Nelson's wife reportedly was the last person to see him, but police can not locate her for questioning, [Lt. Todd] Mahaney said.
"She is a person of interest," he said
Mahaney said there have been rumors of foul play, but none of those claims have been substantiated.
Nelson's mother, Cathy Politte of Festus, said she believes her son is dead because he always calls her once a week, but she hasn't heard from him since Dec. 31.
Politte said she got calls from a person who said he knew her son and that he had been a victim of foul play...
police are interested in a large rural area in Mineral Point, he said.
"It's all old tif mines and woods," Mahaney said.