David Van Dyke

Serial Killer

David Van Dyke: The Milwaukee Home-Invasion Serial Killer

Background and Early Life

David Allen Van Dyke was born on January 14, 1959. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was one of five children. During his early childhood, he was raised primarily by his grandmother. After she died when he was six years old, Van Dyke returned to the care of his mother, who reportedly had considerable difficulty controlling his increasingly disruptive and violent behavior. Van Dyke regularly refused to attend school and eventually dropped out after completing the seventh grade. Accounts of his childhood describe repeated thefts, property destruction, bullying and threats against relatives. He reportedly stole money from his mother, threatened his niece with a knife and attacked people who insulted or embarrassed him. He was also accused of deliberately killing a pet bird, an incident later cited as an early indication of his lack of empathy. As a young adult, Van Dyke never established a stable career. He supported himself primarily through burglary and by gambling as a pool hustler. He sometimes lived in automobiles or abandoned buildings and claimed that he committed approximately 200 burglaries. In April 1979, he was released on parole following a burglary conviction. Within several months, a series of murders began in Milwaukee homes.

Pattern of the Murders

Between July 1979 and April 1980, Van Dyke murdered four women and two men in Milwaukee. Most of the victims were attacked inside their own residences. He frequently approached a home with an apparently harmless request, such as asking to use a telephone or bathroom, and relied on the resident voluntarily allowing him inside. Once admitted, Van Dyke attacked with whatever weapon was immediately available. The weapons connected to the murders included knives, scissors, a hammer and a tire jack. He often left the weapon at the scene rather than carrying it away. After incapacitating or killing a victim, he searched the residence and stole money, jewelry, televisions, radios or other property. The victims did not fit a single demographic profile. They included men and women of different races and ranged in age from 30 to 79. The common element was their vulnerability after allowing Van Dyke into a private residence. Several victims were elderly, lived alone or were unable to defend themselves effectively against a sudden attack. ...

Confirmed Victims: (6)

Della Mae Liggens Age: (69), Date of Death: 1979-04-19

David Van Dyke - Wikipedia