MILWAUKEE, WI — Wisconsin still has 171 people listed in its missing persons database, and families around the state are continuing to look for answers. In Milwaukee, the issue has been brought back into focus by the case of Alexis Nelson, whose disappearance led to a homicide charge last week.

Police and volunteers say these cases can stay active long after the first public appeal, especially when loved ones are still waiting for news.

How the Nelson case changed

Earlier this year, Beaver Dam police and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office asked the public for help finding 42-year-old Alexis Nelson. Prosecutors later charged 43-year-old Aaron Nelson with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.

Court filings say Alexis Nelson was last seen alive with Aaron Nelson at a Beaver Dam Kwik Trip in March 2025. Investigators say evidence found so far, including blood and human decomposition, suggests she is no longer alive, though her remains have not been found.

Groups keep names circulating

Heather Vancil co-founded Wisconsin Rapids-based Rapid Search and Rescue more than a decade ago to support law enforcement searches. She said the group’s work is meant to keep missing people from fading out of public view.

Vancil pointed to cases such as Isaiah Cramer and Alexis Patterson, saying many names and faces can be forgotten as time passes. She said it matters to keep their stories in front of people even when active searches are no longer happening.

Families live with uncertainty

For relatives, the wait can feel endless and uneven from one day to the next. Vancil described it as a roller-coaster, with families trying to get through ordinary life while not knowing what happened to the person they love.

She also said that when an arrest is made or someone is found, it can reopen pain rather than close it. The search for answers, she said, does not end neatly for many families.

Why persistence matters

Advocates say each new round of attention can give investigators and families another chance at progress, even years later. In this case, officials are still looking for Alexis Nelson’s remains while the criminal case moves forward.

Rapid Search and Rescue and records from the Wisconsin Department of Justice were among the sources for the information in the report. Together, they show how wide the missing persons challenge remains across Wisconsin.

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