Rita Isbell, the sister of Jeffery Dahmer victim Errol Lindsey, is speaking out about the Netflix series.
The official description for “DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” reads:
Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer gruesomely took the lives of seventeen innocent victims.
“DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a series that exposes these unconscionable crimes, centered around the underserved victims and their communities impacted by the systemic racism and institutional failures of the police that allowed one of America’s most notorious serial killers to continue his murderous spree in plain sight for over a decade.
Who Is Errol Lindsey?
Errol Lindsey was one of 17 people killed by Jeffrey Dahmer.
He was the youngest of six kids and had left home to get a key cut when he crossed paths with Dahmer on April 7, 1991.
Errol’s mother, Mildred, said, “I can’t understand how it happened, how he met Errol,” his mother, Mildred, told reporters, Schwartz’s book said. “Errol wasn’t the type to talk to just anybody. He went to work and then he came home. He was a mama’s boy. He wouldn’t even go out with his friends without calling me to see what I was doing.”
Rita Isbell’s Victim Impact Statement
One of the most memorable and gut-wrenching moments of Dahmer’s trial in 1992 was when Errol’s sister, Rita Isbell, delivered her victim impact statement.
A re-enactment of Rita’s statement was included in the Netflix series and she shared that it “bothered her.”
Speaking with the Insider, Rita Isbell shared, “When I saw some of the show, it bothered me, especially when I saw myself — when I saw my name come across the screen and this lady saying verbatim exactly what I said.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought it was me. Her hair was like mine, she had on the same clothes. That’s why it felt like reliving it all over again. It brought back all the emotions I was feeling back then.”
Rita also shared that she was never contacted by Netflix about the series.
“I was never contacted about the show. I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it, she shared.”
Rita went on to share how Netflix is simply profiting off of their pain.
But I’m not money hungry, and that’s what this show is about, Netflix trying to get paid.
I could even understand it if they gave some of the money to the victims’ children. Not necessarily their families. I mean, I’m old. I’m very, very comfortable. But the victims have children and grandchildren. If the show benefited them in some way, it wouldn’t feel so harsh and careless.
It’s sad that they’re just making money off of this tragedy. That’s just greed.
The episode with me was the only part I saw. I didn’t watch the whole show. I don’t need to watch it. I lived it. I know exactly what happened.
Eric Perry, the cousin of Errol Lindsey, took to Twitter to let people know how the widely talked about series is retraumatizing his family.
He tweeted, “I’m not telling anyone what to watch, I know true crime media is huge rn, but if you’re actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbell’s) are pissed about this show. It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?”
See his original tweet below.
I pray for peace and healing for all of the families impacted by the evil acts of Jeffery Dahmer.
Read Rita Isbell’s full as-told-to essay at the Insider.
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