the dahmer case

Jeff Dahmer’s Alleged Victim “Eddie Smith” Was Actually Ernest Richard Smith

This is not a true crime site. It’s an examination of the Dahmer case through publicly available records.

This is the man we’re told was “Eddie Smith” — a supposed victim of Jeff Dahmer, allegedly murdered in July 1990.  

But there’s just one problem: this man was not named Eddie Smith. His real name was Ernest Richard Smith and he was very much alive after 1990 — alive long enough to eventually turn up dead in 1999.

This isn’t the only identity in the Dahmer case that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

→ See: Was Konerak Sinthasomphone Even Real?
→ And: Richard Guerrero died in 1960.
→ And: Is This Man Curtis Straughter?

Ernest Richard Smith posing in a denim vest with a backdrop of celebrity photos and a stylized black panther graphic.

Below is a photo of Ernest Richard Smith, taken in 1975, when he was 16 and attending John Marshall High School in Milwaukee. You can look up this information yourself on Ancestry.com.

Ernest Richard Smith in his 1975 John Marshall High School yearbook photo, Milwaukee

Here’s Ernest Richard Smith (middle) alongside two photos of the alleged victim “Eddie Smith”:

Side-by-side comparison of Ernest Richard Smith and alleged Dahmer victim “Eddie Smith”

Ernest Richard Smith was Theresa Smith’s younger brother. Theresa also attended John Marshall High School in Milwaukee.

High school yearbook photo of Theresa Smith, sister of Ernest Richard Smith

There’s plenty of information in Ancestry.com about Ernest Richard Smith and the entire Smith family. Most of the men, including Ernest, served in the US military and are buried in national cemeteries. Note the death date: March 21, 1999.

Gravestone and burial record of Ernest Richard Smith, 1959–1999, U.S. Army veteran from Milwaukee

More photos of Ernest Richard Smith and alleged Jeff Dahmer victim ”Eddie Smith”:

Yearbook photo of Ernest Richard Smith, circled, labeled as “Smith, E.” in 1976 Hamilton High School class index
1976 Hamilton High School yearbook index listing “Smith, Ernest - 259” and “Smith, E - 259,” confirming they are the same person

Alleged Jeff Dahmer victim “Eddie Smith” (left) and Ernest Richard Smith in his high school yearbook photo (right)

Side-by-side photos of “Eddie Smith” (left) and Ernest Richard Smith (right) showing striking physical similarities

People familiar with this case know about “Carolyn Smith”, someone who was seated in the courtroom during Jeff Dahmer’s trial and who appeared on various talk shows claiming to be Eddie Smith’s sister:

Close-up of “Carolyn Smith,” a heavily made-up individual later identified as Ernest Richard Smith in drag

This is “Carolyn Smith,” describing her alleged brother, Eddie Smith. As for whether this is a woman or a man in a wig — I’ll let you be the judge.

Here’s “Carolyn” Smith in the courtroom with Theresa Smith. 

“Carolyn Smith” and Theresa Smith seated in courtroom during Jeff Dahmer trial

Ernest Richard Smith died in 1999 after attempting a surprise sex act on a sleeping man named Roy Barnes. Barnes did not appreciate the gesture.

The name given in the news clipping below is “Carolyn Contessa Smith.”  Neither she — nor any “Carolyn Smith” matching her description — has a paper trail in Ancestry.com or anywhere else outside the official narrative about Jeff Dahmer.

Newspaper article titled “Man gets 45-year prison sentence for killing Dahmer victim’s brother” featuring a quote from Carolyn Contessa Smith, who identifies as the sister of alleged victim Edward Smith.
SSDI entry for Ernest R. Smith, born May 23, 1959, died March 21, 1999, with Social Security Number 395-66-3590 issued in Wisconsin.

Ernest Richard Smith’s parents were Walter Smith and Josephine Helen Smith — both traceable, both real. Their children are clearly listed here: Henry, Mattie, Walter Jr., Michael, Ernest, Robert, and Theresa. You’ll notice what’s missing: no “Edward Warren Smith.” No “Carolyn Smith,” either.

Also worth noting: the Smiths appear to be Roman Catholic (Walter Smith was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery and Josephine Smith in All Souls Catholic Cemetery) — a rarity for African-American families in Milwaukee, and a curious detail given the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s connection to this story.

Grave record of Walter Smith, listing his children including Ernest Richard Smith and Theresa A. Smith.
Grave record of Josephine Helen Smith, listing her children including Ernest Richard Smith and Theresa A. Smith.

There’s no trace of an “Edward Warren Smith” in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) or anywhere else that would ground him in reality. But Ernest Richard Smith?  Twelve days before Jeff Dahmer’s trial, he had a felony robbery charge quietly dismissed. A Class E in Wisconsin isn’t a slap on the wrist. It carries up to 15 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine.  

Court record for Ernest Ricardo Smith (born May 23, 1959), showing a 1989 criminal case filed in Milwaukee County that was later closed with no disposition recorded.
Official court notice stating that the 1989 charge against Ernest Ricardo Smith was dismissed and carries no legal effect.
Text explaining that Class E felonies in Wisconsin are punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $50,000 fine, or both.

Was Ernest, staring down serious time for the robbery charge, offered a deal?  

Here’s what Jeff Dahmer said in his confession about Eddie Smith:

Typed excerpt from Jeffrey Dahmer’s confession describing the murder of Eddie Smith, including physical description, timeline, and disposal of remains.