The Case of Steven Mark Hicks

Steven Mark Hicks, 18, was hitchhiking to a rock concert when Jeffrey Dahmer picked him up and invited him to his family's home in Bath Township, Ohio. After Hicks attempted to leave, Dahmer attacked and killed him. His remains were discovered on the former family property after Dahmer's arrest in 1991.

Steven Mark Hicks was 18 years old and had recently graduated from Coventry High School in Ohio. On June 18, 1978, he was hitchhiking to a rock concert at Chippewa Lake Park when Dahmer offered him a ride. Dahmer invited Hicks to the family home, where the two drank beer and spent time together. Hicks eventually said that he wanted to leave. Dahmer later confessed that he did not want Hicks to leave and attacked him. The murder was the beginning of Dahmer's known killing history, although almost nine years passed before his next known murder.

The murder took place at the Dahmer family home in Bath Township, Ohio. Dahmer later told investigators that he struck Hicks with a barbell and strangled him. He then dismembered the body and disposed of the remains on the property. The crime remained undiscovered for more than 13 years.

Hicks was reported missing after he failed to return home. His disappearance remained unresolved for years. Following Dahmer's arrest in Milwaukee in July 1991, he confessed to killing Hicks and provided investigators with information about the murder and disposal of the body. Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation subsequently searched the former Dahmer family property. Investigators recovered bone fragments and other evidence from the crawlspace, ultimately establishing that Hicks had been murdered there. The investigation into Hicks was part of the broader effort to establish Dahmer's complete history after his arrest. The FBI assisted authorities with identifying previous victims and analysing evidence connected to his crimes.

Dahmer was convicted in Ohio in 1992 for the aggravated murder of Steven Hicks and received an additional life sentence. The discovery of Hicks' remains finally resolved his disappearance more than 13 years after he was last seen. Hicks' murder was subsequently recognised as Dahmer's first known killing.

Steven Hicks is significant in Dahmer's criminal history because his murder marked the beginning of his known series of killings. The case also demonstrates the extraordinary gap between Dahmer's first murder in 1978 and his second known murder in 1987.