No One Dare Call Her A Liar: The Untold Story of Hilda Kruckenberg's 1938 Murder One of the most notorious crimes in North Dakota history has reverberated through several generations of Larry Lee Kruckenberg's family. The brutal murder of 16-year-old Alma Luise Kruckenberg at the hands of her minister on August 16, 1938, was shocking enough. The subsequent confession, trial, and sentencing of her murderer took place with astonishing speed, leaving Alma's family and friends barely time to process the horrifying event. Lurid details of the crime have been passed down from one generation to the next, becoming distorted with every telling. In a meticulously researched retelling, the nephew Alma never knew provides a painstaking account of murder and motive, uncovering some secrets along the way. More than 85 years after the crime, the author sheds new light on what transpired, finally laying to rest a tragedy that has haunted his family for decades. Through official court transcripts, archived newspaper articles, writings from the murderer, conversations with elders who still remember, and traces of Alma's diary that have been lost to time, Larry Lee Kruckenberg tells the complete story of a crime that once captivated attention around the world, finally giving voice to the victim. About the Speaker Larry Lee Kruckenberg is a native North Dakotan - specifically from Big Bend Country in the southwestern part of the state. He is a descendent of Germans from Russia immigrants who arrived in Mercer County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He spent almost half his life living there and continues to visit frequently, as the location holds such significance for him and his family. Kruckenberg has done everything possible in his adult life to learn as much as he can about this region - from walking thousands of miles across the prairie to visiting most of the ghost town sites and many of the rural cemeteries. If Kruckenberg has any regrets, it's that he didn't ask enough questions of his elders while growing up. That was a driving force for him launching the Big Bend Country book series in 2020, which now numbers six volumes. One that is deeply personal to him involves the 1938 murder of his 16-year-old aunt Alma Kruckenberg - whose parents and grandparents were Germans from Russia immigrant farmers. This award-winning non-fiction book is the subject of Kruckenberg's presentation on AHSGR's August 2026 Treffen Tuesday. Kruckenberg is a 1966 graduate of Hazen High School, earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from North Dakota State University, and is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Currently retired, except for his historical writings, Kruckenberg and his wife, Roene, currently live in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Register here After registering, you should get a confirmation email from Zoom. Please contact us for assistance if you do not receive an email.