David Gail Meirhofer

Serial Killer

David Gail Meirhofer: Montana Serial Killer and the Birth of FBI Criminal Profiling

Overview

David Gail Meirhofer was an American serial killer who confessed to murdering four people in rural Montana between 1967 and 1974. Three of his confirmed victims were children. His crimes remained disconnected for years because they occurred under very different circumstances: one death appeared to be an accidental shooting, another child was attacked at a crowded Boy Scout gathering, a young girl vanished from her family's tent, and a 19-year-old woman disappeared from Meirhofer's hometown. Meirhofer was born on June 8, 1949, in Bozeman, Montana, and grew up in the nearby town of Manhattan. He graduated from Manhattan High School in 1967 and later served in the United States Marine Corps, including service in Vietnam as a communications specialist. After returning to Montana, he worked as a self-employed handyman, carpenter and telephone installer. His knowledge of communications equipment later became an important clue in the investigation of Susan Jaeger's abduction. The pursuit of Meirhofer became historically important because the FBI used an early form of psychological offender profiling to identify the characteristics of the unknown criminal. Investigators predicted that the offender would be a local white man in his twenties, socially isolated, familiar with the area and experienced with telephone equipment or military communications. Meirhofer closely matched that description.

Confirmed Victims

• Bernard Louis Poelman, age 13 March 19, 1967 Nixon Bridge near Manhattan, Montana: Bernard was playing with a friend on a bridge over the Gallatin River when he suddenly clutched his side, reportedly said that he had been shot and fell into the water. His body was recovered from the river near Logan after an extended search. Authorities initially considered the shooting accidental, possibly caused by a stray bullet or ricochet. Years later, Meirhofer confessed that he had deliberately shot Bernard.
• Michael Edward Raney, age 12 May 7, 1968 Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks, Montana: Michael was attending an outdoor Boy Scout gathering with approximately 200 other scouts when he was attacked and killed during the night. The large number of people at the campsite made the crime especially disturbing, because the killer entered the area without attracting attention. Meirhofer later confessed to killing Michael, although published accounts have differed regarding the precise manner of the attack.
• Susan Marie "Susie" Jaeger, age 7 June 25, 1973 Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks, Montana: Susan was abducted from her family's tent during the night while they were on a camping trip. Meirhofer later admitted that he killed her shortly after taking her. He said that Susan fought against him and that he stabbed her. He subsequently dismembered and burned her remains before scattering the fragments at an abandoned ranch outside Three Forks.
• Sandra Mae "Sandy" Dykman Smallegan, age 19 February 10, 1974 Manhattan, Montana: Sandra disappeared after spending the evening in Manhattan. Meirhofer knew her and had reportedly attempted to pursue a relationship with her. He later confessed that he abducted Sandra after she rejected him, bound and gagged her, and caused her death by suffocation. He dismembered and burned her body, leaving fragments of her remains at the same abandoned ranch where Susan Jaeger's remains were discovered.

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Confirmed Victims: (4)

Bernard Louis Poelman Age: (13), Date of Death: 1967-03-19

David Meirhofer - Wikipedia