5 Chilling Facts About Christopher Scarver: The Inmate Who Killed Jeffrey Dahmer

The question of who killed Jeffrey Dahmer is one of the most frequently searched queries in true crime, and the answer is an inmate named Christopher Scarver. As of December 10, 2025, the facts surrounding the 1994 prison murder remain a grim, yet complete, chapter in the Dahmer saga, revealing a complex motive rooted in racial tension and a desire for justice within the walls of the correctional facility. The story of the "Milwaukee Cannibal's" death is an essential piece of his legacy, providing a final, violent end to a life defined by unimaginable horror. This article delves deep into the man who delivered the fatal blow, Christopher Scarver, exploring his life, the crime that put him behind bars, and the chilling reasons he chose to take the lives of two fellow inmates, including the notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer.

Christopher J. Scarver Sr. Biography and Profile

Christopher J. Scarver Sr. is an American convicted murderer who gained international notoriety for the 1994 killing of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. His life prior to the Dahmer incident was already marked by a violent crime that led to his initial incarceration.

• Full Name: Christopher J. Scarver Sr.
• Born: July 6, 1969
• Place of Birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Initial Crime: In 1990, Scarver murdered his boss, Steven Lohman, during a robbery at a Wisconsin Conservation Corps training program office. He was seeking payment for work he believed he was owed.
• Conviction: First-degree intentional homicide (for Lohman) and two additional counts of first-degree intentional homicide (for Dahmer and Anderson).
• Sentence: Multiple life sentences.
• Current Status (2025): Scarver is currently serving his sentences at the Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City, Colorado, having been transferred out of the Wisconsin prison system.
• Motive for Dahmer Killing: Scarver stated he was disgusted by Dahmer's lack of remorse, his habit of making light of his crimes, and the reading material he possessed, which included graphic details of his victims.

The Final Day: How Jeffrey Dahmer Died in Prison

Jeffrey Dahmer's time in the general prison population at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin, was short-lived. After being convicted of 15 counts of murder in Wisconsin, he was sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms, plus an additional life sentence for a murder in Ohio. The day of the attack, November 28, 1994, began like any other. Dahmer, 34 years old, was working on a cleaning detail with two other inmates in the prison gymnasium's rest area. This detail was designed to allow inmates to work unsupervised, a practice that would later be heavily scrutinized. The two other inmates present were Christopher Scarver and Jesse Anderson. Anderson was another convicted murderer, serving a life sentence for killing his wife, Barbara Anderson, and attempting to frame two Black men for the crime, a detail that further inflamed racial tensions within the prison.

Scarver, who had reportedly been hearing voices and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, seized the opportunity when the correctional officers left the three men alone. He armed himself with a metal bar—a handle from a piece of weight-training equipment in the gym’s weight room.

He first approached Dahmer, striking him repeatedly on the head. Scarver then moved to Jesse Anderson and inflicted similar fatal injuries. The attack was brutal and swift. When a guard found the men, both Dahmer and Anderson were severely injured. Dahmer was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour later due to massive head trauma. Anderson died two days later from his injuries.

The Deeply Personal Motive of Christopher Scarver

The motive behind the murders of Jeffrey Dahmer and Jesse Anderson goes beyond a simple prison fight; it is a complex narrative of moral outrage, racial justice, and mental health issues. Scarver did not act impulsively on the day of the attack; he later explained his actions in detail, providing a clearer picture of his internal conflict.

1. Dahmer’s Lack of Remorse and Taunting

Scarver claimed that Dahmer would often taunt other inmates by molding his prison food into shapes that resembled severed limbs and then drizzling ketchup on them, a sick joke referencing his cannibalistic crimes. This behavior, coupled with Dahmer's apparent lack of remorse for his 17 victims, was a significant catalyst for Scarver. He felt Dahmer was an unrepentant monster who deserved to die.

2. The Racial Justice Factor

A major, and often overlooked, component of Scarver’s motive was the racial element of the victims. Dahmer's victims were predominantly young men of color. Scarver, who is Black, felt a moral obligation to avenge the lives of these victims. The presence of Jesse Anderson, who had murdered his white wife and then attempted to pin the crime on two Black men, further fueled Scarver's rage, as he saw Anderson as another symbol of injustice against the Black community.

3. The 'God Told Me To Do It' Defense

In the aftermath and subsequent legal proceedings, Scarver's history of mental illness came to the forefront. He claimed to have heard voices and believed he was the "Son of God" sent to carry out a divine mission of justice. He kept a newspaper clipping detailing Dahmer's crimes in his pocket, which he showed to the guard after the attack, stating, "God told me to do it." While this was a factor in his defense, the stated moral and racial motives are the ones most often cited in his later interviews.

The Aftermath and Scarver's Enduring Legacy

Following the murders, Christopher Scarver was convicted of two additional counts of first-degree intentional homicide and received two more life sentences, adding to his existing one. He was transferred out of the Wisconsin prison system to the Centennial Correctional Facility in Colorado, where he remains today. The incident sparked a massive investigation into the security and procedures at the Columbia Correctional Institution. The question of how a high-profile, vulnerable inmate like Dahmer could be left unsupervised with two other convicted murderers led to intense scrutiny of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The prison staff involved were disciplined, but no criminal charges were filed against them.

Jeffrey Dahmer's death, though violent, brought a sense of closure to the families of his victims. Many felt that a death sentence, which Wisconsin did not have, had finally been carried out. Scarver, in a strange twist of fate, became a figure of dark vigilante justice for some, a man who accomplished what the state could not or would not do. His story continues to be re-examined through new documentaries and media coverage, ensuring the question of "who killed Jeffrey Dahmer" remains a point of deep, morbid curiosity.

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