The Dark Legacy of David Meirhofer: A Journey into America's First Profiled Serial Killer

Early Life and Background

David Gail Meirhofer was born on June 8, 1949, in Bozeman, Montana, a picturesque town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. He was one of five children born to Clifford and Eleanor Meirhofer. Shortly after his birth, the family relocated to the small, close-knit community of Manhattan, Montana, where David spent his formative years. Life in Manhattan was marked by a sense of isolation for David. His melancholic nature and introverted demeanor made him an outcast among his peers at Manhattan High School, where he often endured the harshness of bullying.

After completing high school in 1967, Meirhofer drifted through various odd jobs until the fall of 1968 when the military came calling. Drafted into the Army, he chose instead to enlist in the Marine Corps on October 1. This decision took him to the bustling military base in San Diego, California, where he joined the Signal Corps. In 1969, after basic training, Meirhofer's path led him to the tumultuous front lines of the Vietnam War, serving with the 5th Communications Battalion. His service was marked by commendations, earning him the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal for his role in deploying communication systems during assaults. By August 1971, he had returned to the United States, continuing his service at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton until his honorable discharge in 1973. Returning to Manhattan, Meirhofer became a self-employed handyman and carpenter, opening a shop in the city.

The Kidnapping of Susan Jaeger

The tranquility of rural Montana was shattered on June 25, 1973, with the disappearance of 7-year-old Susan Marie Jaeger. Susan was abducted from a tent during a family camping trip at Missouri Headwaters State Park. Her kidnapping marked the beginning of a chilling series of events that would haunt the state. Three days after the abduction, a man contacted the FBI's regional office in Denver, Colorado, claiming responsibility and demanding a $25,000 ransom. On July 2, Gallatin County Sheriff's Deputy Ron Brown received a similar call, this time with a demand for $50,000. The caller's description of Susan's unique fingernail, later confirmed by her relatives, was a chilling verification of his claims.

Despite an attempt to trap the kidnapper during the ransom exchange, the plan failed as no one appeared to collect the money. Months passed without progress until September 24, when Susan's older brother, Daniel, received a call at home from the kidnapper. By then, the FBI had wiretapped the family’s phone, capturing the conversation. This recording led the FBI to trace the call to a filling station in Cheyenne, Wyoming, though no suspect was apprehended.

In February 1974, a gruesome discovery was made at the Lockhart Place, an abandoned ranch in Three Forks, Montana. Around 1,200 skeletal fragments were unearthed, later identified as belonging to two victims: a girl aged 6-8 and a woman aged 18-20. On June 25, the kidnapper called the Jaegers once more, this time speaking for nearly an hour with Susan's mother, Marietta, reaffirming his identity but cruelly stating that he could not return Susan.

A breakthrough came when Ralph Green, a resident of Three Forks, reported an unfamiliar phone invoice dated June 25. Investigators found a voice gateway and other devices on Green’s telephone line, suspected to have been used by the kidnapper. Using this information, FBI profilers, pioneering a new technique in offender profiling, constructed a psychological profile. They concluded the suspect was a local white male, aged 25-30, likely with a military or telecommunications background, and a social outcast.

Investigation and Arrest

The investigation gradually focused on David Meirhofer. Authorities noted his frequent visits to Three Forks for construction and installation work, including at the Lockhart Place, where the remains were found. Further evidence linked him to Wyoming at the time of the September call to the Jaegers. On this basis, Meirhofer was taken into custody in August 1974. However, during interrogation, he denied involvement in Susan's abduction. In a bid to prove his innocence, he underwent sodium pentathol (a so-called "truth serum") interrogation and a polygraph test, both yielding inconclusive results, leading to his release.

Susan's parents, upon hearing the interrogation tapes, identified the voice as Meirhofer’s. Marietta confronted him multiple times, demanding he confess. On September 24, the kidnapper, calling himself "Travis," contacted the Jaegers again, threatening they’d never see Susan alive due to their police cooperation. Marietta addressed him by name during the call, but he did not respond. Unbeknownst to Meirhofer, the FBI monitored this call, and an audiophonoscopic analysis confirmed he was the caller, resulting in his arrest the following day.

Confession and Suicide

While in custody at Gallatin County Jail, a search of Meirhofer's home and car revealed damning evidence: bloodstained women's clothing, traces of washed-out blood, and a human hand and fingers stored in his refrigerator. Confronted with these findings, Meirhofer confessed on September 29 to the murders of Susan Jaeger and Sandra Dykman Smallegan, a 19-year-old who disappeared on February 10, 1974. He revealed that he had abducted and killed Susan shortly after her kidnapping because she resisted fiercely. As for Smallegan, Meirhofer had attempted to initiate a relationship, but upon her refusal, he abducted her, leading to her suffocation.

In a bid for leniency, Meirhofer's attorney arranged for him to confess to two additional murders. One was the 1967 shooting of 13-year-old Bernard L. Poelman, previously considered an accidental death. The other was the 1968 murder of 12-year-old Boy Scout Michael E. Raney, whom Meirhofer admitted to killing after expressing a desire to harm "a little kid." There was speculation about other possible victims, but Meirhofer only confessed to these four murders as part of his plea deal.

Tragically, just four hours after his confession, Meirhofer took his own life in his jail cell, using a towel to hang himself. His status as a murder suspect had not been communicated to jail staff, so he was not under suicide watch. The incident led to the censure of Sheriff Lesley "Andy" Anderson, who lost his position in the subsequent election.

Legacy and Media Depictions

The mystery surrounding Meirhofer's motives remains unsolved. His brother, Alan Meirhofer, was later convicted of child rapes in Seattle, Washington, but has refused to discuss any potential connection to his brother's crimes.

The story of Susan Jaeger's abduction and the investigation into Meirhofer's crimes has been the subject of books and television shows. Marietta Jaeger penned "The Lost Child," detailing her daughter’s kidnapping and the lessons of faith and forgiveness she learned. In 2022, Ron Franscell's "ShadowMan: An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling" highlighted the case and the FBI's pioneering profiling efforts. Television programs such as ABC's "FBI: The Untold Stories" and Investigation Discovery's "20/20 on ID" have dramatized the events, bringing the chilling narrative of David Meirhofer to a broader audience.

Sources

For the intricacies of this case and further reading, please visit the Wikipedia article on David Meirhofer.