The Wisconsin Vs. Jeffrey Dahmer’s case is one of the most nerve-chilling cases in American crime history. The case is often noted as the police’s biggest failure in the timely capture of this “Milwaukee Monster”. Before Jeffrey’s arrest in July 1991, the American serial killer managed to take the lives of 17 victims, brutally murdering, dismembering and eating some of their body parts.
However, Tracy Edwards turned out to be the only victim who successfully escaped Jeffrey, who desired to eat his heart and then dismember him. In the new Netflix series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”, the first episode narrates the story of Tracy, who escaped Dahmer alive and led the police to his arrest. So where is this man now and why did he undergo imprisonment? Read on to know all about him.
Who Is Tracy Edwards?
Tracy Edwards is one of the victims of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who successfully escaped him on July 22, 1991. On the said date, Dahmer approached three men and offered $100 to accompany him to his apartment. Tracy, who was 32-year-old back then, agreed to give him company, not aware of what was waiting ahead.
Tracy Edwards noted foul odor and bottles of hydrochloric acid and questioned Dahmer. However, he responded by saying that he keeps them for cleaning bricks. In a few minutes, Dahmer handcuffed Tracy and asked him to accompany him to his bedroom. Edwards saw several nude male photos on the walls and felt something was damn wrong.
It came out that Dahmer expressed his desire to eat Tracy’s heart but he managed to outplay him and escape the apartment. Police found Tracy wandering on the street with handcuffs. However, it was Edwards who flagged down two Milwaukee police officers, Robert Rauth and Rolf Mueller to Dahmer’s apartment.
Tracy became a significant witness in Jeffrey Dahmer’s case and testified against him in 1992. Jeffrey was convicted for the 16th term of life imprisonment. Many of his latest crimes involved “necrophilia, cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts.” However, Tracy too was convicted for his own fair share of crimes.
Jeffrey Resists Arrest…
Tracy Edwards led police to Jeffrey’s apartment on the night of July 22, 1991. Jeffrey invited them inside and admitted that he placed handcuffs upon Edwards, without offering any further explanation. When officer Mueller entered his bedroom, he found a large knife hidden behind the bed. he even found several Polaroid pictures, many of them depicting stages of dismemberment. Mueller confirmed that they were taken to the same apartment.
At this moment, Dahmer began fighting with both the officers to resist arrest, but the police managed to handcuff this serial killer and called for backup. During further investigation, police officers found a freshly severed head of a black male. After being arrested, Jeffrey uttered the words: For What I did, I should be dead.”
A detailed search revealed that Jeffrey Dahmer preserved seven skulls (painted and bleached), two human hearts, a portion of arm muscle, a torso, and a bag of human organs. Investigators also found skeletons, severed hands and preserved penises of men and young boys. America’s most notorious serial killer was finally in custody.
What Happened To Tracy Edwards?
Tracy Edwards, who became an important part of Jeffrey’s arrest, ran into trouble with police authorities a decade later. Tracy was accused of throwing a man, named Johnny Jordan off a Milwaukee bridge.
After pleading guilty to aiding a felon, Tracy spent a year and a half in prison along with two years of extended supervision for the death of Johnny Jordan. In addition to this, Edwards also faced “police charges including theft, drug possession, property damage, and failure to pay child support.” He got the said sentence following a “plea deal”.
Where Is Tracy Edwards Now?
During the time of his arrest, Tracy was 52 and homeless. It has been reported that he has been changing shelter homes since then. It’s currently unknown what exactly Tracy Edwards is doing now.
Wow He survived Dahmer just to kill a man, do theft, drugs. property damage, and not pay child support. wow what a waste.. Another survivor would of chosen a better way to live their life after such a horrendous encounter!
Don’t judge people. He did good by stopping a serial killer and that experience might of been very hard for him too and remember he was in hard times when he met Jeffery to take nude photos for 100 bucks says a lot.The bridge incident he might of been fighting over drugs and he was involved in another horrible incident if he did less than 2 years. He probably came from a broken home so being a follower like the movie higher learner when Michael Rapport played “ Remy” he just wanted to fit in but ended up killing a fellow college student but that wasn’t who he was.
Very true and well said !!!!!!
Well said
Fkn weirdo. Who care how he lived HIS life. He got another weirdo serial killer iff the streets.
I agree! People shouldn’t talk if they don’t know the situation. If he didn’t get very much time, there must have been some mitigating circumstances. We don’t know what that guy may have done to him.
Kim I totally agree with you , people are so quick to judge . Non of us is in his shoes , I am sure that this had an effect on his life , it’s so sad to me . And yes
had it not been for him.there would without a doubt been more victims . I pray where ever mr Edwards is . He’s doing better.🙏🏾
You’re an idiot , you have no idea what this man had to go through mentally after this run in with dahmer – nevermind systemic issues that he individually faced. Imagine the ptsd and survivor guilt ? Who knows what else . You’re a waste of human for your lack of compassion.
