Dale Kenneth Dahmen, a 55-year-old resident of Buffalo, Minnesota, tragically lost his life on February 1, 2023, in a murder-suicide incident that occurred in Bloomington, Minnesota. Dale, along with his 25-year-old son Dominick Dahmen, was found dead inside a pickup truck in a parking lot near France Place.
The Bloomington Police Department identified 43-year-old Richard Myre of Belle Plaine as the perpetrator who shot and killed both Dale and Dominick Dahmen before taking his own life.
Surveillance footage revealed that the Dahmens had driven separately to meet Myre and entered his vehicle around 4:23 p.m. After approximately 90 minutes, a commotion erupted inside the pickup truck. Myre, seated in the driver's seat, reportedly turned to Dale Dahmen and shot him twice in the head. Dominick Dahmen struggled with Myre but was ultimately shot seven times.
Dale Dahmen was a well-known figure in the polka music community. For nearly 44 years, he had been performing with his Concertina at various events across the Midwest as part of his band, Dale Dahmen and the Polka Beats. In 2012, he was inducted into the World Concertina Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to the genre.
The circumstances surrounding the tragic incident were later revealed to be connected to a fraudulent investment scheme. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil suit alleging that Myre and the Dahmens had been operating an unregistered investment fund called Spartan Trading. The fund reportedly raised over $3.7 million from 2019 to 2023, purportedly for day trading in stocks. However, the SEC claimed that Spartan Trading 'was a sham that defrauded investors in multiple ways,' with the funds being misappropriated instead of invested as promised.
Dale Dahmen is survived by his wife Sherry, son Samuel, parents Kenneth and Janet Dahmen, and other family members. A celebration of life was held for Dale and Dominick on February 19, 2023, at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.
The tragic deaths of Dale and Dominick Dahmen have left a void in the Twin Cities polka music community and shocked their family, friends, and fans. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the potential dangers associated with fraudulent investment schemes and the devastating consequences they can have on individuals and communities.
