Early Life and Family Background
Jeffrey Dahmer’s Hispanic victim, Richard Guerrero, was born on December 12, 1965, in the United States. He hailed from a family of Mexican descent and was the son of Pablo, who worked at a golf course. Richard had a sister, Janie, and two or three brothers, one of whom was named Ray.
Richard’s Personality and Family Role
According to his sister, Richard was a wonderful and selfless brother devoted to his family. He was a young man full of life and always able to make others laugh. Richard was very loving and always prioritized the needs of others before his own. He sometimes babysat his sister’s two-year-old daughter and often took his mother shopping.
The Night of March 24, 1988
On March 24, 1988, Richard left his family home in Madison, Wisconsin, to visit a friend an hour away in Milwaukee. When he left, he didn’t take any documents proving his identity with him and only had three dollars on him. However, Richard never made it to his friend’s house and didn’t return home either.
Meeting with Dahmer
Authorities believe that Richard met Dahmer in a bar in Milwaukee and went with him to his home in West Allis. Most likely, Dahmer lured Richard with the promise of payment for a photo shoot. Dahmer drugged Richard with sleeping pills and strangled him with a leather strap.
The Family’s Reaction and Struggles
When Richard went missing, his sister Janie instantly assumed he was dead, as Richard always informed his family of his whereabouts. The family reported his disappearance to the police, but they didn’t take the case seriously, probably because Richard was Hispanic. The family hired a private detective, but he turned out to be a fraud, taking their money and disappearing. Richard’s father lost most of his life’s savings to this act of fraud.
Read about: Jeffrey Dahmer’s youngest victim James Doxtator
Dahmer Victim’s Sister Calls Walking Tour “Evil”
Genie Hagin spoke to Dahmer in Spanish at the trial calling him “Diablo al poro Diablo” which means “the devil the pure devil”.
-Genie Hagin
The Controversial Dahmer Tour
In 2012, the “Dahmer Tour” was started in Milwaukee, causing a lot of controversy. The hour-long tour takes place in Walker’s Point, mostly on 2nd Street, and stops at buildings that once housed gay bars where Dahmer met seven of his 17 victims.
Protest and Family’s Stand
Richard’s sister, Janie, was one of the 20 or so people who protested as the first tour took place. She and other family members planned to show up every Saturday to protest until the tours were halted. Janie thought donating the money to charity was a cop-out and believed the money should go to the victims’ families.
Long-term Impact on the Family
Janie Hagen has been seeing a therapist for 20 years to deal with nightmares and other issues related to Dahmer. She believes any money donated should cover her psychological doctor bills. Hagen spoke about the loss of her brother when he was only 21 and related it to her son, who is now 21.
The memories of Richard’s death haunt Hagen to the point of tears, as she recalls the courtroom and the fact that Guerrero’s remains were never found. Dahmer confessed to his death during interrogations in 1991.
