WATERTOWN, SD – New developments in a 19 year old missing persons case in South Dakota were announced by the state’s Division of Criminal Investigation, local and county police departments in the case of Pam Dunn. Dunn hasn’t been seen since December 10, 2001.
While most news media announcements are made in a more formal setting, Special Agent Cam Cory, WPD Detective Sergeant Chad Stahl and Deuel County Sheriff Cory Borg took members of the press out in the country this week, to a location in rural Deuel County, where a well is currently being excavated at an abandoned farm-site.
Pamela Dunn was reported missing in 2001 after she failed to show up for work at Jenkins Living Center. Responding to a request for a welfare check, Watertown Police found no trace of the woman and an investigation was begun into her disappearance.
A former boyfriend of Dunn’s, Dave Asmussen, was ultimately convicted by a Codington County jury in 2006 of kidnapping her and sentenced to life in prison. But a body was never found.
Agent Corey said the investigation into Dunn’s disappearance has always been a priority. “Since that time, we have not recovered Pamela Dunn’s body but it has been at the forefront of the three investigative agencies – the Watertown Police Department, the Department of Criminal Investigation and the Deuel County Sheriff’s Department .”
Then in January 2017, law enforcement received a new lead that Dunn’s body was in a well in rural Deuel County. The rural county with a population of about 4,000 people lies on the east line of South Dakota.
“We were able to locate this well through this investigation. And in November 2017, in cooperation with the City of Watertown in the use of its vacuum truck we did go down there and vacuumed up the contents of the water and some debris. Through that, we identified a conglomerate of hair that was wrapped up iin some sort of an elastic. That hair was sent to the South Dakota Forensic Lab and was identified to be human hair. We then sent the hair to the University of North Texas to the human identification section for DNA analysis. The hair was too degraded to conduct DNA typing.”
Agent Corey said they have utilized TASK Force 1 members from Sioux Falls Fire Rescue along with Watertown Fire Rescue personnel who have gone down into the well. Corey said despite the work of the two teams, they were never able to get to the bottom of the well.
“We’re now working the Deuel County Highway Department and excavation of the well is underway . We’re down approximately 21 feet. It’s our last resort with this well.”
Agent Corey said that the information that Dunn’s body may be in the well came from a resident of Deuel County who knew that Asmussen frequented the area.
“Dave Asmussen was known to come to this area for firewood and it was within two and half miles from a relative’s residence,” said Corey.
Agent Corey say the well excavation is the most promising lead he has received in his 14 years of working the Pam Dunn case. The excavation will continue at the site as long as necessary.Corey says, Law enforcement will begin sifting through the dirt looking for evidentiary items soon.
“Once we get to the very bottom of the well, we’re going to bring things up and start sifting through all the debris, looking for bone or evidence such as an old caller i.d. box and a telephone cord that was missing from the scene 19 years ago.
Agent Corey said more information will be released as it becomes available.
