I think...

Think you're gonna like it.

[screams of pain on TV]

[sighs]

Are you high yet?

Yeah.

[static buzzing]

Okay, what do you wanna show me?

I mean, you want to take some photos, right?

Huh?

But you gotta put that knife down.

Okay?

C'mon, man. You're scaring me.

Yeah.

There, see?

[eerie music playing]

Get the camera.

It's in the bedroom.

Go get it.

Come on, man.

Go get it.

I'm not leaving, man.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You wanna take some photos, right?

Huh?

Come on.

[camera whirs]

[camera whirs]

- Okay, that's enough. - Wait.

I wanna watch the movie now.

We'll watch the movie first, but I want to take some nudes, all right?

That's why you brought me here, right? All right.

[Jeffrey] Yeah, fine.

Let's go.

[theme from "The Exorcist" playing on TV]

Hey, you know.

I don't like horror movies, honey.

They scare me.

What's so scary?

Death is, uh...

just a part of life.

[gasps softly]

Why you so nervous?

I'm not.

Are you scared of the movie or are you scared of me?

Uh...

The movie.

It's a scary movie.

Am I weird?

No.

No, you're not weird. [chuckles]

Okay.

So,

what movie is this again?

It's The Exorcist III.

I watch it every day.

Hold on. I'm just gonna skip to the best part.

[VCR fast-forwarding]

I'm almost ready.

Right here.

[priest] In the name of the... [screams]

This is it.

[screaming continues on TV]

[exhales]

[breathes shakily]

Can I listen to your heartbeat?

Why?

[indistinct talking continues on TV]

[heart beating]

Your heart's racing.

Why you doing that?

Huh?

I want to hear your heart

'cause I'm gonna eat it.

[heart beating rapidly]

[intense music playing]

[intense music continues]

[screams]

- [knife clatters] - Ah.

[grunts]

[tense music playing]

- Come on! - [lock jamming]

[screaming continues on TV]

[groans]

[grunts]

- [clangs] - [grunts]

[groans]

[Tracy] Help me!

He tried to kill me.

- Help me! Help me! - [grunts]

[door slams]

[woman gasps, whimpers]

[door slams]

[locks click]

[yells] Help!

Help me, please!

Help! Somebody call the police!

Help me!

[dog barking in distance]

[florescent light buzzing]

[baby crying faintly]

[music drones]

[indistinct police radio chatter]

- [officer 1] What the fuck? - Help, please.

[panting] Help.

Police.

Help me. Help me.

[officer 2] Oh, light it up.

[breathlessly] Officers, this motherfucker down the street...

- [officer 1] Whoa. Stay where you are. - He tried to...

Okay.

[officer 1] What's going on, son?

You high? You take something tonight?

Why you wearing handcuffs?

'Cause he tried to fucking kill me.

[footsteps]

[Tracy, muffled] I'm telling you.

Black people are disappearing all over the city.

- People are killing them. - [officer 1] Yeah.

[Tracy] That's it.

[knocking on door]

[indistinct police radio chatter]

[knocking continues]

[empty beer can rattles]

[locks clicking]

- Can I help you? - Is that him?

Your name is Jeff, right?

Did you handcuff this man?

Yes. Uh...

It's just fun and games.

You know, like,

he and I, we're both, uh, homosexuals, so...

you know.

- He wanted to play cops and robbers. - No, I didn't.

Hey, you let us handle this, okay?

Well, like I said before, we were just, uh, playing around and, uh...

You know.

I guess us gay guys can get into that roughhousing frat boy stuff.

Do you have the key to the handcuffs?

Yes.

Yeah, they're... It's somewhere in here. I just, uh...

I think it might be in a drawer. Um...

I'll find it. I'll be right back.

You mind if we come in?

Uh...

Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

[disengages chain]

- You want to come in? - Hell no.

I'm staying right here.

What's that smell, Jeff?

Oh. Uh...

I really like cooking pork chops,

and family sent me a bunch of meat, but it all went bad.

- Is there anyone else here right now? - No.

Where's this key, do you think?

[indistinct police radio chatter]

Um...

I think it might be in the bedroom.

I'll find it.

- There's a bunch of gay stuff in there. - Hey, we'll take a look.

[static buzzing]

Okay, where now?

You said in a drawer?

Uh, yeah, I think it's, uh...

Uh...

It's, uh, yeah, bedside table.

- Here? - Yeah, actually, I could...

- Back off. Stand there. - Sorry.

[drawer opens]

Oh, okay.

It's right here.

[officer 1] What is it?

[officer 2] Photos.

That's, uh, gay stuff.

[officer 1] What is it?

God damn. These are real.

Grab him!

[officer 1 grunting]

[groans]

- [officer 2] Got him? - Yeah, I got him.

[officer 2] Sir, you're under arrest for the attempted murder...

of the man out there.

[officer 1] You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.

[Tracy] Yeah, see?

[officer 2] 20-12 requesting additional units on location.

