The Gitchie Manitou Murders occurred on November 17, 1973, at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve in Lyon County, Iowa, near the South Dakota border. Five teenagers from Sioux Falls, South Dakota—Roger Essem (17), Stewart Baade (18), Dana Baade (14), Michael Hadrath (15), and Sandra Cheskey (13)—were gathered around a campfire when they were attacked by three brothers: Allen Fryer (29), David Fryer (24), and James Fryer (21). The Fryer brothers, initially in the area to poach deer, decided to rob the teens of their marijuana by posing as narcotics officers. Armed with shotguns, they opened fire, killing Roger Essem immediately and wounding Stewart Baade. The remaining teens hid, but Michael Hadrath and Sandra Cheskey were forced out of hiding. The brothers killed Stewart, Dana, and Michael, while Sandra was kidnapped, raped, and later released.

Sandra Cheskey’s testimony was crucial in identifying and convicting the perpetrators. The Fryer brothers were arrested after she recognized their truck and a farmhouse where she was held. Allen, David, and James were charged with murder; David pled guilty in February 1974 and received life without parole, Allen was convicted of four counts of murder in May 1974 and sentenced to four consecutive life terms, and James was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in December 1974, also receiving life. The brutal crime shocked the region, leaving a lasting impact on the community and transforming Gitchie Manitou into a site associated with tragedy.

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