Dean Vaughn’s death still remains a mystery, but all factual evidence point fingers at one person, America’s most notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. As Jeffrey got sentenced for killing at least 17 innocent men and boys, Dean Vaughn may fit in Jeffrey’s “undisclosed victims list”. The 28-year-old boy was found dead on May 3, 1991, in the same apartment building where Dahmer lived. Read on to know all about this cold case.
Jeffrey’s Connection With Dean Vaughn…
Netflix’s series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” also takes us through Dean Vaughn’s suspicious death. One of the episodes shows how Dean Vaugh still remains a suspected victim, whom Jeffrey denied killing. Dean’s death has remained a Milwaukee Police Department cold case since 1991. While there is less doubt that Jeffrey murdered and dismembered more than 17 victims, it’s shocking that the police could not connect the dots surrounding Dean’s death.
Jeffrey Dahmer’s nerve-chilling case is often referred to as the Milwaukee Police Department’s biggest failure, due to which all his victims met a brutal fate. One such mystery is that of Dean Vaughn, who lived in the same apartment building as that Jeffrey Dahmer.
Dean Was Glenda’s Neighbor…
In Episode 7 of Netflix’s “Monsters”, viewers are introduced to another neighbour of Jeffrey, Dean Vaughn. Dean can be seen speaking to Glenda Cleveland, who warms him about certain residents, of course, Jeffrey Dahmer being one. But again, Dean goes on to have a conversation with Jeffrey. Soon after this, Dean went missing.
Glenda Cleveland, however, was a real-life hero, who was one of the first people to expose Jeffrey Dahmer. But again, her voice remains unheard by the police. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Glenda made the first call on May 27th, 1991, when her daughter and niece were walking down the street. She narrated that they saw one kid, named Konerak Sinthasonphone (14) running away from Jeffrey while he was bleeding profusely.
After several calls to the police, they responded to the situation. However, the police termed it as a “domestic dispute” between lovers and let Jeffrey take Konerak with him. Jeffrey Dahmer later dismembered his body and retained his skull.
Dean Meets A Brutal End…
Coming back to Dean Vaughn’s story, the 28-year-old boy was found strangled in his apartment AT 924 N. 25th Street in Milwaukee on May 3, 1991, at 12:30 a.m. Please note that it is the same apartment building where Dahmer lived and conducted most of his killings. The Milwaukee Police Department Cold Cases report states: “at least two neighbors saw an unknown subject with the victim just before his death”.
Did Jeffrey Kill Dean Vaughn?
However, during Jeffrey’s sanity trial, the ‘Milwaukee Cannibal’ denied killing Dean Vaughn. Instead, he narrated specific details of how he killed and ate his victims. He was heard saying: Once I fried the biceps of a man in oil, I used a meat tenderizer and ate the muscle because it was big and I wanted to try it,” Jeffrey added that it tasted like beef. It was reported that he killed at least 17 innocent men and boys, many of whom were gay and men of color.
After watching this series, which described details related to real-life Dean, who was an actual neighbor of Jeffrey, I can come up with two theories. The first one is that Jeffrey indeed killed Dean, but because, it wasn’t Jeffrey’s apartment, he didn’t want to take any risks so he decided to make it look like a suicide. The second one is, Dean took his own life after being traumatised by Jeffrey Dahmer.
I wonder why the police didn’t take the initiative to further investigate this case. To my knowledge, there is no autopsy report of Dean Vaughn, which could provide any specifics. But, there is very less room for doubt. So yea, justice wasn’t served even though it wasn’t a mere coincidence.
One may be forced to think about Jeffrey’s connection with Dean’s death because of the way Dean died. His body was not dismembered and his death was made to look like a suicide. But again, serial killers don’t follow a pattern all the time. Do you have any further details on Dean’s death? Did Dean deserve to remain a “Cold Case” in some rusted books of the Milwaukee Police Department? Help me figure it out in the comment section.
Hi, I believe Jeffrey Dahmer , killed Dean. Notice that Jeffrey Dahmer killed and all of his victims were mutilated in some form. Something happened along the lines that Jeffrey did not get the chance to finish his sadistic torturous methods, after strangling Dean. Therefore when asked did he do it, Jeffrey denied this, as he wanted to be known as someone who collected images, and keepsakes. However with Dean , he did not get that chance, therefore he would deny killing Dean. It did not fit his profile, when indeed he did. Something went wrong, he fell asleep, or left Dean’s apartment and intended to go back but did not get the chance, he also knew Glenda had seen him talking to Dean as well and was suspicious.
I agree with your theory
Help me understand something with the 14 year old Asian kid that ask for help but police assumed!! He was telling truth while never verifing age? What if this was reversed race’s or white man hollering for help a female? Dean Vaughn was his victim and just like the judge who didn’t hold Jeffrey accountable at 18 or let scientist study his brain didn’t do our world justice and thank God for the neighbor she needs purple heart and pray 1 day hopefully the state of Milwaukee honors promises to honor the dead just like they did 9/11,Oklahoma city’s bombing,school shootings,this was a terrorist act on American soil point blank.