Dalton Mesarchik

1998 - 2005

Dalton was waiting for a van to take him to a children's church service about 7 p.m. Wednesday, but the van never arrived because the driver was unavailable. A massive search by police and volunteers began Wednesday night and continued into Thursday but stopped after a fisherman found Dalton's body about 11:30 a.m. Thursday. He was last seen wearing a black leather coat, a black wrestling shirt, blue jeans, and "Hot Wheels" tennis shoes.

A three-pound Benchtop Pro hammer was identified as the murder weapon. Police say that forensic testing matched blood found on the hammer with that of the victim. The type of Benchtop Pro hammer used has a metal head, a foot-long wooden handle and is sold exclusively at Kmart stores. The tool has been on the market since the early 1990s.

Investigators are cross-checking a list of hammer owners provided to them by Kmart officials. Police hope they can zero in on a suspect by determining how many of those owners still have their hammers in their possession. About a dozen calls have come in so far regarding Benchtop Pro hammers. Police are asking that anyone who owns a Benchtop Pro hammer let them know if they still have theirs or if it was stolen.

Investigators also have been checking surveillance videotapes from local Kmart stores in hopes that can help point them toward the killer. Investigators believe the hammer was bought somewhere in Illinois.

A coroner’s inquest found that Dalton died from blunt force trauma to the head. If you have any information on the murder of Dalton please contact the police. We need to stop this person from walking the streets and having access to our children.