Hughes Early Life and Education
Anthony Hughes was born on August 26, 1959, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Shirley Hughes, a dedicated Bible teacher at the local church. Tragically, Tony became deaf in early childhood due to medication side effects and was also mute.
Despite these challenges, Tony mastered lip-reading, sign language, and note-writing, always carrying a notebook and pen. He attended the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock, which his mother, Shirley, credited with having a significant positive impact on his development.
“He learned a lot of things there,” Shirley reflected. “Tony learned how to use sign language and even taught us a bit.”
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Tony Hughes Transition to Adulthood
After graduating from the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, Tony moved to Madison for college and pursued a career in fashion and modeling. During this time, he also worked at United Plastics Corporation, earning seven dollars an hour. Described by his mother as cheerful and outgoing, Tony was known for his love of helping others and making friends. His sister, Barbara Hughesholt, recalled his passion for dancing and socializing.
“Tony wasn’t easily fooled. Despite his communication challenges, he had a sharp intellect,” Barbara noted. In the spring of 1991, Tony traveled to Milwaukee to reconnect with loved ones. On the night of May 24th, he visited Club 219, a popular LGBTQ+ nightspot, where he met Jeffrey Dahmer. He asked three friends for a ride to Dahmer’s apartment, unaware of the fate that awaited him.
Hughes disappeared after meeting Dahmer at a nightclub
In the car, Tony and Dahmer communicated by writing notes. Dahmer indicated that he was inviting Tony alone to his apartment, which Tony conveyed to his friends using sign language. According to Brian Masters in “The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer,” Tony appeared unafraid of Dahmer.
Once inside Dahmer’s apartment, Tony was drugged and strangled. His body was left on the bedroom floor for days before being dissolved in acid, with Dahmer keeping his skull. Building manager Sopa Princewill confronted Dahmer about the smell from his apartment. While the Netflix series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” depicts a romantic relationship between Tony and Dahmer, there is no evidence to support this in real life.
Tony’s Family Reaction
Initially, Tony’s family thought he had returned to Madison without saying goodbye. Their concern grew when Tony’s boss called, noting his absence from work. The family immediately reported his disappearance and distributed flyers with his picture in Milwaukee. When Dahmer’s crimes came to light, the family feared the worst. Barbara expressed her dread to the Associated Press, fearing that Tony was among Dahmer’s victims. Tragically, Tony’s remains were found in Dahmer’s apartment.
Shirley Hughes’s powerful victim impact statement
Shirley Hughes and other victims’ families spoke at Dahmer’s 1992 trial. Shirley read a poem written by Tony’s friend, expressing his perspective during and after his death:
“Why am I a victim in your cruel and rueful world? Although I can’t communicate with a loud voice, listen to me anyway and try to have mercy on my moms…”
Addressing Dahmer directly, Shirley said, “Jeffrey Dahmer doesn’t know the pain and mental anguish he caused our family.” She described the relief of knowing the truth about her son’s disappearance, despite the pain it caused.
Tony Hughes’s mother has criticized the Netflix show
Hughes’s sister Barbara named her daughter after him, ensuring his memory lived on. The 2022 Netflix documentary series “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” reignited the family’s trauma, as they were not consulted before its release. Shirley Hughes expressed her dismay at how the series depicted her son’s murder inaccurately.
The Arkansas School for the Deaf reached out to Tony’s niece after learning about the family’s distress. They offered photographs and documents from Tony’s time at the school, allowing the family to remember Tony as a person, not just a victim.
