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Man Found Dead in Alley After Missing Bus
1 Mar
Summary
- A man went missing days before his body was found in an alley.
- He was reportedly stranded in Nashville after missing a bus connection.
- His family believes he received inadequate help from authorities.
A family from Minnesota has filed a missing person report for John Nelson, who was later found deceased in a Nashville alleyway. Nelson had reportedly informed a family friend, Erika Klasse, that he missed a connecting bus from New Mexico to Minnesota and was stranded in Nashville. He was allegedly removed from the Greyhound bus station and was experiencing mental health challenges, having been off his medication for several weeks.
Klasse attempted to contact Nelson, but an unknown individual found his broken phone near the bus station. Following this, Nelson's family filed missing person reports in both Minnesota and Nashville. Metro police informed Klasse that Nelson had been admitted to TriStar Centennial Medical Center but was later released. On February 20, 2026, Nashville police discovered the body of a 56-year-old man in an alley behind a business on Union Street. The family identified Nelson through tattoos and a hospital wristband, though they await autopsy and toxicology results, which may take six to 12 weeks.
Klasse expressed deep disappointment, stating that authorities who were supposed to help failed Nelson and his family. Police reported no drug paraphernalia or signs of foul play near the body. Surveillance footage showed Nelson walking alone near the business shortly before 1 a.m. on February 20, 2026. Nelson's family remembers him as a kind person, a devoted Christian, and a loving individual who was trying to return home.
