NORTH PORT — After clearing Ellen-Beth Fullwood, her parents and her children as suspects in the murder of 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood, North Police Chief Terry Lewis had strong words for her killer.

“Take no comfort or solace that you are not in jail yet. Your time is coming,’’ Lewis said.

Lewis said the case is “very personal’’ to him, and in no way is a cold case.

“The case is very active, very open, and very dynamic,’’ Lewis said.

And although he did not rule out Coralrose¹s father when clearing the rest of the family, Lewis remained cryptic, saying Dale Fullwood was “never cleared or considered a suspect. Let’s leave it at that.’’

Dale Fullwood is serving a one-year sentence in the Sarasota County Jail after pleading no contest in July to possessing child pornography. An image of a child under 12 being raped was reportedly found on one of Dale’s 10 computers by police while they were investigating Coralrose’s slaying.

Lewis said investigators have been working nonstop on the case, spending “every waking moment’’ thinking about the case.

The investigative team, made up of city, county, state and federal law enforcement, has processed more than 500 leads, several of which remain open.

The team also conducted more than 1,000 interviews and processed more than 450 DNA swabs.

Lewis said new leads last week generated 15 new interviews.

And every week, the DNA sample found by investigators is compared to a national database, updated by the FBI, as well as any new updates to Florida’s DNA database.

However, there are still some leads that have remained open from the beginning, or were generated from these leads, that are still open.

For example, Lewis said, investigators are still looking for a red pickup that was reported in the area where Coralrose’s body was found.

“The driver might not be involved, but might have information,’’ Lewis said.

Lewis also announced they are using two donated billboards _ one in North Port on Toledo Blade Boulevard, and the other on U.S. 41 in North Fort Myers. One has already been put up in North Fort Myers, near the bar where Dale Fullwood used to work.

Each billboard has a photo of Coralrose and a question: “Who murdered this child?’’

Lewis said the billboards are strategically placed to be seen by former patrons of the Motor Sports Cafe, where Dale Fullwood worked before the murder. It is reported that the Motor Sports Cafe has closed its doors.

“Someone who worked or went there may have information,’’ Lewis said. “We are still trying to speak with people who were there in August or September (2006).’’

An autopsy indicated Coralrose died from “homicidal violence.”

In January, Lewis broke four months of silence on the case, saying DNA and physical evidence show more than one person was involved in the sexual assault of Coralrose.

Lewis said many pieces of that fateful day have been put together, with some loose ends to tie up.

“We are getting closer,’’ Lewis said, reiterating that he will not put a time on when an arrest will be made, nor will he pressure his investigative team to make an arrest.

“We want a conviction,’’ he said.

Found on-line at http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/sep/17/police_killers_time_coming/?breaking_news