Why is someone an idiot just because they have a view you do not agree with? Edwards went on to play a part in someone’s murder – is that acceptable to you? You have no idea about Edwards’ background but surmise that he had to have come from a ‘broken home’ to commit the crimes he did… take time to reflect on your short sightedness before commenting next time.
i would like to see how u turn out if u experienced several hours hostage by a serial killer who told u he was going to kill u and eat ur heart and then u found out what he did to other victimss. maybe suicide? i refuse to watch the netflix series bcos AM worried how it will affect my mental status- after just watching the first episode which was so real. yes. the previous comment was insensitive and idiotic.
Murder is unacceptable but would you have preferred dahmer kill him? Dahmer would have went on to kill so many more people if it wasn’t for Edwards. Someone should have helped edwards with his trauma like someone should have helped dahmer with his. That is the real problem. Too many people feeling too self righteous and self absorbed to realize what’s going on around them. The world is not black and white. Edwards at least is not a serial killer. we give up on each other too easily to be throwing around blame and judgement. We are all victims of a broken system.
Peace Jane your are a beacon of light to this non just system of blame and judgement
You are right this is not black and white it is about righteousness and unrighteousness
We must be pro righteous and anti-devilishment no matter the race creed nationality or color
But this is America and every other country the Earth is upside down natural laws and divinity and being ignored and denied
This is the death of society
The main part of this movie or series called Dahmer is Tracy Edwards was the only survivor and is not a homosexual or todays terms not apart of the LGTBQ community there is no sympathy for him
You see the world is not realizing the greatest criminal of gay people was Jeffrey Dahmer it a cross dresser but and intelligent racist homosexual murderer who only taped and Murdered people of color he was suffering from many sicknesses but no one will mentioned it Dahmer was and is a real devil who wanted to be murdered for his actions
31 one years later a movie put on the people for pain and this movie is racist Tracy Edwards him self was not a homosexual a big misconception in this movie
Dahmer was a racist who targeted poor people in low income areas where 100 is a lot of money for poor minded people in poverty
He knew gay people always want to be accepted like the poor gay death black boy !!!!!
Black people want to be accepted by white people
He was very intelligent and deceptive he learn to use peoples disposition against them
America and her racist cops had they listen to the old black neighbor and the Vietnamese boy who was murdered by Dahmer after police left him there and after his brother was raped and got away from the Dahmer a devil who targeted families
He displayed nothing but a psychotic homosexual murderer and America must give this to our society which is broken what will this do ?
produce more sick individuals he learned this behavior with his sick father who wrote books and tried to get rich from the deaths of poor people it gets deeper and sicker the more you read and watch this series
Conclusion
I’m glad he showed how filthy a devil thinks because the devil is filthy in all his affairs !!!!!!!!!!!
Agreed! Thank you! I don’t think it’s a waste, I think it’s very sad actually…
Dahmer picked people who were troubled, struggling emotionally and financially and maybe living on the edges of society. I think Tracy Edwards showed great intelligence, insight and courage dealing with Dahmer and being trapped in his apartment. But I am sure his life was not especially “on track” at that time or maybe even during the trial. How he behaved in his own life later on does not take away from the fact that he showed great courage in stopping his own murder and aiding in the capture of Dahmer. His did his duty to society. He contacted police, went back there to the scene of the crime and actually showed up in court. I cannot imagine the pain of sharing the details on that stand. I imagine his life was never easy. He learned to survive, but maybe was not fortunate to learn noncriminal ways to survive. And such a good point that the trauma of this experience could have haunted him going forward.
Lucy’s comment was insensitive with no compassion and empathy, those are characteristics of a Jeffery Dhamer if you ask me. Not human but a Reptile.
As if throwing someone from a bridge to their death isn’t reptilian .. smh
I totally agree with you , unless someone walk in another persons shoes . They will never understand, they would only know if it was them or their family that ran into this monster. Sad world!,
Please read the room & shut the hell up. First off, had the police did their jobs correctly.. it would of never got to that point of 17 victims and only 1 survivor, lets make that perfectly clear. Secondly, have you been in this type of situation before? I doubt it since you have so much to say with little thought. How about you commend this man for being able to escape. That to me alone shows something you obviously lack, INTELLIGENCE!! You don’t know what that TRAUMATIC experience did to this man mentally, physically, nor emotionally. Let’s not forget that he is also a BLACK MAN living in America. We saw from the damn series how much the black peoples words didn’t mean ANYTHING until it was too late. Now, exactly how do you know if the circumstances were different and someone else survived that it would be different? And who are you to determine who is “a waste”. I surely didn’t get the memo that God himself gave you some type of authority or say so! Girl, please! Humble yourself cause just like this survivors life changed in a blink of an eye.. yours can too sweetheart. Seems like that comment should of been made towards yourself for that to be your only thoughts towards this situation.. I bet your life ain’t hitting on shit neither..
i would like to see how u turn out if u were caught by a serial killer monster for several hours at knife point who then told u he was going to eat ur heart. from u i would expect a lifetime of therapy sessions atleast. maybe suicide? what was the point of ur insensitive comment?
