Dahmer Pleads Guilty To Ohio Murder That Began Kiling Spree

AKRON, Ohio (AP) _ Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was given a 16th life sentence today for the slaying of his first victim, after hearing himself described by the young man’s mother as a ″monster″ and an ″animal.″

Dahmer, already sentenced to 15 life terms in Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated murder in the June 25, 1978, beating death and dismemberment of 18-year-old Steven Hicks. A second count of aggravated murder stemming from the same slaying and a count of aggravated kidnapping were dismissed by plea agreement.

Asked his plea to the first count, Dahmer responded: ″Guilty as charged, your honor.″

Dahmer, 31, who grew up in nearby Bath Township, had said Hicks was the first of 17 people he killed, cut up and, in some cases, cannibalized. Dahmer was sentenced Feb. 17 in Milwaukee to 15 consecutive life sentences for 15 murders there; he was not charged in a 16th slaying there to which he had also confessed.

Summit County Common Pleas Judge James R. William sentenced Dahmer to another life sentence after hearing statements from members of Hicks’ family. The sentence is to run consecutively with the time Dahmer serves in Wisconsin.

Martha Hicks, Steven Hicks’ mother, said of her son: ″His smile could keep him out of trouble most of the time, but then he never met anyone before like this monster.″

″I will not be able to pull the switch on the electric chair, but if I could, I would on this animal. I hope he serves all 800 years, or whatever it is,″ she said.

Giving relatives a chance to express their feelings was one of the reasons to bring Dahmer back to Ohio, Summit County Prosecutor Lynn Slaby had said.

After the hearing, defense lawyer Robert Mozenter said it was Dahmer’s choice not to make any statement at the hearing, and that he felt a lengthy statement he made in court in Milwaukee explains his feelings.

″He told me he did not want to make a statement, but that he was indeed remorseful, especially in this case,″ Mozenter said. ″He was very nervous about coming out here because of how he felt about this case.″

Although Ohio now has a death penalty, the statute was not in effect at the time of Hicks’ death.

Because of his Wisconsin sentences, Dahmer isn’t likely to serve prison time in Ohio, Slaby said.

He was to be processed into the state’s prison system at the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton later today, prison officials said. But after the processing, Dahmer is to return to Wisconsin, probably spending only a few hours in Grafton.

Dahmer has told authorities that he picked up Hicks, who was hitchhiking, and brought him to Dahmer’s home. When Hicks tried to leave, Dahmer said, he beat him with a barbell rod.

″I didn’t want him to leave,″ Dahmer said.

He said cut up the body, pulverized the bones with a hammer, and scattered the remains in the brush outside his home. Bone fragments were found there after he told authorities where to look.