MN MN - Richard John ‘Dickie’ Huerkamp, 15, Mapleton, 2 Oct 1965

[Richard]

Is there anything that we can do to bring attention to Dickies case and at the minimum get him listed on the MN Missing?

In regard to the Minnesota Missing website; that is run by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). They are aware of this Cold Case, and have appointed an investigator to work with the Blue Earth Sheriff's Office, which is the original investigation agency, and still has legal jurisdiction in the case.

A call or email to either agency with any information or questions could help.

To bring more interest or attention to this case, consider contacting some of the area newspapers with a suggestion that they print an article about Dickie's disappearance for the upcoming 60 year anniversary. Local papers with a story which includes known facts and official contact points with the BCA and the Sheriff's Office might generate interest and possibly even some tips.

Websleuths seems to be the only website covering Dickie's case. Contacting some of the other sites and podcasters might also generate interest.

 

[stone-turner]

I just stumbled onto this forum about 3 weeks ago and was very intrigued to know that there are people, besides me, who are still interested in this missing-child case. I'm about 10 years younger than Richard and grew up in the next county south. We drove up County 7 at least once a month - mostly en route to Mankato, the Blue Earth County Seat. I remember hearing the story of "the Mapleton boy who went missing near the bridge" very early in life. Sixty years have gone by and I still can't cross that bridge without wondering what happened. It was only wonderment for 50 years. Then, in 2016, when the body of Jacob Wetterling was found and the full story of Jacob's horrific murder at the hands of a predator was revealed, the Huerkamp enigma turned to more of a haunting. That's what caused me to finally begin searching online a few weeks ago and to discover this forum.

I have now read every word of the posted articles and of each contributor's posts. I don't have any additional case information per se, but I would like to contribute some observations that I hope could be helpful. I'm quite familiar with the local geography and very familiar with small-town southern MN culture of the time. Instead of a single long posting, I will break my impressions down to some shorter chunks.

 

[Richard]

I just stumbled onto this forum about 3 weeks ago and was very intrigued to know that there are people, besides me, who are still interested in this missing-child case. I'm about 10 years younger than Richard and grew up in the next county south. We drove up County 7 at least once a month - mostly en route to Mankato, the Blue Earth County Seat. I remember hearing the story of "the Mapleton boy who went missing near the bridge" very early in life. Sixty years have gone by and I still can't cross that bridge without wondering what happened. It was only wonderment for 50 years. Then, in 2016, when the body of Jacob Wetterling was found and the full story of Jacob's horrific murder at the hands of a predator was revealed, the Huerkamp enigma turned to more of a haunting. That's what caused me to finally begin searching online a few weeks ago and to discover this forum.

I have now read every word of the posted articles and of each contributor's posts. I don't have any additional case information per se, but I would like to contribute some observations that I hope could be helpful. I'm quite familiar with the local geography and very familiar with small-town southern MN culture of the time. Instead of a single long posting, I will break my impressions down to some shorter chunks.

Welcome to Websleuths and to this thread. Thank you for posting.

Hopefully, with more interest and input, this long cold case might some day be solved.

 

[cenazoic]

we get Jim Klobuchar's longer and more detailed article,

It wasn't until the Jim Klobuchar article

Just as a small exclusion for future researchers, I recently read Jim Klobuchar’s book, Minstrel, about his life as a reporter. He does not mention Dickie’s case.

 

[Brightchaser47]

Deleted by me

 

[Snoop Sister]

I just stumbled onto this forum about 3 weeks ago and was very intrigued to know that there are people, besides me, who are still interested in this missing-child case. I'm about 10 years younger than Richard and grew up in the next county south. We drove up County 7 at least once a month - mostly en route to Mankato, the Blue Earth County Seat. I remember hearing the story of "the Mapleton boy who went missing near the bridge" very early in life. Sixty years have gone by and I still can't cross that bridge without wondering what happened. It was only wonderment for 50 years. Then, in 2016, when the body of Jacob Wetterling was found and the full story of Jacob's horrific murder at the hands of a predator was revealed, the Huerkamp enigma turned to more of a haunting. That's what caused me to finally begin searching online a few weeks ago and to discover this forum.

I have now read every word of the posted articles and of each contributor's posts. I don't have any additional case information per se, but I would like to contribute some observations that I hope could be helpful. I'm quite familiar with the local geography and very familiar with small-town southern MN culture of the time. Instead of a single long posting, I will break my impressions down to some shorter chunks.

I would be very interested in reading your observations! And, welcome to websleuths!

