Roy Ratcliff


Roy Ratcliff is an American Christian minister and author. He is best known for ministering to serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer in prison in Portage, Wisconsin.

Personal life

Ratcliff grew up primarily in California. After graduating from high school in Wichita, Kansas, he went on to graduate from Oklahoma Christian University in 1970. He and his wife Susan have two grown children.

Ministering to Jeffrey Dahmer

Ratcliff frequently visited Jeffrey Dahmer in prison and provided him with spiritual counseling, leading him in Bible study sessions. He baptized Dahmer as a born-again Christian in prison, eight months before Dahmer was murdered by fellow prisoner Christopher Scarver.
Ratcliff conducted his funeral service on December 2, 1994, and eulogized him:
Ratcliff later wrote a book about his experiences titled Dark Journey, Deep Grace: Jeffrey Dahmer's Story of Faith.
Since ministering to Dahmer, Ratcliff has discipled prisoners in a number of Wisconsin prisons.