Sheriff says search ongoing for Barrington man

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said Friday his department has logged more than 400 hours searching for a Barrington-area man missing for more than a month.

Curran said at online comments criticizing his office for treating the case as a voluntary disappearance and not conducting a thorough hunt for the man are off base.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Curran said. "Our investigators have pursued leads in four different states and we have conducted numerous searches and interviews."

Robert D. Nelson, 47, was reported missing about 8 p.m. Oct. 7, less than hours after transferring $17,500 from personal bank accounts to a joint account with his wife, Nancy.

There is still money left in Nelson personal accounts, Curran said, and there has been no further activity in the accounts since the transfer.

He said deputies, reserve deputies and firefighters have searched wooded areas and a lake near Nelson's home in the 28500 block of North Drive.

Detectives have enlisted the help of police in Tampa, Fla., where Nelson has business contacts; in Naples Fla., where his father and brother live; and in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Nelson went on hunting trips, Curran said.

Authorities in surrounding counties and Wisconsin have also been asked to assist in the investigation, Curran said.

It was learned Nelson obtained a driver's license in the name of Roberto Ramirez after his own license was suspended in 1991 after a DUI arrest, Curran said.

Roselle police gave Nelson a second DUI ticket that year under the name of Ramirez, Curran said, and police believe he abandoned the second identity shortly thereafter.

His brother, Thomas Nelson, told police he heard from Robert about a week after his disappearance, Curran said, but later retracted the story, saying he fabricated it.

Thomas Nelson said Friday's news conference didn't reveal anything new to him, but he was pleased that there seemed to be some rejuvenation of interest in the case.

He called the false report of contact with his brother a "miscommunication" with police, and denied that his brother's one-time forging of a new identity has any relevance to the current case.

"That was a long time ago and I don't believe he's in that frame of mind at this time in his life," Thomas Nelson said.

He added he just wants the case taken seriously.

"Let's face it, an adult male isn't going to make it to the top of the priority list," he said. "I have nothing against the sheriff's department."

Nelson's father told investigators he believes his son may have access to another source of money, something investigators are trying to verify.

Nelson's wife and two children have been "extremely cooperative," Curran said, and are not considered suspects.

He said Nelson left his wallet and cell phone behind and took no family vehicle.

He's 5 feet 8 inches tall, 165 pounds and bald with hazel eyes and fair skin.

Curran said there's no indication of foul play but nothing's been ruled out.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Wendell Russell at (847) 377-4156.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=335607">Brother organizes search for Barrington-area man <span class="date">[11/11/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=328349">Search continues for missing Barrington man <span class="date">[10/12/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=327634">Police search for Barrington man <span class="date">[10/08/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>