Explored: What did Milwaukee cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer's mother Joyce's life look like before and after his conviction?

The life of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is the focus of Netflix's new drama series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The show, starring Evan Peters in the lead role, explores the numerous complex facets of Dahmer's life, including his early life and family, apart from his heinous crimes.

Jeffrey Dahmer's biological mother, Joyce, divorced her husband Lionel in 1978. She received custody of her son David while Jeffrey lived alone in her house as the mother moved to California after the divorce.

Read further ahead to find out more details about Joyce and her life.

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Jeffrey Dahmer's mother Joyce's early life, family, and more details

Based on the reports by The Cinemaholic, Joyce Dahmer was born on February 7, 1936, to Floyd and Lillian Flint. She reportedly spent most of her childhood in Wisconsin. Joyce went on to marry Lionel Dahmer, and the couple gave birth to their first child, Jeffrey Dahmer, on May 21, 1960. Six years later, they welcomed their second child, David.

According to Vizaca, Joyce suffered from depression and was reportedly described as a hypochondriac. She reportedly became addicted to prescription drugs after two pregnancies that affected her personal life. Tension rose between Joyce and Lionel, and the couple frequently got into intense arguments, deeply impacting their relationship.

Lionel mentioned in his memoir, titled A Father's Story, that his ex-wife did not take good care of their first son while he was busy with work and studies. He said that Joyce became ''mentally unstable'' after giving birth to Jeffrey Dahmer.

The couple divorced in 1978, following which Lionel married a woman named Shari, and Joyce moved to California, where she got a job at a retirement home. She reportedly worked with HIV-infected patients and managed the Central Valley AIDS Team in 1991, according to The Cinemaholic.

After Joyce relocated to California, Jeffrey stayed alone in the family apartment in Milwaukee. However, she went to Milwaukee multiple times to meet her son after his arrest in 1991.

Various reports state that Joyce continued to stay in touch with Jeffrey after his conviction, calling him every Sunday and talking about her love for him in various interviews. During an interaction with Hard Copy, Joyce said,

''Jeff was a victim of a compulsion, an obsession. When I went to visit him, I asked him, what it had been like during all these years, and he said, ''I was so scared. I was scared every minute, and I tried to stop. And I couldn't.''

Regarding her role as a parent, Joyce mentioned,

''I knew that I'd done a good job as a parent. I knew this had to come from something outside of Jeff. I think there's a lot to be learned, and one of the things that our society does have to be aware of is that we still do have a prejudice. We have a stereotype, and we still do blame mothers.''

Multiple reports also state that after Jeffrey Dahmer's conviction, Joyce allegedly tried to die by suicide but survived the attempt. According to All That's Interesting, she turned on her gas oven, left the door open, and also penned a suicide note that said,

''It’s been a lonely life, especially today. Please cremate me.….I love my sons, Jeff and David.''

A few months later, Jeffrey Dahmer was reportedly murdered by another inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution. Six years after her alleged suicide attempt, Joyce passed away on November 27, 2000, from breast cancer. Her friends and coworkers told The Los Angeles Times that she'll be remembered as a kind and compassionate woman known for helping AIDS patients.

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You can watch Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix.