Anna Mae Dehler, a 9-year-old girl from Buckman, Minnesota, tragically died on December 19, 1941. She was born on August 31, 1932, and was buried in Saint Michael Cemetery in Buckman. The case surrounding her death involved multiple family members, leading to a complex and prolonged legal battle.
The primary suspect in the case was Richard Edward Dehler, who was indicted by the grand jury of Morrison County on December 30, 1941, for the murder of his mother, Regina Dehler.
Richard, who was a juvenile at the time of the crime, faced significant legal challenges due to the nature of his age and the severity of the charges. On June 8, 1959, the grand jury returned four separate indictments charging Richard with first-degree murder in the deaths of Regina Dehler, August Benedict Dehler, Kenneth Dehler, and Anna Mae Dehler. Richard was arraigned on these indictments on June 10, 1959, and entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.
The legal proceedings were complicated by Richard's age at the time of the crime and the subsequent legal arguments regarding his rights as a juvenile. Despite these challenges, the court ultimately found Richard guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Regina Dehler, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The case highlights the complexities of juvenile justice and the tragic impact of familial violence.
