• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
What happened to Glenda Cleveland? The woman who tried desperately to stop Jeffrey Dahmer

Home> News

Updated 15:27 26 Sep 2022 GMT+1Published 15:26 26 Sep 2022 GMT+1

What happened to Glenda Cleveland? The woman who tried desperately to stop Jeffrey Dahmer

Netflix viewers are wondering what happened to Glenda Cleveland after watching Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

Gregory Robinson

Gregory Robinson

The new Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has enlightened viewers to the horrific and brutal crimes committed by one of America's most prolific serial killers.

Netflix viewers have also been left wondering what happened to the real people who tried to put a stop to Dahmer's crimes, particularly Glenda Cleveland.

The character who is portrayed by Niecy Nash in the series was inspired by a real woman who desperately called the police to report Dahmer’s unusual behaviour. 

Advert

However her pleas with law enforcement fell on deaf ears.

Niecy Nash portrays Glenda Cleveland.
Netflix

Inspired by real events, series creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan show Dahmer’s neighbour Cleveland expressing her concern about his behaviour and the strange smells coming from his apartment.

She overheard the sound of men screaming and a drill during the night, which raised alarm bells. 

Advert

Cleveland contacted authorities on 27 May 1991 after her daughter, Sandra Smith, and her niece, Nicole Childress, found a bleeding boy wandering the streets. 

Police attended the scene however Dahmer convinced them the boy was 19 years old and was his boyfriend, who had too much to drink.

The police believed the situation to be a 'domestic argument'.

The boy was 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone. Hydrochloric acid was injected into his brain by Dahmer after the police departed, which ultimately led to his death.

Advert

The real Glenda Cleveland contacted the police about her concerns.
Netflix

Cleveland identified Sinthasomphone’s picture in a missing person alert in the newspaper and later realised the missing boy was the same person Dahmer claimed was his drunk boyfriend.

She notified the FBI once again but nobody responded.

Sinthasomphone became Dahmer’s 13th victim. Had Cleveland’s pleas been taken seriously, five of Dahmer’s victims could have been saved.

Advert

Hearing the real phone call between Cleveland and a police officer is one of the most heart wrenching and infuriating moments in the 10-episode series.

Viewers have also wondered what happened to Cleveland and where she is now.

Glenda died in 2010.
TMJ4

Cleveland died 12 years ago on 24 December 2010 at the age of 56, after spending her life fighting for justice for Dahmer’s victims.

Advert

Dahmer was eventually caught on 22 July 1991, when Tracy Edwards escaped his apartment, in which detectives later found body parts and bones.

After Dahmer's arrest, Cleveland continued living in her apartment. 

She was honoured by the Common Council and the County Board, and was called a model citizen by Mayor of Milwaukee, John Norquist.

However, many were outraged that Cleveland was ignored, including political activist Reverend Jesse Jackson, who berated police for believing Dahmer over Cleveland.

“Police chose the word of a killer over an innocent woman," Jackson said.

Cleveland continued to live in the apartment near Dahmer's former residence until 2009.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available to watch now

Featured Image Credit: Netflix/REUTERS/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Netflix, True Crime

Gregory Robinson
Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a minute ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • a minute ago

    Wimbledon player issued eye-watering fine for ‘abusing staff’ over small inconvenience

    Wimbledon hasn't been without its drama

    News
  • an hour ago

    Wimbledon official given harsh 33-year ban from tournament over ‘racy’ incident

    Despite the controversy, Ted Tinling eventually made it into the Tennis International Hall of Fame decades after he sparked major outrage

    News
  • an hour ago

    What Donald Trump and Barack Obama were really laughing about at Jimmy Carter’s funeral has finally been revealed

    The viral moment between the American President and his predecessor left people seriously baffled back in January

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Why Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle got away with breaking the exact same major Wimbledon rule

    The Royal Box has strict rules on the garments guests are permitted to wear

    News
  • Everything Netflix film Woman of the Hour actually got right as disturbing footage shows what actually happened on dating show
  • Man who witnessed first person to be executed by firing squad in the US in 15 years recalls what happened
  • Woman who cut off husband’s penis with kitchen knife recalls moment she realised what she’d done
  • Chilling real answers serial killer gave on dating show compared to Netflix recreation in Woman of the Hour