Police: Dahms was shot at close range, gun not recovered

Harry Dahms was shot in the head at close range, but the weapon used in the murder of the former Lake County Fair Board member was not recovered at the murder scene, police said Tuesday.

No additional information is being released regarding the death of the 68-year-old Dahms, authorities said, but they are still urging anyone who may have witnessed the homicide to step forward.

Dahms was found shot in the driveway of his home on the 14000 block of Russell Road in unincorporated Lake County, near the Wisconsin border.

Lake County Coroner Artis Yancey said Dahms was found by a passer-by with a single gunshot wound to his head about 8:30 a.m. June 1. Dahms was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Yancey said the gunshot was not self-inflicted and the case has been officially ruled a homicide.

Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Karen Kates said the murder weapon was not recovered at the scene. She said evidence shows the unknown shooter held the gun more than 2 inches but less than one foot from Dahms’ head when the fatal shot was fired.

Dahms was last seen alive at his home about 10:10 p.m. Thursday wearing a dark shirt and khaki-colored shorts with tan work boots, Kates said.

Dahms’ “typical hangouts” were Truck Stops of America and Toor’s Truck Stop, on Russell Road just west of the Tri-State Tollway, according to Kates. She could not say what brought Dahms to the truck stops.

She said Dahms also was known to frequent 45 North Bar & Grill near Antioch and a BP gasoline station on the 8000 block of Sheridan Road in Kenosha.

Dahms joined the fair board in 1986 and served about 18 years. He was known for fixing old buildings where the fair and other events were held until a new facility opened in Grayslake in 2009.

Anyone with information regarding Dahms’ death is urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at (847) 377-4250. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered by Lake County Crime Stoppers.