How you no none of what happened to him made him like this this where you got it all wrong profiling MF that’s a lot to got thur shame on you
That man went through a lot …you don’t know how that affected him..stop judging him at least he didn’t do what Dahmer did..he was a waste
Lucy, shut your dumbass up. You have no idea what that man went thru.
This is such an idiotic comment, I hope you realize that.
The man’s life is a shit show because of Jeffrey dahmer. A LOT of people, who experience horrific terrible traffic tragedy usually always turn to crime later on in life. You’re the piece of waste who doesn’t and can’t understand that. Why do you think rape victims turn to drugs and prostitution? Why do abused victims turn out to be abusers themselves and drug users, alcoholics, people who have been kidnapped. Do you think everyone is happy go lucky and says hey I’m going to be a voice. No the reality is, people who do evil turn other people evil. It’s only a very very small percentage who actually can turn their life around from a tragedy.
Lucy,
How charmed a life you must lead. You OBVIOUSLY have NEVER been a victim of ANYTHING at all. Because that “second chance” you speak of…. Well first, there is no “second chance”. There’s just LIFE, and his life was horribly interrupted. Second, this instance in his horribly interrupted life will haunt him to the day he dies. As ALL victims of abuse (esp sexual) experience. And because we are all different, we all handle it differently.
I’m a victim too, and I appear to have my life together, but that’s far from the truth.
I rarely say this to people, but I’ll say it to you, cause I usually don’t wish this on anyone.
I do wish it on judgmental and nasty people like you though. I hope you are hurt the way I was, the way he was. I hope you get to experience life through that very distorted lens. I hope that sounds, music you once loved and sights now turn your stomach and make nit just you, but the world around you look dirty and disgusting.
These thoughts and feelings can be all consuming. You have NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to pass judgment till you’ve walked a foot (not a mile- just a foot) in our shoes.
I hope that if nothing else you’ll at least put some thought into this and be a little more empathetic. Doubt that’ll work though so, hope someone violates (rapes) you like none other. And…. I usually only reserve that for rapists and EXTREMELY NASTY JUDGMENTAL people. Cheers, you are on that list!!!!!
🥰 👏🏽bethany🥰poor lil ms Lucy. Hopefully she thinks twice when she goes to judge another’s broken soul.
Ew…. Judge much?? You did not live through what he did how on earth could you say those nasty things?
This man probably received no counseling for his trauma, tried to self medicate with drugs/alcohol, not mention in the black community being homosexual (not saying he is) is still frowned upon to this very day, he has to relive this every time someone writes a book, makes a show, documentary, or movie AND to top it off he has to see comments like yours. Take a seat Lucy. As someone who has seen some horrendous things both in the states and in Iraq the fact he is is even alive is amazing.
i was wondering the same I though he would change for good but instead he became worse
Did you read the article?
if it wasn’t for Tracy , Jeff would have never been caught he would probably still be killing.
You’re a sick pathetic soul. Has it actually crossed your mind that this affected him to do such things. You’re very ignorant for implying that someone should die because they’re life didn’t turn out to your liking.
He is probably scarred for life. How would you feel after escaping death only to realize the extent of what was really going on there!!! I probably would be on some heavy drugs just trying not to remember!
What??
Without support/therapy and much needed medical intervention this guy is expected to just get on with it.
Then people like you feel the need to condescend to him and judge him.
It’s no wonder his life spiralled out of comtrol.
Mental health awareness
That man was set up..the Milwaukee police couldn’t catch a killer but he did..
Wow. Let’s put you in his exact shoes. Let’s say your not this privileged person you are that probably would of had money or families money to help you get therapy. Imagine it was you and only you that had to deal with such a traumatic situation. Do you know what is like to to smell a rotting body or to have a knife held to you while you try to plead for your life. Only to escape and find out that police had a chance to save you the grief of going threw this. Do you know what that could do to someone mentally especially without victim counseling. A hella of a lot of damage to ones life. I surely never been threw anything like that nor would I see my self being brave enough to survive it. Let alone live with that haunting memory . WHAT ABOUT YOU? Surely you would have done better hmm Became America’s next top model and write a book about something you wish you could just forget. Ignorance surely is bliss😂🤦🏽♀️NO one helped Him just as no one helped none of those innocent men that died. Just because of who and what they were considered to be. So please don’t go around judging people lives you don’t under or because your ignorance blinds you from the reality of the situation. Be kind and understanding learn facts before you speak badly of someone who already had been threw so much pain. And it’s probably people like you who contribute to him living his life of shame and hurt.