 

[stone-turner]

This posting has proven to be much more difficult to write than I could have imagined. I just wanted to state some personal observations briefly and concisely without casting aspersions on anyone. After many failed attempts, I've concluded that I don't have the skills to say what I want without the appearance of pointing a finger. So, I'll jump right into it and "let the cards fall" where they may.
After reading and rereading all the articles carefully, it is apparent that most (if not all) of the information regarding Richard's disappearance comes directly from one source without any stated verification or corroboration. That lone source is Mrs. Huerkamp. If, for any reason, Mrs. Huerkamp were determined to be an 'unreliable reporter' of information, then we would have to admit not knowing anything for sure about the missing boy. We wouldn't know: what time he left the house, what he was wearing, what he was carrying, whether or not he had a firearm. We wouldn't know if he left town riding the bicycle - or left the house at all. No one else is stated in the articles as having witnessed anything reported by Mrs. Huerkamp. All we would know is that: a boy is missing, he was reported missing on a Sunday, he was last seen by someone outside the family on the previous Friday. And he was trying to recruit others for a Saturday hunt.
As the member who is posting under the user-name 'Richard' has stated several times, without examining the original case file we really don't have much to go on. In October of 1965, the purpose of the articles was to report and raise awareness of a missing child and the efforts taken to find him. This style of reporting isn't very useful for trying to solve a case 60 years later. One piece of information that we have in 2025, which no one had in 1965, is that not a single piece of evidence of the missing boy has ever been reported. There hasn't been any discoveries to support Mrs. Huerkamp's version of events other than what she herself is reported to have found.
This could be an important clue.
The small, tree-lined, slow-moving Maple River winds many meandering miles through fairly-open, flat, cultivated farmland before flowing into the slightly-larger Le Sueur River, which then flows into the Blue Earth River, and eventually into the Minnesota River near Mankato, MN. None of these rivers is deep or fast-moving, and all contain logs and branches. In drought years, they have slowed to a trickle. These areas are all well-populated (as compared with Montana or Alaska).
The "carried-away-in-the-river" narrative, which apparently was a possibility at the time, strains credibility in retrospect. I can't shake off the uneasy question, "Was Richard ever at the river?"
If the answer were 'No', then probability would point toward a possible cover-up (murder? suicide?). If the answer were 'Yes', then, without a body, it seems that probability points toward abduction. I don't plan to visit the 'No' answer again. My next postings will address the 'Yes' (i.e. he reached the river) possibilities.

 

[Richard]

The initial search efforts centered on and about the area of the river and adjacent farm fields. This was based on the location of the bicycle, lunch, and box of shotgun shells found on Sunday 3 October 1965.

It wasn't until Monday 4 October that tracking dogs were brought in. Those dogs picked up and followed two separate tracks from the bicycle site to the river. Unfortunately, the dogs could have been following the tracks of persons who were searching for Dickie on the previous day.

The searches of the fields and river failed to turn up any trace of Dickie, his shotgun, or any other evidence that he was near the river.

One thing that might be inferred from the few items found with the bike: Dickie disappeared on Saturday morning before lunch time, since he had not yet eaten any of his lunch.

 

[DD Byrd]

Or he was already dead and a lunch was prepared based on what his plans would've been. Possibly a red herring sandwich.

But if the dogs were following HIS scent, is it possible he wasn't allowed to go that morning but did anyway...he could have been followed immediately or shortly thereafter. He may have been pursued through the woods and brought back for punishment, or drowned right there in the creek and carried out. LE was looking for him, not necessarily signs of a struggle, and it's possible there wasn't much of one.

 

[Richard]

A few thoughts regarding the placement/location of the bicycle and items at the side of County Road 7, near the Maple River:

- They could have been dumped there by Dickie himself and he proceeded to walk into oblivion.

- They could have been staged there by someone hoping that police would assume Dickie fell in the river and drowned.

- They could have been placed there by someone simply to get them AWAY from property or an area where an accident or murder took place. Not specifically to get the search to take place at the river, but to prevent it from taking place elsewhere.

- The bike and items might simply mark the spot where an abduction took place.

Different possible scenarios...

 

[Pressureandheat]

So in talking with someone that actually saw the bike, lunch, & gun case firsthand on that Sunday morning when the search party just started out, he stated the lunch was in a brown paper bag. I had always pictured it in a secured tin lunch box. Having lived just a few miles from there, I can’t imagine a lunch would have survived 24+ hours out in the open without being destroyed by a raccoon, fox, squirrels, coyote, even birds, anything. Makes me think even more the scene was staged…

 

[stone-turner]

Pressureandheat, thank you for posting this information about the lunch being in a bag. I wanted to comment next on the 'found items'. I don't know how a 15-year-old thinks anymore. Assuming that Richard did ride the bike to that location and leave the items where they were found, there are some things I think are illogical about the items and their placement. Firstly, can someone post exactly where the items were located? I always understood them to be south of the Maple River bridge on County 7 - on the east side of County 7. It is also stated in this forum that Richard was intending to hunt on Stanley Healy's land.

