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

[Pressureandheat]

Photo of Dickie Huerkamp & his pup

 

[cenazoic]

I’m with @DD Byrd and the extremely specific details given by the letter writer. He basically tells you where he left the body:

The man drove about five miles on the road where he found the boy and took the next left side road that went to a series of farm homes. He went slowly for about ten minutes before he saw a likely clump of trees. The trees are of the scrub oak variety and they have been overgrown with all grass and weeds at their bases. The body has been decomposed for quite some time and the remains are difficult to see.

This is what happened to the body.

Of course, he doesn’t mention the bike, the gun, or where exactly he found the body.

Anyway, great job, @stone-turner , @Pressureandheat , and of course @Richard for shepherding this case for the many quiet years.

 

[Brightchaser47]

Thanks so much, Pressureandheat, for sharing the article! There seems to be a bit missing between the first and second clippings, but still very interesting reading.

 

[Richard]

https://www.maplerivermessenger.com/editions/140/view
Steven Shute's article in the Maple River Messenger. Steven did a great job of researching and writing about Dickie Huerkamp's disappearance. With renewed interest and recollection by members and former members of the Mapleton community, perhaps this case can still be solved after 60 long years.

Note that Steven obtained a nice, colorized photo of Dickie as well as earlier candid snapshots of him from family members.

The Blue Earth County Sheriff has requested that Dickie's case be included in the National Register of Missing Persons.

 

[Richard]

Thanks so much, Pressureandheat, for sharing the article! There seems to be a bit missing between the first and second clippings, but still very interesting reading.

The missing portion mentioned is actually included on the front page of the newspaper in two columns just to the right of Dickie's colorized photo.

 

[Richard]

This is great! What stands out to me is that it completely reiterates that they really never investigated any type of foul play. They just weren’t looking at it from that angle. It also reiterates that the parents didn’t report him missing until Sunday mid morning. But they knew full well Saturday afternoon and night that Dickie never showed up at Chuck Healy’s home. Chuck told them Dickie wasn’t with him, that he never arrived. So why did they wait until Sunday to contact the cops and start a search?

What this recent information shows is that Mrs. Huerkamp was a concerned parent who did check on Dickie several times before reporting him missing to the police chief. There could be any number of reasons for the perceived delay in reporting him missing.

Since he had stated his intention of hunting with two (or three) boys besides Chuck Healy, it would have been considered possible that he met up with them and was still hunting on Saturday afternoon till early evening at sunset. In his mother's mind, he might have arrived at the Healy home late, like he did the night before when out with McGregor, Fitzgerald, and Johnson. It wasn't until Sunday morning, when he had not returned home or attended Mass, and it was confirmed that Dickie had not shown up at the Healy home, that the reality of him being missing set in and she called Chief Moore.

Investigators might have suspected foul play early on but refrained from voicing such scenarios publicly or to the press. Their concentration was on the search and the hope that Dickie might be found alive. They probably did not want to disparage the community with morbid theories - especially without any evidence that an abduction, or homicide had occurred.

 

[Richard]

It was 60 years ago today that Dickie Huerkamp went missing. A large-scale intensive search involving hundreds of volunteers, tracking dogs, boats and aircraft failed to turn up any trace of him, his clothing, or his shotgun.

Left behind were a bicycle, a few items, a grieving family, and a lot of questions.

The 60-year anniversary article in the Maple River Messenger is perhaps the most comprehensive report on his disappearance to date. Hopefully, it will generate community interest and awareness that Dickie has not been forgotten.

 

[Valiant]

I will say I was surprised at the actual effort expended 60 years ago. Maybe they didn't consider foul play strongly enough - but they certainly put a lot of effort into searching.