SEELEY LAKE, MT — Nearly 30 years after Seeley Lake elementary school teacher Clifford Lee Nelson was shot and killed in his home, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office says the cold case remains active.
Detectives are still trying to identify the person responsible and are looking for information that could help answer long-standing questions for Nelson’s family, friends and former students.
Nelson was killed in his home in September 1996
Nelson was murdered in the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 30, 1996, at his home on the north side of Redwood Lane, just east of Pine Street in Seeley Lake.
The sheriff’s office said the case has stayed open as investigators work to build a clearer picture of what happened that morning.
A respected educator remembered by the community
Nelson was well known locally for his work in education and his service to the community. He was named Montana’s Teacher of the Year in 1981, according to the sheriff’s office.
Officials said he spent significant time and effort supporting the school and the wider community. His family and many former students continue to mourn his death.
Investigators have reviewed decades of material without a break in the case
According to detectives, the investigation has been extensive over the past three decades. They have reviewed original documents and other information gathered since the killing.
That review has not turned up additional leads, but investigators said they have not given up hope that someone in the community may still have information that could help solve the case.
Cold case unit says community information could still matter
The sheriff’s office said it believes people who were living in or connected to the area at the time of the crime may hold details that have not yet been shared.
Investigators say any information, even after many years, could help move the case closer to closure for Nelson’s family and others who have waited for answers.
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