The historic map posted by 'Richard' on 01/28/2025 (linked below) is a plat map of property ownership. This map doesn't state where people lived. Often these maps were published annually in a county plat book which displayed (on the facing page) the same township divided into sections, but instead of showing land ownership, the facing page pin-pointed the individual building sites with the current resident head-of-household listed.

Code MP - Mapleton Townshp, Lura Lake, Atlas: Blue Earth County 1962, Minnesota Historical Map

Map Name: Code MP - Mapleton Townshp, Lura Lake, Atlas Name: Blue Earth County 1962, Publisher: Thomas O. Nelson Co., Publish Date: 1962, Dimensions: 12.58 x 9.4

historicmapworks.com

If, in 1965, Stanley Healy lived on the land he owned in 1962 (Section 34), and if Richard intended to hunt on Healy land, and possibly stay at the Healy's that evening, why didn't he ride his bike all the way to the Healy's farm and then hunt down-river? The Healy land was on the opposite side of the river from where I understand the bike was found. Why did he stop halfway and appear to be intending to hunt up-river toward the Healy property, from the 'wrong' side of the river. Why would he leave his bike, lunch and shells behind? It appears that he may have 'ditched' his belongings in a hurry. But why? I'm not a hunter so I'd be happy to hear from some who do hunt. I believe current hunting rules state that you cannot hunt waterfowl until 30 minutes before sunrise. (Was that a rule in 1965?) Sunrise in Mapleton, MN on October 1st is 7:15 AM. This means no shooting until 6:45. Richard reportedly overslept and missed his friends at 5:00 AM. They had been planning to meet at 4:30. What were they going to do at that time? I can't determine what time Richard reportedly left town to ride the 3.5 miles to the bridge. If he indeed took the firearm out of the case and left the case behind . . . why? Was it 6:45 and he saw geese in the field when he arrived? Regardless, it would appear he intended to return to the bike fairly soon. As Pressureandheat stated, leaving a lunch unprotected in a road ditch in a paper bag is risky. Did something happen very soon after he arrived there?

Also, I think someone stated that the bike was found near the driveway of fellow-hunter Jerry McGregor. But, if I understand correctly, the bike was found on a field driveway leading to land that, in this 1962 map, was owned by Archie L. McGregor (Section 28). (Looking for confident verification of the actual location of the bike) Unless I missed something in reading these postings, no where did I see that Jerry McGregor lived on this land. According to Findagrave.com, Jerry was not the son of Archie McGregor, nor was he the son of Archie's brother Bruce D. McGregor (Section 27). Jerry is the son of Carroll and Ella McGregor. Going back 2 or 3 more generations, I don't find any direct relationship between Jerry and Archie in online records although it is likely they are distantly related. If someone knows were Jerry was living in 1965 please let us know.

 

[Richard]

It is a common hunting law in many states to allow shooting to begin a half hour before sunrise and end a half hour after sunset. However, hunters usually enter the area before shooting hours begin (in the dark) to set up their decoys and get into position.

Geese are usually hunted in open fields or open water areas. They are slow moving and heavy during landings, and are wary of hunters and possible landing obstacles. The do not like to land among trees or even in cut corn fields with stubble sticking up to snag their wings.

The usual way to hunt geese is to lure them into your chosen area using decoys and goose calls, staying out of sight in a blind or cover, and wearing camouflage or deadgrass color clothing. Geese have sharp color vision and can spot red or orange a mile away.

Since this was supposedly Dickie's first goose hunt, he probably did not know all the above, and may have either set out pheasant hunting, as in the past (maybe hoping to get a shot at a passing goose) -- OR maybe he was intending to meet up with his buddies at a pre-agreed upon goose blind/area.

We don't know for certain that the Stanley Healy farm was his destination. Dickie's mother thought that it might have been, based on the fact that he had hunted there and/or stayed overnight there on some previous occasions. Indeed, she was driving in that direction when she sighted the bicycle at the side of the road, prior to reaching the Healy farm.

 

[hiwayman]

stone turner.Jerry McGregor lived on the family farm south east of Mapleton in 1965 off of
county rd 17 and still lives there today.Gary Fitzpatrick lived at 403 Central ave s at the edge
of Mapleton.George Johnson lived at 301 Lincoln St.s.w.

 

[mst]

It is a common hunting law in many states to allow shooting to begin a half hour before sunrise and end a half hour after sunset. However, hunters usually enter the area before shooting hours begin (in the dark) to set up their decoys and get into position.

Geese are usually hunted in open fields or open water areas. They are slow moving and heavy during landings, and are wary of hunters and possible landing obstacles. The do not like to land among trees or even in cut corn fields with stubble sticking up to snag their wings.

The usual way to hunt geese is to lure them into your chosen area using decoys and goose calls, staying out of sight in a blind or cover, and wearing camouflage or deadgrass color clothing. Geese have sharp color vision and can spot red or orange a mile away.

