Robert Dreesman

Timeline

• Dec. 30, 1987 — John and Agnes Dreesman, their grown daughter Marilyn Chuang, and Chuang’s three children were shot to death in the Dreesman home; authorities believed Robert Dreesman killed the family members and then shot himself.

Background

Robert Dreesman was the 40-year-old son of John Dreesman, 79, and Agnes Dreesman, 74. The Dreesmans were described as wealthy, quiet, and highly regarded, and John Dreesman was a former city councilman with a 1,000-acre farming operation. Friends and neighbors described Robert Dreesman as a loner who was intelligent but did not relate well to people.

Robert Dreesman had been living with his parents. He was a 1986 graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport. Neighbors said he had a medical degree from the University of Manila in the Philippines and did pre-veterinary work at Iowa State University, though they were unsure if he graduated. A classmate said Dreesman was taken out of Algona High School in his freshman year in 1962-63. A neighbor who refused to give her name told the Des Moines Register that he was admitted to the Menninger Clinic, a mental hospital in Topeka, Kan.

Authorities said they had some indication Robert Dreesman had undergone counseling for mental problems, but they were not sure what the problems were. Investigators found two weapons in the home.

A family friend, S. A. Mueller, a chiropractor, said: "With his sister's children home from Hawaii, Grandma and Grandpa showered so much love on them," and added, "I think, maybe, Robert was sitting in the corner by himself and flipped out." Another friend and family associate, Madelyn Priebe, said Dreesman was married for a few months to a woman from the Philippines, but that the marriage was annulled three or four years ago; she said she could not remember the woman's name. Ron Makin, a Division of Criminal Investigation agent in charge of the probe, said investigators had a rumor he had been married or was married and that they were trying to run that down.

Molly MacDonald, editor of the Algona Upper Des Moines and Kossuth County Advance newspapers and a friend of the family, took exception to Mueller’s comment that Robert Dreesman was neglected. MacDonald said: "He was not neglected. They were a very loving family," and added: "Perhaps Robert's view was distorted and he saw himself as neglected. He wasn't," she said.

Neighbors said Robert Dreesman had a reputation of going out of his way to avoid people, and one neighbor said, "Nobody knew him."

The offence

Authorities believed Robert Dreesman killed his relatives in the Dreesman home and then used a gun to commit suicide.

John Dreesman (79) and his wife Agnes Dreesman (74) were found shot to death in the home. Their grown daughter, Marilyn Chuang (48), and her children were also found shot to death. Chuang’s children were:

• Jason (12)
• Jennifer (11)
• Joshua (8)

Officials said the children, their mother, and their grandparents apparently were gunned down in less than 30 seconds as they were sitting down to lunch. Don Courtney, assistant Kossuth County attorney, said: "Most of the bodies were found in the dining room. Robert's was in the hallway outside the dining room,". Ron Makin said: "The evidence we found at the scene indicates he did the shooting and he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound,".

Authorities believed Robert pulled the trigger.

Investigation

Gene Meyer, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, would not elaborate on why investigators believed Robert Dreesman killed the six family members and himself. Eugene Meyer also said authorities were still trying to determine the motive for the slayings, and that the will might be a clue but there was nothing definitive. He said: "We are interested in anything we find out as it relates to Robert Dreesman because it may or may not have a bearing on how this incident unfolded," and added: "But the exact why is still speculative."

Officials said investigators found two weapons in the home.

Police and officials also indicated they believed the killings happened in the home on Wednesday afternoon.

Arrest

No arrest was mentioned.

Trial

No trial was mentioned.

Sentencing

No sentencing was mentioned.

Appeals

No appeals were mentioned.

Outcome

Authorities believed Robert Dreesman killed his relatives and then took his own life.

Robert Dreesman died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Aftermath

The bodies remained at the home while investigators tried to determine what set off the shooting spree. Investigators tried to determine what unfolded in the incident.

Friends and neighbors described Marilyn Chuang and her children as having traveled from their home in Honolulu to visit for the holidays.

S. A. Mueller described a family context involving the return of Chuang’s children from Hawaii, saying: "With his sister's children home from Hawaii, Grandma and Grandpa showered so much love on them," and "I think, maybe, Robert was sitting in the corner by himself and flipped out."

State Sen. Berl Priebe said: "Here he was living with his parents, kind of being the center of attention all the time, and then Marilyn and the kids came home," and added, "Who knows, but that might have pushed Robert over the edge."

Brian Keith said: "Nobody knew him,".

MacDonald notified police that something might be wrong at the Dreesman home after her daughter reported no one there when she tried to visit.

In a separate development, court papers filed Friday indicated Robert Dreesman revised his will several weeks before the slayings, leaving just $1 to each family member. The rest of his estate, which authorities said was "substantial," was earmarked for the World Wildlife Fund. Eugene Meyer said investigators refused to speculate about whether Dreesman was planning the killings when he changed his will.

Other details

John Dreesman once ran a poultry business and was described as a wealthy investor who owned thousands of acres of farm land. The elder Dreesmans had no other children.

Officials and friends said Robert Dreesman had multiple gaps in his past and had a reputation for avoiding people.

Authorities described the killings as the nation’s second mass killing of relatives in a week, referencing R. Gene Simmons Sr. who was accused of killing 14 family members and two other people in the Russellville, Ark., area.