The Dutchburn House

So recently, I’ve been sort of deep diving into the case of Brianna Maitland from Vermont. I’m sure if you’re searching on this topic then you’re familiar with that case to some extent. The location her car was found backed in to was an abandoned house called the Dutchburn house. It’s been demolished at this point but there is a history to that house that I found interesting and wanted to know more about.

The year was 1986 and two farmers lived at the farmhouse. There was Myron and Harry, though it appears Myron went by Mike. I have seen their ages listed as 75/77 and 76/79 respectively. 

The early morning of January 31st, Harry heard a voice calling him by name. It was a stranger, and he was asking for help stating he had run out of gas. The brothers told them they had none, at which point this person begun beating on the door of the home. The initial inquiry wasn’t such a strange request; they where known in the area to assist drivers that had car trouble in the area.

Mike decided to leave his bed and go downstairs to address the issue, and at this point the door to the home was already being kicked in. 

At this point the fight began. Mike was punched in the face by what he thought were probably brass knuckles. He tried to put the assailant in a headlock but was overpowered. Around this time a second person entered the home. Harry came to Mike’s aide but he ended up being beaten with his own cane. 

The brothers had a tendency to keep large amounts of cash in the house and this fact seemed to be the motive for these two attackers. The brothers were brutally beat and should never recover. It seems the attackers made off with about $6,000-$7,000.

The pair laid injured and bloody in the floor for over 3 hours before Mike found the strength to get up. He managed to drive himself to the home of a neighbors. It is said that the injuries to their faces made them unrecognizable. 

Harry needed 10 stitches to close the would to his head, and his right eye was permanently damaged.

The pair became reclusive and and understandably no longer trusted people around them. They quickly sold off their cows and retired. They rarely left their home. Any noise at night would startle them, terrified of suffering another attack. They sealed themselves in the home. The installed new dead bolts. And it prompted them to open a check account, no longer wanting to keep their cash close.

Eventually they ended up in nursing homes. Mike passed in 1991 followed by Harry in 1999.

Darrell L. Clark and Louise R. Gilbeau were late arrested and sentenced for the crime. They had cash that reeked of the musty barn smell. The cash they came to steal lead to their downfall. 

The brothers were previously known for helping people having car trouble in the area. People would often get stuck or spin out. I find it a weird thought that if they had been alive and there, they might have helped Brianna Maitland.

Apparently the house was set on fire by teenagers in 2016, and the Dutchburn house no longer stands. 

It would appear that Darrell Clark actually lived down the road from the house when Brianna went missing. So clearly he didn’t get life. He resided there from 2001-2006. The time line fits, maybe there is more to this. It would certainly be a different approach to Brianna’s case. He would change his home address to a business address 2 years after her disappearance. I’m sure I will have more posts and thoughts on this later.