‘New information and evidence’ reignite Mitchell County cold case

MITCHELL COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH) - Who killed Gary Nelson? More than 16 years after someone murdered a rural Beloit man in his home, investigators might be getting closer to answering that question.

The cold case goes back to the early morning of Dec. 18, 2009, when someone – perhaps more than one person – entered through Gary’s unlocked door and shot him.

In a news release shared on Monday morning, the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office said that “investigators have recently obtained new information and additional evidence in the case.”

“As a result of continued investigative work, including the review of previously collected materials and follow-up interviews, the case remains active and is being aggressively pursued,” the sheriff’s office said.

The continued investigation involving the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and the KBI includes the reexamination of physical evidence recovered from the scene. That reexamination includes submittal for forensic analysis.

“That analysis has yielded significant findings that are advancing the investigation,” the sheriff’s office said. “Investigators are not revealing the specific nature of those findings at this time in order to protect the integrity of the ongoing case.”

The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with knowledge of the events surrounding Nelson’s death to come forward, “no matter how insignificant it may seem.”

“We believe there are individuals in the community who possess additional knowledge about what occurred before, during or after Mr. Nelson’s death,” the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office specified that “investigators are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who has information regarding the following”:

• Any statements of admissions made by individuals concerning the death of Gary Nelson
• Any other information that may assist investigators
• Anyone who can possess information, no matter how minor it may seem, to contact investigators