MAUSTON, Wis. – A jury found Donald J. Dahlberg guilty for a 2024 murder near Necedah and burning a car to incinerate the victim’s body. Dahlberg, age 47, could be sentenced for life. The jury convened seven hours to convict Dahlberg on all 15 counts on which he was tried. The counts included homicide and arson. The trial ran a full week. Dalberg’s codefendant, Crystal C. Teumer, 28, was sentenced earlier to 1-1/2 years for harboring a felon. Both Dahlberg and Teumer were from Grand Marsh, population 130, in neighboring Adams County.

Prosecution’s blow-by-blow reconstruction

Prosecutors presented a detailed and grisly account of what happened in Januay 2024. The main characters:

> Floyd Burdick, the murder victim.

> Donald Dahlberg, the murderer

> Crystal Teumer, Dahlberg’s ex-girlfriend.

The geography:

> Necedah. Population 900. In Juneau County near the Wisconsin River.

> Grand Marsh. Population 120. In Adams County, 30 miles from Necedah.

> Mauston. Population 4,300. The Juneau County seat.

On January 17, Floyd Burdick told a roommate that he was fearful that Teumer was in danger from Dahlberg and that he was going to check on her. The roommate, concerned also for Burdick’s safety, later  messaged him to ask if he were OK. Burdick texted back that he was fine. Early the morning of January 18, the roommate said he received a text from Teumer’s phone that said, “It’s done. I hope you’re not mad.” The roommate said he then spoke with Dahlberg on the phone and was told Burdick had dropped Dahlberg and Teumer off in Mauston. That, however, wasn’t the whole story.

The evening before, Burdick drove his own vehicle and picked up Teumer and Dahlberg. The three drove around Juneau County. At one point Dahlberg asked Burdick to stop because he wanted to give Teumer a hug. Burdick stopped. Dahlberg got out, walked to the back passenger door, opened it and gave Teumer the hug. Dahlberg then got back in the front seat. Burdick started to drive away. Teumer, in the back, saw a bright flash, heard a loud bang and then heard Burdick say, “What the fuck.” Two more bright flashes followed with two more loud bangs. Teumer said she grabbed the steering wheel to keep the vehicle on the road. It stopped.

Dahlberg and Teumer got out. Dahlberg pushed Burdick’s body out of the driver’s seat and began to drive himself. Eventually they pulled into a driveway and got stuck in the snow. Dahlberg removed Burdick’s body from the vehicle and covered it with snow. Dahlberg and Teumer drove off. The couple then got another vehicle. Teumer drove the second vehicle while Dahlberg drove Burdick’s vehicle. They picked up Burdick’s body. On the way Dahlberg threw Burdick’s cellphone and a gun out the window.  Dahlberg and Teumer went to an area near Necedah and parked on the side of a road. Dahlberg set Burdick’s vehicle on fire.