By Lori Ehde
Every day, Sheriff Ron McClure sits at his computer and sees the words "Carrie Nelson homicide" scroll across the screen.
Even a year after the brutal murder of the 20-year-old Blue Mounds State Park employee, the words remain as a screen saver on his computer.
"It's a good reminder," he said. "I'm hoping for a call. We're hoping someone has a change of heart."
At this point, he said, all he has is hope.
He, Rock County investigator Clyde Menning and BCA investigators have been through the case information over and over again.
"Just last month I went out to the scene to walk around - hoping I'd find something we missed," McClure said.
He said the case has been a tragedy for Nelson's loved ones, but it's also taken its toll on local law enforcement.
"Every one of us - the dispatchers and the officers - cares about this," McClure said.
"Every time someone calls the tip line, you're hoping that's going to be the call we've been waiting for. Every time someone calls and insists on speaking with either me or Clyde, we hope that's going to be the call."
He said he knows for himself the department has done everything it can for the case, but he'd feel better if it were solved.
"When you have something with this much trauma to it, it doesn't just affect law enforcement, it affects the whole community," he said.
"It puts doubt in their minds. It can happen in any community.... It really did happen here."
While the case hasn't presented any productive developments, McClure said he hasn't given up hope.
"All we can do is appeal to the community. If someone wants to talk about something they forgot to mention earlier, it's not too late."
Learning to live with the pain
What's been a frustrating year for law enforcement has been an unbearable one for Nelson's parents.
"It's been a terrible year," said Stan Nelson, Hills. "Every day I wake up and it's right there in front of me. It's not something that goes away ... it just won't. You just live with it. Every day something happens that brings up her memory, and the tears come."
He spent the anniversary of Carrie's death with his other daughter, Katie, and Michael Kellen, who had been engaged to Carrie.
They planted flowers on her grave in Flowerfield Cemetery, just down the road from Nelson's acreage, and they planted a willow tree on his yard in her memory.
He still pins on the tattered orange ribbon he first wore during the initial days following his daughter's death.
Nelson said he's frustrated no one has been held accountable for his daughter's death, and at this point, he feels helpless to do anything about it.
"You just want people to remember her. She was such a sweet girl - kind and compassionate," he said. "You think about every little thing you wish you'd done with her that you didn't do and you regret."
He said everyone should be aware of violence and do what they can to diffuse situations before they cause heartache.
"Raise your children to be gentle people," he said. "We need to do everything we can to preclude this kind of suffering."
Carrie's mother, Nan Karr-Kaufenberg, spent the anniversary of her daughterÕs death in a secluded cabin in the quiet north woods of Minnesota.
"It's been a horrible year," she said. "I know it's going to continue to be a nightmare for the rest of my life."
She said it doesn't help to know her daughter's murderer has not been arrested.
"She was such a sweet, innocent person, and we need to find the person or persons who did this. She didn't deserve it."
Kaufenberg said she has found comfort in community support, and she's pleased about the wildflower garden the Blue Mounds State Park is planning in her memory.
The garden, which will be supported by memorials in NelsonÕs name, will be planted near the Interpretive Center.
BCA hopes reinstated reward will prompt call
While the family grieves, state and local investigators continue to search for Nelson's assailant.
"We have looked at more than 500 leads, we've talked to more than 700 different people," said Paul Soppeland of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
"We have obtained DNA from 250 separate people. (including park employees and campers). We do not have any solid information as to who may have done this."
Soppeland said law enforcement is still looking for the money bags stolen at the scene and for the person who was wearing the watch found at the scene. They are also seeking information about a white car that was seen leaving the park.
He said the $50,000 reward money offered by Spotlight on Crime expired last year, but in honor of the anniversary of her death, it's been reinstated for a month.
The reward will go to any person that contributes information that leads to an arrest. The tip line is 283-1301.
He said he's as frustrated as the local sheriff's department by the case.
"Apparently we should have had this solved long ago, because everyone has all these facts that turn out to not be facts," Soppeland said of rumors.
"There was a large contingency of BCA investigators down there working round the clock, seven days a week for the first few months after the murder.
"These guys have hundreds of years of experience between them investigating homicides.
"So, yes, this is frustrating to us."
He said he hopes the reinstated reward will help.
"I still have optimism that we will get this case solved," he said. "We're hoping it will bring the one lead that will help us. We don't need a lot of calls. We just need the one call from someone out there who knows something about this case."
