A Year After Alexis Nelson's Disappearance, Husband Charged with Murder | Crime Alert 05.22.26

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Episode: A Year After Alexis Nelson's Disappearance, Husband Charged with Murder | Crime Alert 05.22.26
Air Date: May 22, 2026
Host: Sydney Sulbani (Crime Alert segment for Nancy Grace & CrimeOnline)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace delves into three major stories:

1. Update on the Alexis Nelson Disappearance and Murder Case in Wisconsin: Detailing the arrest and charges against her husband, Aaron Nelson, more than a year after her disappearance.
2. High-Profile Religious Leader Facing Child Solicitation Charges in Florida: Alan Chambers, the former head of Exodus International, has been implicated in a cybercrime sting.
3. Chicago Kidnapping and Murder Linked to an International Phone Tip: Police investigate the execution-style killing of an 18-year-old whose mother was tipped off by a call from Venezuela.

Below is a breakdown of key points, memorable quotes, and segment timestamps.

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1. The Alexis Nelson Case: Husband Charged With Murder

[00:37 – 03:19]

Key Discussion Points:

• Arrest and Charges:

  • Aaron Nelson, 43, arrested over a year after wife Alexis’s disappearance; charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.
  • Bond: $1 million cash; court date set for May 28.
  • Body has not been located, but prosecutors proceed with the case.

• History of Domestic Abuse:

  • Alexis Nelson had filed a restraining order against Aaron after a domestic violence incident.
  • Neighbors recalled “frequent, intense arguments” from the couple’s apartment prior to her disappearance.

• Timeline & Evidence:

  • Last confirmed sighting on March 29, 2025: surveillance footage at a Beaver Dam QuickTrip.
  • Alexis’s phone tracked heading to Sun Prairie, WI, then went dark.
  • The next day, Aaron bought a 32-gallon trash can.
  • He created a fake Facebook under “James Nelson” and changed his relationship status to “widowed.”
  • Began dating another woman via Tinder soon after; moved in with her in May 2025.
  • New girlfriend was found wearing Alexis’s stolen wedding ring.

• Forensic Breakthroughs:

  • June 2025: Search warrant executed at new girlfriend’s house.
    • Found the same trash can Aaron purchased, concealed in a shed.
    • Forensic tests confirmed Alexis’s blood in the trash can.
    • Cadaver dog alerted to the shed.

Notable Quotes:

• “Aaron Nelson was taken into custody on Monday, May 18. The Dodge County District Attorney’s Office has officially hit Nelson with heavy charges including first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.” – Sydney Sulbani (00:42)

• “A neighbor ... recalling frequent intense arguments echoing from the home before Alexis disappeared.” – Sydney Sulbani (01:45)

• “Investigators later noticed that this new girlfriend was actively wearing Alexis’s stolen wedding ring.” – Sydney Sulbani (02:30)

Memorable Moments:

• The chilling detail that Alexis’s ring appeared on Aaron’s new girlfriend.
• The use of a cadaver dog leading to the crucial forensic finding inside the trash can.

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2. Florida Cybercrime Sting: Ex-Conversion Therapy Leader Arrested

[04:48 – 06:40]

Key Discussion Points:

• Suspect: Alan Chambers, ex-president of Exodus International, nationally recognized for advocating conversion therapy before a dramatic public reversal.

• Crimes:

  • Arrested for soliciting a minor, transmitting harmful material, and unlawful use of communication devices.
  • Sting operation involved undercover detective posing as a 14-year-old boy on multiple messaging platforms.
  • Chambers sent explicit photographs and repeatedly proposed in-person meetings.
  • Exhibited “calculated paranoia”—conscious of being discovered.

• Background:

  • Chambers once famously recanted his prior beliefs and apologized in 2013.
  • Facing severe felony charges; held in Orange County Jail.

Notable Quotes:

• “[Chambers] was actively communicating with an undercover detective who was posing online as a vulnerable 14-year-old boy.” – Sydney Sulbani (05:15)
• “Chambers ... voic[ed] calculated paranoia, explicitly expressing deep concern over being discovered.” – Sydney Sulbani (05:50)

Memorable Moments:

• The juxtaposition of Chambers’ past as a self-styled moral leader with his current felonious charges.

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3. Chicago Execution-Style Murder with Mysterious International Link

[06:40 – 08:19]

Key Discussion Points:

• Incident Overview:

  • 18-year-old male found dead, hands bound, shot in chest and leg; discovered in a bathtub at a South Perry Avenue apartment.
  • Crime scene included three 9mm shell casings.

• The International Phone Call:

  • Mother received a call from Venezuela warning of her son’s kidnapping and detailing the apartment’s address.
  • Claimed abduction occurred near a basketball court at South King Drive.
  • Police now probing connections between the local murder and international tip-off.

Notable Quotes:

• “A police report indicates that the mother was contacted by an unknown individual placing a call from Venezuela.” – Sydney Sulbani (07:26)
• “Area 1 detectives are currently working to unravel the connection between the local kidnapping, the execution, and the mysterious caller broadcasting from South America.” – Sydney Sulbani (08:11)

Memorable Moments:

• The haunting, cross-continental aspect of a murder investigation sparked by a phone call from South America.

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Key Timestamps

| Time | Segment Description | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:37–03:19 | Alexis Nelson homicide update and investigation | | 04:48–06:40 | Alan Chambers cybercrime arrest in Florida | | 06:40–08:19 | Chicago kidnapping/murder and Venezuela phone call |

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Overall Tone and Style

• Urgent, fact-driven, and direct reporting by Sydney Sulbani (guest hosting or presenting for Crime Alert).
• Signature “crime alert” energy with a focus on chilling, high-impact details and clear narrative.

