On December 19, 1941, a tragic event unfolded in Buckman, Minnesota, when 55-year-old August Benedict Dehler was fatally shot, along with his wife, Regina, and their two youngest children, Anna Mae and Kenneth. The perpetrator was their 16-year-old son, Richard Edward Dehler. At the time of the murders, the family's other children were not present in the home.
Following his arrest, Richard's defense attorney argued that he felt trapped by the farm's burdens and his father's illness,
believing he could 'never be free of the farm and its debts.' The prosecution countered this claim, noting that during peak farming seasons, Richard's older brother, Ralph, returned home to assist, suggesting that Richard was not solely responsible for the farm's upkeep.
In January 1942, Richard was tried and convicted for the murder of his mother, Regina, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The other indictments related to the deaths of his father and siblings were dismissed later that year. In 1959, questions about due process during his initial trial led to Richard's release. However, he was promptly re-arrested and re-arraigned for his mother's murder. In December 1960, Richard pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received another life sentence.
This case had a profound impact on the surviving Dehler children. Ralph Francis Dehler, born in 1922, was away from home at the time of the murders. He lived until 2020, passing away at the age of 98. Another sibling, Lorraine Schallberger, born in 1923, also survived the tragedy and lived until 2006. Richard himself lived until 2008, passing away at the age of 83.
The Dehler family tragedy remains a poignant chapter in Buckman's history, reflecting the complexities of familial relationships and the profound impact of mental health and societal pressures during that era.