Yeah, they got you.

You killed my people, you motherfucker.

[officer 2] ...one will be provided to you.

- Fuck you, piece of shit! - You understand the rights I read?

For what I did I should be dead.

I hope you die, motherfucker.

Fuck you.

I fucking hope you die, you piece of shit.

[indistinct chattering]

[woman] I lived in here. I been smelling it.

All these people been living in here, all this time

with the smell and all these sounds coming out of there, and we...

- Officer, officer, clear a lane. - Ma'am, back in your apartment.

- I'm not going back in my apartment! - Back inside.

- No, you gonna listen to me! - Nobody in until the detectives show.

[woman] And it's because I called y'all.

I called y'all, and I told you over and over a million times

that something was going on, and you know what you did?

Y'all did nothing!

So what did y'all find in there? Huh?

What did you find in there?

[inaudible]

[telephone ringing]

[sighs] Hello.

Yeah.

Yeah, this is his father.

[coughs]

Okay. Okay, okay.

Yes.

Yeah, I'll be there right away.

[hangs up phone]

What is it?

It's Jeff.

[sighs]

[intense music playing]

[distant police siren wailing]

[clicks]

Mr. Dahmer, I'm Detective Kennedy with the Milwaukee Police Department.

This is Detective Murphy.

We're going to apologize in advance, Mr. Dahmer.

This is likely to be a difficult conversation.

Okay. But Jeff's alive?

Yes.

Jeffrey was arrested late last night.

Arrested? For what?

Attempted murder.

We'd just like to ask you some questions about him.

Murder?

Wha...?

When you said there was a murder investigation,

I thought someone might have tried to murder him.

Well, he was always a...

He was a strange boy.

But he was a quiet boy. He was a good boy.

When his mother and I divorced, it was very hard on him.

He just turned 18. He was living alone at the time.

And I think being alone...

is very difficult for him.

I'm sorry. [clears throat] I'm sorry for becoming emotional.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[exhales emotionally]

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?

[sighs]

[clicks tongue] Mm-hmm.

When he was young, I think he was four,

he had a hernia operation.

And he was never the same after that.

And I don't know if

there was brain damage from, you know, too much anesthesia.

It's haunted me.

[Murphy] A hernia operation?

You think that it might have, what?

Damaged him?

Could you tell me a little bit about what he did?

Um...

Who this person was that he tried to kill, I guess.

You're aware that your son is homosexual, yes?

Allegedly, he lured a man back to his apartment and tried to kill him.

Uh, the man got away,

and when the police arrived to arrest your son,

well, they found various

items around the apartment that indicate

that your son has committed multiple murders.

Wha...

What items? What... What are you talking about?

[Murphy clears throat] I'm just gonna tell you right now,

this is gonna be difficult to hear, Mr. Dahmer.

There was a human head in his refrigerator.

Two plastic bags in the freezer.

Each containing a human heart.

Another containing a set of male genitalia.

In the bedroom,

there was five more skulls.

Knives and hammers and saws

and Polaroids documenting the dismemberments.

In another drawer, we found a complete human skeleton,

the bones had been bleached.

A dried scalp.

And then a 57-gallon vat.

Filled with acid.

Inside were three torsos

in various stages of decomposition,

as well as other body parts

that he was attempting to dissolve or...

strip the tissue off the bones.

We don't know.

And, uh, we should just tell you

that based on debris on some of the cooking utensils we found

and the marks on some of the body parts,

as well as things your son mentioned to us,

we believe...

he ate some of his victims.

[Kennedy] Now, we realize that this is a lot for you to process.

So we're gonna leave you alone for a few minutes

to, uh, collect yourself.

And then, when you're ready,

we can keep talking.

[sighs]

[sobs]

[sobs]

[choked sob]

[reporter 2 on TV] Some neighbors here had complained of a stench

for almost a year,

but they never imagined what might be causing it.

Milwaukee police were led to an apartment in this building

after they were flagged down by a handcuffed man

who claimed he'd been attacked.

What they discovered upon their arrival was almost unspeakable.

Numerous pieces from as many as 15 human bodies.

[man on TV] It's obvious that there has been a number of human specimens

- found within the apartment... - [dog barking]

...and to a certain extent, they're hidden in there.

[reporter 3] A hazardous materials team, breathing from air tanks,

confiscated a number of items from the suspect's apartment.

Among them, they say, photographs and drawings

of dead, mutilated bodies and a vat of acid.

Police believe the suspect may have used the acid to dissolve body parts.

- Neighbors also say they... - [police siren blaring]

- [people clamoring] - [siren continues]

[loud banging on door]

[cop] Ma'am, you have to leave the premises.

We're asking all residents to evacuate for our investigation and their safety.

Wha... What?

Wait a minute. [scoffs]

Where exactly am I supposed to go?

The entire building's a crime scene.

There's toxic chemicals in here that could be a hazard.

Wait.

How many did you find?

[eerie music playing]