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Summary Takeaways

• The Alexis Nelson story illustrates the complexities of prosecuting homicide without a body, hinging on digital forensics, circumstantial evidence, and behavioral clues.
• The Alan Chambers case highlights the ongoing dangers and subtleties of online child exploitation investigations, amplified by the perpetrator’s prominent background.
• The Chicago murder segment exposes a layered mystery potentially extending beyond US borders, elevating concerns of international crime links.

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For further crime and justice updates, tune in daily to “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.”

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Transcript

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Sequences shortened and simulated Crime Alert Hourly

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Update Breaking crime news Now.

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I'm Sydney Sulbani A chilling investigation out of Wisconsin has culminated in a major arrest more than a year after a woman vanished without a trace, leaving a trail of disturbing behavioral patterns and forensic evidence. The Dodge County Sheriff's Office announced that 43 year old Aaron Nelson was taken into custody on Monday, May 18. The Dodge County District Attorney's Office has officially hit Nelson with heavy charges including first degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse. Although prosecutors are moving forward with the murder case, authorities admit that the body of his wife, 42 year old Alexis Nelson, has still not been found. Nelson is currently being held in the Dodge County Jail on a staggering $1 million cash bond with a court appearance scheduled for May 28. Officials added they are withholding additional details out of respect for the family and the ongoing integrity of the judic process. As reported by local news outlet WISC, Alexis Nelson was last seen alive in May of 2025 behind closed doors. Prosecutors allege a history of volatile domestic abuse, noting that Alexis had previously filed a restraining order against her husband following an alleged domestic incident. A neighbor who lived near the couple's Beaver Dam apartment spoke with witi, recalling frequent intense arguments echoing from the home before Alexis disappeared. The timeline constructed by investigators reveals a dark series of events. According to a criminal complaint, the couple was last captured together on surveillance footage at a Beaver Dam quick trip on March 29, 2025. From there, the digital and physical evidence began to pile up. Phone records allegedly track Alexis cell phone traveling to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin before going dark the very next day, Erin Nelson was spotted purchasing a 32 gallon trash can. Shortly after his wife's disappearance, Nelson allegedly created a fraudulent Facebook profile under the alias James Nelson, changing his relationship status to Widowed within weeks. In April of 2025, Nelson matched with another woman on the dating app Tinder and moved into her residence by the end of May. Shockingly, investigators later noticed that this new girlfriend was actively wearing Alexis stolen wedding ring. In June, a search warrant executed at the girlfriend's home uncovered the 32 gallon trash can, which forensics confirmed tested POS for Alexis's blood. A certified cadaver dog also alerted handlers to a shed on the property where that exact trash can had been hidden. While the Dodge County Medical Examiner's Office confirms there is no official record of Alexis death within the state, the evidence was more than enough to secure a homicide charge. More crime and justice news after this.

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today in Orange County, Florida, a prominent figure who once led a controversial national religious movement is now behind bars caught in a high state Internet crime sting operation. Alan Chambers, the former high profile president of Exodus International, a now defunct ministry that infamously advocated for conversion therapy, was arrested in Winter park on Monday, May 18. Court records reveal that Chambers is facing severe felony charges including soliciting a minor via computer, transmitting information harmful to a minor and the unlawful use of a two way communication device. According to an arrest affidavit. Chambers downfall was the result of a meticulous months long sting operation spearheaded by cybercrime detectives. Investigators alleged that Chambers was actively communicating with an undercover detective who was posing online as a vulnerable 14 year old boy. Per the arrest documents, Chambers utilized multiple digital platforms to maintain contact including Snapchat, text messaging and the encrypted app Telegram. The explicit nature of their interactions escalated significantly when Chambers allegedly transmitted an explicit photograph displaying a man's torso and genitals to the undercover agent. The affidavit further claims that Chambers repeatedly initiated conversations about arranging an in person meeting with the person he believed to be a young teenager. Throughout these digital exchanges, Chambers reportedly voiced calculated paranoia, explicitly expressing deep concern over being discovered. Chambers is currently being held at the Orange County Jail. This arrest marks a stunning chapter for a man who made national headlines back in 2012 when he publicly renounced his support for conversion therapy, later offering a formal apology to the gay community in 2013 for the undue suffering and judgment caused by his former ministry. Chambers, who authored three books throughout his career detailing his shifting stances, has not yet entered a formal plea. An international phone call has exposed a brutal kidnapping and execution in Chicago, leaving Area 1 detectives searching for answers. The investigation unfolded on Tuesday night when Chicago police officers responded to a requested well being check around 9pm Inside an apartment located in the 6800 block of South Perry Avenue. Upon entering the residence, officers made a gruesome discovery finding the body of an unidentified 18 year old male inside a bathtub. According to an official Chicago police report, the teenager was found lying face down with his hands tightly bound behind his back. The victim had sustained multiple fatal gunshot wounds to his chest and leg. Officers processing the scene recovered three 9 millimeter shell casings adjacent to the bathtub. The sequence of events leading authorities to the crime scene began with an extraordinary and terrifying phone call received by the victim's mother. A police report indicates that the mother was contacted by an unknown individual placing a call from Venezuela. The anonymous call caller claimed that her 18 year old son had been kidnapped on Monday afternoon around 3pm near a basketball court in the 7100 block of South King Drive. The foreign caller then provided the exact address of the Perry Avenue apartment stating that the young man could be found inside Area 1 detectives are currently working to unravel the connection between the local kidnapping, the execution and the mysterious caller broadcasting from South America for the latest crime and justice breaking news. Be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app with this crime alert. I'm Sydney Silvani introducing the all new

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