Since this was supposedly Dickie's first goose hunt, he probably did not know all the above, and may have either set out pheasant hunting, as in the past (maybe hoping to get a shot at a passing goose) -- OR maybe he was intending to meet up with his buddies at a pre-agreed upon goose blind/area.

We don't know for certain that the Stanley Healy farm was his destination. Dickie's mother thought that it might have been, based on the fact that he had hunted there and/or stayed overnight there on some previous occasions. Indeed, she was driving in that direction when she sighted the bicycle at the side of the road, prior to reaching the Healy farm.

If it was his first goose hunt, is it likely he would have attempted it alone?

 

[stone-turner]

hiwayman, Thanks for the information. That 'tidies some loose ends up. ' I think I found the Jerry McGregor farm now with your help. If I found the right place, it's not in Blue Earth County, but south of the county line along the Faribault County portion of the river.
There is some ambiguity to Klobuchar's statement: ". . he arranged to go goose hunting for the first time with 3 school friends: Gary Fitzpatrick, Jerry McGregor, George Johnson." Does this mean he was a first-time goose hunter, his first time hunting with the 3 friends, or both?
I think the consensus in this forum is that it was his first time goose hunting. No one mentioned him taking decoys along so, if they were needed, the other 3 hunters must have supplied them. But the other 3 apparently stated that they didn't go goose hunting at all. This brings up so many questions.
Did Richard desperately bike out to the bridge in the wee hours with the anticipation of connecting with friends - only to find the field empty - and hopelessness brought him to a desperate act? Or did he finally connect with the friends and there's something they haven't revealed? Or could he have 'connected' with a stranger out there.
I think it's very unusual for a mother (or father) to allow their son out hunting (possibly by himself) and not be vigilant about whether or not he returned home. Were they both busy at the tavern that Saturday night? When they got home, did they not know that Richard wasn't home yet? We've all seen some 'diverse parenting practices' in our lives, but not checking in on a lone hunter? No desperate phone calls to other parents or neighbors late at night? It's awkward calling people late at night, but how could they sleep if they knew he wasn't home?

 

[Richard]

All of the evidence seems to indicate that Dickie Huerkamp had a strong interest in hunting, and that it was his intention to go goose hunting on Saturday, 2 October 1965.

Regardless of what circumstances or scenario led to his disappearance that morning, it was his intention to hunt in the area south of town. He had hunted on a farm south of Mapleton previously (the Stanley Healy property). Roger Schultz (whose shotgun Dickie had borrowed) lived south of town. All three of his alleged hunting buddies lived on or near county road 7 or south of town. And, of course, his sister's bicycle and his lunch and hunting items were found in a ditch, alongside the road, about 3.5 miles south of town.

What stands out in stark contrast to this is the story told by the three hunting buddies, who claim that they stopped by Dickie's house, but then drove 15 miles north of town to hunt squirrels at Hungary Hollow near Mankato) and then southeast to Minnesota Lake ( just over the county line) for more hunting.

It is a strong possibility that Dickie hoped and intended to meet up with them south of Mapleton within bicycle riding distance.

 

[Pressureandheat]

Personally not a hunter, so my question is for those that are… is it a thing to hunt squirrels at 5am in the morning? Wouldn’t the change from geese to squirrel require different guns/ammo, daylight? So did they go back home to switch guns, ammo, etc? And if so, that would have meant they would have driven back south on Hwy 7, which then they should have seen Dickie on his bike and/or the bike near the bridge...

 

[Richard]

Personally not a hunter, so my question is for those that are… is it a thing to hunt squirrels at 5am in the morning? Wouldn’t the change from geese to squirrel require different guns/ammo, daylight? So did they go back home to switch guns, ammo, etc? And if so, that would have meant they would have driven back south on Hwy 7, which then they should have seen Dickie on his bike and/or the bike near the bridge...

You sum it up well. Their story doesn't seem to make much sense.

They claimed to have gone to Dickie's house early to pick him up. Dickie told everyone he intended ro go goose hunting, and according to his buddies and his family, he intended to be up by 4:30 am to that end.

And these guys decide to go squirrel hunting at an early hour in a public park area 15 miles north instead? Right.

 

[Richard]

stone turner.Jerry McGregor lived on the family farm south east of Mapleton in 1965 off of
county rd 17 and still lives there today.Gary Fitzpatrick lived at 403 Central ave s at the edge
of Mapleton.George Johnson lived at 301 Lincoln St.s.w.

If it was Dickie's intent to ride his bike to meet up the other guys, it would seem that he had already gone past the homes of two of them. Was he on his way to the home farm of the third (McGregor)?

I wonder if investigators asked the three hunters what their initial plans were - that is what did they tell Dickie regarding where they planned to hunt?