206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
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Description
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David Van Dyke: The Milwaukee Serial Killer

Early Life

David Allen Van Dyke was born on January 14, 1959. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his upbringing was marked by instability. After his grandmother's death when he was six, he lived with his mother, who struggled to manage his behavioral issues. Van Dyke dropped out of school after the seventh grade and exhibited troubling behaviors, including theft and violence. He never held a steady job, resorting to burglary and hustling at pool for income.

Criminal Activities

Between July 1979 and April 1980, Van Dyke committed a series of brutal murders in Milwaukee. His modus operandi involved gaining entry into victims' homes by feigning the need to use the telephone or bathroom. Once inside, he would attack using objects found within the residence, leaving the weapons at the scene. His crimes were characterized by extreme violence, including bludgeoning, beating, and stabbing.

Victims

  • Della Mae Liggens, 69 – Stabbed to death on July 19, 1979.
  • Florence Burkard, 78 – Stabbed 43 times with scissors on August 10, 1979, in her North Side home.
  • Helen Wronski, 79 – Beaten to death in her East Side home; body discovered on November 9, 1979.
  • Charles Golston, 63 – Bludgeoned with a claw hammer on January 25, 1980; succumbed to injuries in May 1980.
  • Bernard Fonder, 49 – Beaten to death on March 3, 1980, in his residence.
  • Helen Louise Bellamy, 30 – Sexually assaulted and beaten to death with a tire jack on April 25, 1980, in her North Side home.
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Victims
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Confirmed Victims: (6)
  • Della Mae Liggens Age: (69), Date of Death: 1979-04-19
  •     ...View 5 additional victims
    Links to Additional Sources (8)
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    Killer's Details

    David

    Van Dyke

    January 14, 1959 (age 65)

    Male

    Black

    First-degree murder, Attempted murder, Armed robbery

    Life imprisonment (x6) + 40 years

    6 killed, 1 survived

    July 19, 1979 - April 25, 1980

    Wisconsin

    May 23, 1980

    Waupun Correctional Institution

    07/13/2025