When you accept an engagement ring, it’s a little rude to ask where it came from, but one unfortunate Wisconsin lady will spend the rest of her life wishing she’d done a little more digging into her new fiancé’s life. Possibly literally.
Enter 43-year-old Aaron Nelson who, according to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested on Friday for the murder of his former wife, Alexis Nelson.
Alexis vanished into thin air on March 29, 2025, and was last seen on surveillance footage at a Kwik Trip convenience store in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin where the couple shared an apartment. Her phone then pinged a mast 30 miles away in Sun Prairie, and soon after that, her husband purchased a 32-gallon trash can.
You can probably see where this one is going. Days after this, Nelson created a brand new Facebook page under the name “James Nelson”, listed his relationship status as “Widowed”, and then signed up for Tinder. Ladies, he’s back on the market! So, what happened to your last wife? Uh, can we change the subject?
A month later he was in a new relationship with a woman from Tinder, and by the end of May, the new couple had moved in together. Suspicious cops checked up on the pair, noting that the new girlfriend was wearing what they described as “an engagement ring”.
Where is Alexis?
Unfortunately, the little matter of Alexis Nelson’s disappearance would put a stop to the wedding plans. In June, cadaver sniffing dogs uncovered the 32-gallon trash can, which tested positive for Alexis’ blood. They also noted the “scent of decaying human remains in a shed”.
Authorities say Aaron Nelson has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in connection with the disappearance and homicide of his wife, Alexis Nelson. https://t.co/r3c2TRQ0FQ
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) May 18, 2026
But they didn’t find a body. After a long and arduous search, no corpse was found, but even so, cops have now finally arrested Aaron Nelson, who is being held on charges of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse, with his bond set at $1 million.
Even without a body, prosecutors seem confident they can convict Nelson of his wife’s murder, with the grisly detail that he likely yanked the wedding ring from her cold, dead finger and gave it to his next girlfriend unlikely to endear him to a jury.
The cops will presumably be quietly yet firmly explaining to him that they already have everything they need to ensure Nelson never sees the light of day again, though things might go a little more smoothly for him if he confesses and reveals where his wife’s body is stashed.
