TonganoxieMirror.com

Family members, a handful of co-workers and, most importantly, seven detectives from the Bonner Springs Police Department, have a vested interest in finding the person responsible for the Nov. 12 homicide of a Tonganoxie woman.

And now, that circle of people has widened to include the Dollar General corporation.

Nearly one month has passed since police found 44-year-old Robin Bell -- a Tonganoxie resident and manager of the north Dollar General store in Bonner Springs -- dead, the victim of an apparent homicide. No one has yet been charged with the crime.

Late last week, Dollar General upped the ante in an effort to find Bell's killer.

Police said the company now is offering $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. Reward money now totals $11,000 for viable information regarding the homicide.

Bell was found with "severe head trauma" in the back of the store at approximately 3 a.m. Nov. 12. The store closed at 8 the previous evening, and police were called to the store after Bell's husband, Don Bell of Tonganoxie, reported that she was missing.

Lt. Rick Schubert of the Bonner Springs Police Department said his department is "actively pursuing" leads and interviewing potential witnesses. As of Tuesday, the department had no additional information pertaining to the murder.

In a story that appeared in last week's newspaper, Bell's daughter, Melissa Davis of Basehor, said family members were growing frustrated with what they perceive as a lack of police progress.

Schubert said police are working hard to find Bell's killer.

"I believe this is a solvable case and we have all available resources working toward that conclusion," the police officer said.

Anyone with information about the murder is to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. Police have said the telephone information line is an invaluable tool in investigating the crime.