Farmer and three workers found dead in North Dakota field in suspected murder-suicide

Authorities say a .357 revolver was found at scene in Towner County wheat field

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Thursday 01 September 2022 21:17 BST
Farmer found dead alongside three others in suspected murder suicide

Your support helps us to tell the story

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Head shot of Andrew Feinberg

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A farmer was found dead in a North Dakota field alongside three other bodies in what officials are calling a murder-suicide.

Authorities say that a .357 revolver was found at the scene of the shooting in a wheat field in Towner County, which is located 200 miles northeast of Bismark.

The victims have been named as Douglas Dulmage, 56; Justin Bracken, 34; Richard Bracken, 64; and Robert Bracken, 59.

Dulmage was killed while combining wheat, and the three men had been hired to work on the farm alongside him, according to KVLY.

The bodies were discovered on Monday evening when a relative of one of the farmhands reportedly went looking for him.

The scene of the shooting in Towner County is shown above
The scene of the shooting in Towner County is shown above (Valley News Live)

Sheriff Andrew Hillier refused to identify a motive in the case but said it appeared to be a murder-suicide.

A friend of Dulmage, who farmed wheat, corn, and soybeans with his 95-year-old father at the property, described his killing as a “devastating loss” to the rural community.

“He was a pillar of the community,” Pat Traynor told KVLY.

“Everybody loved Doug Dulmage. He just had a tremendous, tremendous heart. He also had a quick wit. He was fun.

“If we could all be a bit more like Doug, the world would be a much better place.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in