(This is a continuation of my previous post Degree Theory and Serial Killers. 22: The Killing Degree?)
Jeffrey Dahmer – The Milwaukee Monster
Does this guy really need an introduction? The name Dahmer is almost synonymous with Cannibalism. But, if you’ve been living under a rock, Jeffrey had a taste for young men and was convicted on 16 counts of murder in the 1st degree.
Out of the men I’ve “profiled” so far, Dahmer has the most prominent 22-degree connections. He had Natal Venus at 22 Taurus, and North Node at 22 Virgo. His Venus/Node midpoint was at 22 degrees Cancer. His Venus/MC was at 22 Gemini, and his Mars/Neptune was at 22 Capricorn.
As a Libra Ascendant, Venus rules the 1st and 8th house. Other than this, there’s nothing really “eyebrow-raising” when it comes to the 22nd degree in his chart. We can observe that the MC/IC is at 23 degrees, “the cutting degree”. Mars/Neptune is within orb of a conjunction with the IC. This midpoint is associated with dissipated energy, lack of confidence, and chemical dependency. Dahmer certainly had a problem with alcohol and didn’t feel very confident in approaching men without indulging in it.
Venus/MC squares the Nodes. In a general sense, this will show a love towards other people and perhaps popularity. Perhaps social status or ambition related to art. He also has Venus trine to the North Node. I’m really failing to find anything problematic with the 22nd degree in his chart. There are plenty of challenging aspects which do a good job of describing his difficulties and deviances….but the 22nd degree doesn’t appear to fit.
Looking at transits and progressions, his Mars progressed to the 22nd degree (Aries) in 1979. This was a whole year after his first murder. He did however enlist in the Army in 1979. Progressed Mars =natal MC=Mars/Neptune. This for me is symbolic of him not really being “cut out” for the military. Mars/MC relates to ambition and action towards making one’s mark upon the world. Combined with Mars/Neptune, it shows dissatisfaction, disinterest, feeling that conditions aren’t quite right, feeling inferior, and having a lack of focus.
In 1982 his Sun progressed to 22 Gemini. He was arrested for indecent exposure. Progressed Sun was square to the natal Nodes. The nodes do represent the public. But indecent exposure and killing are two very different things.
In 1985 Venus progressed to 22 Gemini. This is when he began going to bathhouses.
The murder that occurred in 1987 at the Ambassador Hotel does have progressed Mercury in Cancer at 22 degrees square to Progressed Moon at 23 degrees Aries. This activates his natal MC along with his Mars/Neptune midpoint.
Mercury square the Moon = A conflict between thinking and the emotions. Difficult communication (particularly with the mother, with women, or with anyone who would usually offer emotional support).
Progressed Mercury conjunct MC: Can signal a time when a strategy is used towards ambitions. Perhaps a plan is being developed or there is some great idea concerning one’s life calling.
Progressed Mercury opposing Mars/Neptune: A plan that is hopeless and/or without merit. Nervousness. Difficulties coping. Mental weakness or delusions (can be due to alcohol or drug use).
This is certainly fitting. Dahmer claimed to have no memory of the murder. He drugged the guy (Mars/Neptune) and he himself was likely under the influence of something. Dahmer said that his intention was to gratify himself with an unconscious body rather than a dead one, and he indicated that this unplanned murder was a pivotal event for him psychologically. From here out he “didn’t even try” to control his urges.
Here, the killing degree meets the cutting degree (23). We saw this “meeting” also in the charts of Albright and Gein.
“That’s when it all started again. That’s when the obsession went into full swing. After the second time, it seemed like the compulsion to do it was too strong and I didn’t even try to stop it after that.”
–Jeffrey Dahmer
In January 1990, Dahmer’s Midheaven progressed to 22 Leo and would stay on this degree for the next year. From May to September, he killed 4 men.
When the midheaven progressed to the cutting degree in 1991 – this is when Dahmer amassed the most victims. A total of 8 between February and mid-July.
As for Dahmer’s own death, there was a bit of activity around his IC. Progressed Pallas conjunct natal IC at 23 Capricorn. And the transiting conjunction of Neptune and Uranus also occurred here. Neptune was at 21 degrees, and Uranus at 23 degrees.
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