Reward fund taking donations
MONROE - A reward fund has been set up in honor of Kelcey Fike, 21, of Kearney, Neb., who apparently was murdered June 17. She is a 2005 Monroe High School graduate.
Bob Duxstad, who lived next to Fike's parents in Monroe before they moved a couple years ago, set up the fund. Duxstad said the money, at least $2,000, will be used to reward someone who provides information about Fike's death.
Donations to the Kelcey Fike Reward Fund may be mailed to Wisconsin Community Bank, c/o Wendy Ellingson, P.O. Box 100, Monroe, WI 53566. Donations also can be dropped off at the bank at 1717 10th St.
Anyone with information regarding Fike's death should call the Buffalo County (Neb.) Sheriff's Department at (308) 237-2104 or the area Crimestoppers at (308) 237-3424.
- Jim Winter
That's what Randy and Mary Jo Fike called the person responsible for their daughter Kelcey Fike's violent death two weeks ago.
"Everyone who currently knows this coward, and everyone who has the potential to come in contact with this coward, is at risk," a determined yet quivering Mary Jo Fike said during a news conference Tuesday morning at the Kearney/Buffalo County Law Enforcement Center.
Kelcey Fike, 21, a 2005 Monroe High School graduate, was found early June 17 murdered and burned in her home in Kearney. Because of the circumstances surrounding her death, the Fikes and the Kearney Police Department believe she knew her attacker.
Kearney Police Chief Dan Lynch didn't elaborate on those circumstances and also declined to go into detail about her death, or if the fire was set to cover up the crime. Police haven't said if a weapon was used.
But Lynch and the Fikes pleaded with those who either have direct or indirect information about Kelcey Fike's death to come forward.
"Kelcey is not the only person in this community who knows this individual. And she is certainly not the last person in this community who has come into contact with this individual," Mary Jo Fike said.
Police have interviewed "a great number of people," Lynch said, either through investigative leads or tips from the public. There are no suspects in the case.
The last time anyone heard from Kelcey Fike, Lynch said, was within a few hours of her death. But police are looking for more information 24 to 48 hours before her death.
"We've got some gaps that we really can't account for, which concern us," he said.
As she read from a prepared statement, Mary Jo Fike's voice trembled as she appealed to the public for help in solving her daughter's murder.
She said her daughter was a "beautiful, young lady" who was shy when she first met people.
The Fikes say their daughter, less than 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing about 125 pounds, was a small person and wouldn't have had the strength to fight off the "extremely excessive violence" of her attacker.
Lynch hopes forensic evidence will help establish a profile of the killer and potential suspects. However, police are waiting for those results.
"It takes time. We can't do this like you can on TV in an hour. It just can't be done," Lynch said.