Who was Jeffrey Dahmer victim Jeremiah Weinberger?

Jeremiah’s Early Life and Background

Jeremiah Benjamin Weinberger was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 29, 1967. He was the son of Aaron David Weinberger and had seven siblings. Jeremiah, a native of Puerto Rico, resided in Chicago during the 1990s.

Jeremiah’s Personality and Interests

Jeremiah was known to be full of life, easygoing, and likable. According to his friends, he was very honest, sincere, and always close to his family. Tim Gideon, Jeremiah’s roommate, stated, “Jeremiah was never in a bad mood. I never saw him get mad about anything.” Tim also mentioned that Jeremiah loved art and was meticulous, always keeping his desk straight and knowing where everything was. He took pride in his appearance, always dressing nicely and caring about his appearance.

Career at Bijou Theater

Jeremiah worked at a gay club called Bijou Theater, a job that meant a lot to him. Before being hired, he persistently visited Bijou’s office every week since 1985, asking about any available job, be it janitorial, receptionist, inventory, or anything else. His persistence paid off after six or seven months, and he finally got his dream job, starting with mailing tasks. Jeremiah was so excited that he began answering phones and submitting documents on his first day, even though he was supposed to start the next day.

Relationship with Colleagues

Jeremiah quickly made many friends at work, with his closest friend being Ted Jones, who also worked at the Bijou. Jeremiah’s boss noted that he wanted a place where he felt respected and belonged, which he found at Bijou. Jeremiah was diligent, always asking if his work was satisfactory and if anything else was needed.

Last Known Activities

Jeremiah was last seen on July 6, 1991, around 3:00 a.m., spending Saturday night at Carol’s Speakeasy, a gay bar in Chicago next to Bijou. There, he met Jeffrey Dahmer. According to Dahmer, Jeremiah was very kind, and welcoming, and did not want anything in return for his companionship, which was a stark contrast to Dahmer’s previous encounters.

Jeremiah expressed excitement to his friend Ted Jones about meeting Dahmer and spending time together. Despite some hesitation, Ted advised Jeremiah to go for it if he felt comfortable. Jeremiah and Dahmer then took a Greyhound bus to Milwaukee, where they spent the day together. Dahmer, initially hopeful that Jeremiah might stay with him voluntarily, decided to drug Jeremiah when he expressed his desire to return to Chicago.

Tragic End

Dahmer administered a mixture of drink and sleeping pills to Jeremiah and, later, injected boiling water into his brain while he was unconscious. Despite this, Jeremiah did not immediately succumb, which led Dahmer to administer another dose. Unfortunately, Jeremiah died on July 8, 1991, his death was unique as he was the only victim found with his eyes open.

Aftermath and Investigation

Teddy Jones became worried when Jeremiah did not return home or show up for work. Efforts were made to find him, including filing a missing person’s report and circulating posters. On July 22, 1991, the world was shocked by the news of Jeffrey Dahmer’s arrest after his would-be 18th victim escaped. Sadly, it was confirmed that Jeremiah was one of Dahmer’s victims.

Impact and Legal Actions

A memorial service for Jeremiah was attended by several hundred people. The office of Bijou mourned him for about two years. Jeremiah’s father, Aaron David Weinberger, sued Dahmer’s probation officer, Donna Chester, and her superiors for poor supervision, alleging that this negligence contributed to Jeremiah’s death. However, the lawsuit was unsuccessful.

Legacy

In my opinion, in the series from 2022 called Monster the Jeffrey Dahmer Story, the creators combined the characters of Jeremiah Weinberger and Tony Hughes Dahmer’s sixth victim.

In the series Tony and Dahmer’s relationship closely resembles Dahmer’s real-life relationship with Jeremiah. I have found information that Tony Hughes could have known Dahmer for some time. But not in a romantic way.

One of Jeremiah’s nephews was named after him. The Bijou Theater, where Jeremiah worked, closed permanently on September 30, 2015. Jeremiah’s father, Aaron Weinberger, passed away in 2018 at the age of 83. Jeremiah died at the young age of 23.