Karen Simek's husband reflects on year-long murder investigation

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Three people have now been charged in connection with the murder of 53-year-old Karen Simek who was robbed, shot and killed on her way to work on January 31, 2017. Simek was an employee at the Garden Fresh Foods near 12th and National. Officials don't believe Simek was a target but rather a victim of a senseless crime.

Karen Simek's husband, Kevin Sasse reacted to the arrests that came almost a year after her murder.

"There's that anticipation of something and then a long period of months where nothing was happening. I thought this day would never come, and then suddenly everything's turned around again," said Sasse.

In the last year, Sasse has been working to keep her memory alive.

"There's a lot of firsts. First time to be responsible for cooking. I've always baked, but now I'm a cook too," said Sasse.

This year, Sasse went back to a special vacation spot for the first time without her: the Grand Canyon.

"I went back to the Grand Canyon where our greatest accomplishment of hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back was three years ago. This year I went back and just kind of relived that a little bit," said Sasse.

Sasse said he and his family knew multiple people had knowledge of the shooting.

"We've always said all along that this, even if he acted alone at the time, this was not an event in isolation, that someone else is going to know about it, someone else is going to learn details about it, there will be other people who know. We did have that hope that someone would do the right thing and pass the information on," said Sasse.

Although he wouldn't use the word closure, he says there are a lot of emotions.

"I knew on January 31st what had happened and that my life had changed and how it had changed. I've spent all this year wondering, 'Where is this guy? What is he doing?' He's a danger to other people -- to do something like this with no provocation, no reason. Someone that can't control himself -- what's he out there doing? So, in that way, that's the relief for me. Knowing he is in jail. He's not out in the streets anymore," said Sasse.