'Most Wanted' suspect nabbed in Missouri

Associated Press

Originally published 11:20 p.m., June 18, 2008
Updated 11:43 p.m., June 18, 2008

Eric Dahlman

Nixa, Mo. — A man who was featured on the television show America's Most Wanted three years ago for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl in Colorado has been charged with felony child molestation of a Missouri girl.

Christian County Prosecutor Ron Kleek said Eric Dahlman, 45, has been on the run since 2000, when he fled Lupton after his 12-year-old stepdaughter told sheriff's deputies that Dahlman sexually assaulted her. Charges were filed, but he fled before being arrested.

In 2005, he was featured on the Fox TV program.

Dahlman was being held Wednesday on $350,000 bond on the Nixa charges. A preliminary hearing has been set for July 7 in Christian County Circuit Court.

"(Dahlman) has a $25,000 bond in Colorado," Kleek said. "He's waived extradition back to Colorado, but he'll sit here until we get ours (case) tried."

Dahlman's public defenders have asked for a bond reduction, but prosecutors have opposed.

A Nixa mother reported in late May that her daughter may have been molested by a man named Eric Hinchley, said the arresting officer, Detective John Huff of the Nixa Police Department.

"The arrest was delayed because Dahlman had made threats against the girl and her mother," Huff said. "We completed an interview with the girl and she came forth with allegations."

Her mother provided the man's name, which was an alias, his Social Security number and date of birth.

"I researched that but couldn't find anybody," Huff said. "The mother said she sort of suspected it because (Dahlman) had told some pretty wild tales."

Huff said he contacted a friend of Dahlman's and was able to get Dahlman to come to a location in Nixa on Monday.

"He gave the phony name," Huff said. "He was interviewed, arrested on the local charges and taken to police headquarters.

Once I arrested him, I knew we'd find out who he really was."

After Dahlman was fingerprinted, investigators discovered the Colorado charges, Huff said.

"We got another dangerous one off the streets," Huff said. "He won't hurt another little girl."

Investigators said Dahlman had been living in Nixa for about four years.

• June 19, 2008

  12:07 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  happymike44 writes:

  Well he is going to find life less the thrilling in jail.
  But think the best thing you can do is to clip that thing right off the pedophiles and rapists.
  Then we know for sure they can never reoffend because they always do and I mean always do.
  So by removing what is the problem it will save how many people from these kinds of attacks.
  Hope this dirtbag gets what he has coming a bunch of friends who will not be open to his deviant lifestyle.
  These kind of people need to understand that they are the lowest of humans on this planet.
  Good luck pos you are going to rot in jail where everyday will be the misery of your own making.