You have no clue what kinda trauma he must’ve went through being the man who took him down. He actually got away unlike the other 17, have some respect
You are an idiot and apparently don’t know what kind of mental breakdown this did to him.
No what is wrong is that we have a system that doesn’t take care of hero’s, Tracey Edwards is a hero and deserves to be taken care of. He should have been given treatment for the ptsd. Stop judging someone that didn’t get the help he needed when shit hit the fan.
Another victim probably would’ve went crazy and done worse or just went completely insane and committed suicide because they can’t tolerate the PTSD. Remember GOD gives the hardest battles to his strongest soldiers I believe that! The man he assisted with could have been a pedophile we don’t know
Well that was probably a traumatic experience and could have messed him up, trauma is different for everyone, some people with trauma become killers…
What?!??! Dahmer would have killed even more innocent people if it wasn’t for this man. The police failed from the way beginning they finally listened to somebody. Stop judging folks! You wasn’t there to know what this man endured. I’m sure he was traumatized and there is more to that story than what is presented to you. There’s always 2 sides to a story. This man has been through a lot in his life. I hope all is well with him. This comment doesn’t get you any cool points at all. It’s lame.
Wow Lucy, I wonder how your mental status would have held up had it been you? How would you manage to trust strangers or feel safe even leaving your house after Dahmer? You’re an insensitive louse. I’m sure the people in your life sigh with relief when they go home at night and no longer have to look at your disgusting face.
Have you ever been kidnapped by a corpse-fucking cannibal ? I do not think so. So don’t be too quick to judge.
Right
How sad. His PTSD must have been so horrible. Poor guy.
Tracy Should sue! They depicted him wrong in the show as a homosexual!!!! He is totally straight and should press charges
In the 90’s most people did not readily admit to being homosexual. Edward’s went to a strangers apartment for a photo shoot and to have some drinks. I am not so sure the movie got that part wrong.
I agree
Tracy should be suing huge!!!!! They depicted him to be a homosexual in the show when he wasn’t!
If you did your facts check , he once again was at the wrong place at the wrong time. You don’t get 18 mths. for murder.
Get your legal knowledge correct, he got 1.5 years, and extended supervision in a ‘plea deal’. The judge never ruled per se that he committed the murder. It’s written for the “death of”, also other offences are mentioned.
He got charged with reckless endangerment but we don’t know what role he played in the crime.
First, this was horrific. Second, the police neglected the community in so many ways. Mr Terry Edwards, I cannot imagine what you went through and it seems it had horrible impact on your life. I pray some day you can overcome what this has done to you. It’s very easy to pass judgement and make assumptions on what you think people should have done but this experience obviously had long lasting effects. It’s just sad 🙁
Wow. Tracy Edward’s deserved more. Had he gotten good therapy, maybe he would’ve been able to cope better. I couldn’t imagine, have to have survivor’s guilt after hearing what he’d done to so many other innocent men and young men (and mostly all black men). My prayers are with him, that he have people reach out and give him a hand, instead of kicking him while down. (I say this not fully knowing the story of the man he was convicted of throwing off the bridge who later died).
Just think that if Tracy did not escape, Dahmer would have killed more men, and boys. Yes if the police would have did their jobs, they could have saved many lives.Tracy may have committed some crimes, but he was not a monster, serial killer. My prayers are with the victims families.
Not once did they say he was troubled or had a back ground before all of this happened to him. Due to his run in with a serial killer his mental state may have been shot knowing this man killed all these other men in a gruesome way. Mentally he should have been offered some type of help after this. As far as I’m concerned he’s a hero. My sister was murdered by one & it’s sad her killer was caught after killing her at 28. Mentally that hunted me. I wasn’t there it’s the fact this man could have been dead but, survived to stop others from getting killed and still here to tell his story. Praying 🙏 over his mind, asking God to give him strength, & a peace of mind Lord Jesus. None of us are perfect!!
Who knows if he even got any restitution. He was not only a survivor but a true hero he prevented this monster from attacking new victims. Wish state did more for Edward to get him back on his feet. It’s just my opinion
Is there no psychiatrist willing to try to help him now, pro bono?
No what is wrong is that we have a system that doesn’t take care of hero’s, Tracey Edwards is a hero and deserves to be taken care of. He should have been given treatment for the ptsd. Stop judging someone that didn’t get the help he needed when shit hit the fan.