Dale Merle Nelson was born on March 19, 1939, in Creston, British Columbia, Canada. He grew up in a rural area where his family lived a simple life. As a child, Dale faced challenges that would later influence his life. Information about his early childhood is limited, but he eventually became a logger, a job that required physical strength and resilience.

As an adult, Dale married and had three children. He worked hard to provide for his family, but his personal life was troubled. There were reports of domestic violence, including physical abuse toward his wife. Dale struggled with alcohol, which made his behavior aggressive and unpredictable. Friends noted that when he drank heavily, he could become difficult to handle.

In the early 1970s, Dale's life took a downward turn. He fell into a deep depression, which he could not seem to overcome. In 1970, he made a suicide attempt that failed. Afterward, he spent two months at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, British Columbia. This stay was likely an attempt to address his mental health issues. Nelson's story reflects the struggles he faced during his early years and the factors that impacted his life as an adult.

On September 4, 1970, Dale Nelson left a bar after drinking with friends. Just after midnight, he drove to the home of his distant relative, Shirley Wasyk. Shirley was alone, and Nelson attacked her with a fire extinguisher. He tied her hands and left her on the bed. Then he took two young relatives, Charlene and Tracey, into another room.

Debbie, Shirley's 12-year-old daughter, woke up to her mother's cries. She untied her mother and grabbed the fire extinguisher. When she heard Tracey scream, she managed to escape and ran for help to a neighbor's house. The neighbor called the police.

When officers arrived, they found Shirley dead and Tracey had also been killed. Charlene was freed nearby, but Tracey's body was missing. While police searched for Nelson, another family, the St. Amand family, was attacked. Isabel St. Amand reported a man with a gun. By the time the police arrived, the family had been murdered. Their daughter, Cathy, was missing.

The police later found Nelson's truck abandoned in a ditch. Inside, they discovered evidence of the earlier attack. Nelson was eventually located in a shack in the woods. He surrendered without any struggle and confessed to all eight murders.

Nelson was put on trial for the murders of Cathy and Tracey. He claimed to have been drunk and under the influence of drugs at the time but was found guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Dale Nelson died of throat cancer in prison on February 10, 1999.