Ettrick man driving home when he was shot, killed

An Ettrick man was returning home from planting on his family’s farm when his car was followed by one driven by a Melrose man who allegedly shot and killed the father of two.

Todd Eric Gieck, 61, of Melrose was charged Thursday for purportedly shooting through the window of the victim’s car, striking and killing 37-year-old Kyle Dahl. According to the criminal complaint, Gieck allegedly said “watch this” as he fired a gun at the Dahl vehicle.

Trempealeau County District Attorney John Sacia has charged Gieck with first degree reckless homicide, repeater, use of a dangerous weapon; discharging a firearm from a vehicle toward a building or vehicle, repeater; and possession of a firearm by out of state felon in the death of Kyle Dahl, 37, of Ettrick. He has been held in Trempealeau County jail on another charge.

Dahl’s car was initially found crashed in a ditch May 15 and the responding deputy, Austin Markham, reported finding driver Dahl severely injured with some type of “object” near his eye. Among the individuals assembled at the crash site was Dahl’s father who said the 37-year-old had been planting on the family farm until 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. and was headed home.

Dahl later died in Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse.

Hospital personnel and later a Minnesota medical examiner confirmed to deputies that it appeared Dahl had been shot, a finding that set into motion an investigation by Trempealeau County deputies and state special agents. The officers used video tapes and numerous interviews to finally track down the man they suspected of shooting the fatal bullet.

According to court records, officers identified Gieck as a suspect May 16, and eventually interviewed an individual who alleged Gieck had a handgun and a second person who was riding with Gieck at the time of the incident. The companion said it appeared Gieck was irritated by Dahl driving his car slowly past him.

Records for the Trempealeau County jail indicate Gieck has been in custody since May 30, initially on charges unrelated to the Dahl death.

Repeater clauses were added to the charges because Gieck was convicted of a felony — assault by prisoner — in California within the preceding five years. According to the criminal complaint, Gieck was convicted of that crime in 2016 and was released from prison in 2020. 

No court date had been set as of Friday for Gieck.  Read this week’s Times for an account of how the investigation unfolded.